Globe and Mail honours Paul Quarrington’s works

May 29, 2010

A privilege to enjoy the recognition of Canada’s prestigious national newspaper, The Globe and Mail ….

Profile: Paul Quarrington: His final year was his greatest work by John Barber

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/books/paul-quarrington-his-final-year-was-his-greatest-work/article1584668/
A remarkable memoir reveals a writer and musician determined to face down death with courage and flair.

A genius at living // Cigar Box Banjo: Reviewed by Mark Kingwell

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/books/review-cigar-box-banjo-notes-on-music-and-life-by-paul-quarrington/article1584522/
Paul Quarrington, author and musician, embraced both life and the inevitability of death

Bittersweet notes on music and life (Book Excerpt)

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/books/bittersweet-notes-on-music-and-life/article1584674/
In his memoir Cigar Box Banjo, Paul Quarrington writes that upon learning of his lung cancer, he drove to the Scarborough Bluffs, ‘stumbled out to the shore and bawled like a baby’

A final song

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/books/a-final-song/article1584596/
In a Globe and Mail exclusive, listen to a song Paul Quarrington wrote about the end being near. The song is one of three on a CD included with Quarrington’s memoir, Cigar Box Banjo

Written by admin · Filed Under Press

National Post continues Quarrington support

May 29, 2010

Interview with Director Bert Kish on Paul Quarrington: Life in Music >> By Katherine Laidlaw

Paul Quarrington: When his many passions merged into a love of life

And Phil Marchand’s review of Cigar Box Banjo

Open Book, by Philip Marchand: Cigar Box Banjo, by Paul Quarrington

Written by admin · Filed Under Press

Quarrington finds new ways to surprise, posthumously

May 25, 2010

The Canadian Press

Date: Monday May. 24, 2010

TORONTO — Months after his death, Paul Quarrington is still finding new ways to surprise.

The multi-hyphenate author, musician, filmmaker and playwright died of lung cancer in January. But the work is still coming. This spring will see the release of his first solo CD and a new memoir, while a documentary about his final months will air on television.

And as they survey his latest spate of creative works, those close to Quarrington continue to marvel at the friend they’ve lost.

“The reception, it’s just overwhelming, the sense of ‘thank you,’ and ‘I didn’t know that,”‘ said Judith Keenan, a close confidante of Quarrington’s and the producer of “Paul Quarrington: Life in Music,” a documentary that will air on Saturday (Bravo, 7 p.m. ET).

“These are people talking to me — ‘I’m a high school friend of Paul’s and I didn’t know that about him.’ Or his brother would say, ‘I didn’t know that about him.’ They’re all discovering things about this gentleman.

“I think just the way he constructed his life, it’s people finding doors to walk through they didn’t know existed. It’s increased the value of this trifecta of products coming out at the same time.”

And these final creative works exist thanks to the tireless effort Quarrington put in during the months and days that would prove to be his last.

Quarrington was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer last May, a fatal condition he would succumb to in January at the age of 56.

In between, he worked at a prodigious pace to complete his projects. Rather than being defeated by the diagnosis, he almost seemed buoyed — in the film, he refers to it as a “gift,” because the knowledge that his time was limited served as motivation to work furiously to complete a staggering career of accomplishments.

READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE ON CTV.CA or in any of the many print and online media outlets across the country!

Written by admin · Filed Under Press

Photos

May 24, 2010

To download high resolution photos – right click on the photo title.

	Paul Quarrington portrait 1 (c) Irene Duma for BookShorts
	Paul Quarrington portrait 2 (c) Irene Duma for BookShorts.com
	Paul Quarrington portrait 3 Irene Duma for BookShorts.com
	At Doors Open Toronto, May 2009 (c) Judith Keenan for BookShorts Inc.)
	At Conversations with Joe Hall, Peterborough, May 2009 ((c) Judith Keenan for BookShorts)
	Porkbellys Futures Performance at Doors Open Toronto, ROM, May 2009
	Paul Quarrington and Martin Worthy on film set shooting “Hey Hollywood, August 2009

	The Quarrington Family (c) Christine Quarrington
	Paul and Joel Quarrington(c) Christine Quarrington
	Paul, Joel and Tony Quarrington(c) Christine Quarrington; use only with written permission
	Paul, Joel and Tony Quarrington(c) Christine Quarrington; use only with written permission
	Paul, Joel and Tony Quarrington(c) Christine Quarrington; use only with written permission
	Teenage Paul Quarrington(c) Christine Quarrington; use only with written permission
	On the set of Pavane short film produced by BookShorts written and conceived by BookShorts.
	PorkBelly Futures Publicity Shot
	PorkBelly Futures (c) Pages This is Not a Reading Serices; use with permission.
	To download the other 32 performance shots from this series, click here.PorkBelly Futures at the Haliburton Forest Festival, 2009 (c) BookShorts Inc.
	Quarrington/Worthy (c) circa 1988.

Written by admin · Filed Under Press

The word is out about Tribute to Paul Quarrington

April 8, 2010

Our humble thanks to our supporters in the press, and to Marlene Palmer and Joanne Ingrassia who are in the front lines of communications on our behalf!

Quarrington tribute involves many
London Free Press / QMI News Service
But Paul Quarrington had no use for pigeonholing. He had to swim, fly, write, make music and share life. A Renaissance man in the most hands-on sense …

CIUT FM 89.5 Toronto
Radio Interview on Take Five with David Peterson, Thursday April 8
Judith Keenan and Rebecca Campbell present “A Tribute to Paul Quarrington Celebrating his Life with Music, Theatre, Film, Magic, and Sport” at the Opera House next Tuesday…

EYE Weekly
Best Bets April 8 – 14
For a man who enjoyed a good party, it seems only fitting to celebrate his life with a great one….

CFRB Rock Talk with Blair Packham and Bob Reid
Upcoming on Sunday, April 11, 6 – 7pm
Interview with Rebecca Campbell and Judith Keenan

More as it happens!

Written by admin · Filed Under On the Road, Press

Paul Quarrington Documentary: First Look

January 21, 2010

Paul Quarrington’s friends, family and colleagues pay tribute.

Written by admin · Filed Under Press

Paul Quarrington

Paul Quarrington portrait

In May 2009, Paul was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer. From May 2009 to January 2010 he channeled his prodigious creative energy into the completion of many artistic endeavours, including his first solo CD release “Paul Quarrington: The Songs,” the third PorkBellys Futures CD release, his memoir “Cigar Box Banjo: Notes on Music and Life” for Greystone Books, the documentary film “Paul Quarrington: Life in Music” (BookShorts / CTV Bravo) and so much more.

His brave journey ended on January 21, 2010. He passed peacefully at home in Toronto surrounded by friends and family.

The Quarrington Arts Society has been established in honour of the inspiration Paul’s life and work continues to provide for artists who seek expression in many disciplines – for information about the organization and its mandate, please visit http://www.quarringtonartsociety.ca

Paul Quarrington was a musician, acclaimed non-fiction writer and novelist, an award-winning screenwriter and filmmaker, and an educator extra-ordinaire.

His novel The Ravine (2008) was long-listed for the Scotiabank Giller Prize; his previous novel Galveston (2004) was short-listed for the Giller. Quarrington won the Stephen Leacock Award for King Leary, a title that also won the 2008 Canada Reads competition. Whale Music won the Governor General’s Award for Fiction and was one of several of his novels already adapted or currently being adapted as feature films.

His non-fiction writing includes books on some of his favourite pastimes such as fishing, hockey and music; his memoir Cigar Box Banjo: Notes on Music and Life, is published by Greystone Books (May 29, 2010). He regularly contributed book reviews, travel columns and journalism to Canada’s national newspapers and magazines, winning or co-winning more than 30 Gold awards. His screenplays and story editing won many awards, including the CFPTA Indie Award for Comedy for the series Moose TV.

Throughout his career he was in high demand as a story editor for Canadian and American feature films and television. Paul’s filmmaking talents as writer / director are evident in his BookShorts film, Pavane (2008), which he adapted from his novel The Ravine; it was featured in the national tour of Moving Stories Film Festival, won a Remi Platinum Award for adaptation at Houston’s WorldFest, was juried in several other US film festivals, and was broadcast in Canada on Bravo!FACT Presents and CBC Reflections.

As a musician, he played in the band Porkbelly Futures for more than ten years; the band’s first CD Way Past Midnight was extremely well received, their self-titled second CD was released to even more popular acclaim; and a third release will be available in 2010. From 2008, Paul increasingly returned to the performance circuit as solo vocalist on guitar; his first solo CD release “Paul Quarrington: The Songs” is available June 8, 2010 from Cordova Bay.

Paul taught creative writing at Humber College for more than 20 years (in the program founded by Joe Kertes, Quarrington and colleague Wayson Choy); he also taught at University of Toronto. His seminars on adapting books for the screen and creative writing were constantly presented by institutions and festivals in across Canada.

He sat on the Board of Directors for the Fringe Theatre Festival, and was mentor to BookShorts Inc. since the company’s first short film release (2005) through to the company’s production of Paul’s biographical feature documentary film Paul Quarrington: Life in Music (Dir. Bert Kish, for CTV Bravo) which will be broadcast May 29 and 30, 2010. Nipissing University bestowed him a Doctor of Letters PhD (posthumously) in June 2010.

Quarrington enjoyed his ranking as an (extremely) amateur magician and would-be mariner. He is survived by his two children, Carson Lara and Flannery Quarrington.