COCHRANE— The author of the popular book Howdy, I’m John Ware, and publisher of Red Barn Books, Ayesha Clough recently saw her story come to life in an animated short published on YouTube under the same title.
Clough said that she was inspired to write the book for her son, who is cowboy-crazy.
“My little son is crazy about two things— Cowboys and hockey. When he was little, I couldn’t find him any books to do with horses or cowboys, which struck me as really strange because we live in Alberta,” Clough said. “What books there were, were really hokey and I felt like they really didn’t capture the west as it is now.”
Her son loved the finished product and “practically knows it by heart now,” she said laughing.
Clough said there are so many amazing stories about the pioneers that built the province, and she hopes parents will take the time to share those stories with their kids, and educate them about the history of the province.
“I really felt like we needed more books that reflected Alberta, our landscapes, our people. I just have this crazy conviction that Alberta children need to grow up knowing Alberta stories,” she said. “This is the wild west. There are stories of resilience, and adventure, and humour and awesome personalities that are role models for not only kids but adults too.”
Seeing the story that she wrote come alive in animation was an amazing experience, Clough said.
The Canada Council for the Arts had a one-time grant of $5,000 and Clough leapt at the opportunity to apply.
Hugh Rockwood, the illustrator who created the artwork for the book initially, drew in a style that naturally adapted to the animated format, she said.
Clough enlisted Cochrane-based animator, Steve Gervais, who came recommended to her by Rockwood, as the two were mutual fans of each other’s work.
“The first time they sent me a little draft … It took my breath away to see him alive again,” she said. “It was a heart-stopping moment, it was really special. I can’t say enough about Steve Gervais, he really took the project and ran with it.”
Clough applauded Gervais for his hard work and dedication to the project.
“When I look at the Disney animated shorts, there are about 50 to 100 people in the credits. We literally had Steve. We had such a small team, but he’s really done an amazing job,” she said.
Gervais said the project became personal for him when he realized he had a close connection. Gervais married into the family Robinson, which is a well-known homesteading family in Alberta.
He mentioned he was working on the project to his mother-in-law, who revealed that John Ware had worked at the stables owned by her family.
“It became kind of a personal thing,” he said. “It was quite interesting to see how this actually blossomed.”
Gervais said that when the project was initially brought to him, he was surprised and excited to be a part of it.
“I was blown away by the fact that [Clough] wanted me to do the animation,” Gervais said. “I just wanted to make something great. As an animator, that’s what we want to do, we want to make great stories.”
Most animated projects have a team of developers, artists, directors and animators, but Gervais was a one-man show on Howdy, I’m John Ware.
He even added the sound effects that run throughout the film.
“I’m so proud of it. I’m so blown away by the fact that it just really came together. Even though I had the artistic freedom, it was still a collaboration between all three of us. [Clough] had a certain vision, and I think I got the vision, I think I gave Hugh props to his artwork, and then I think my movements and my decisions— It came together,” he said.
Clough’s book includes a suggested lesson plan for educators to follow when presenting the book to their students, and the film is a valuable extension of that project.
Clough said she hopes that educators, librarians and parents can use the story to introduce their kids to one of Alberta’s most interesting historical figures.
“I just want all Alberta kids to grow up knowing the stories of their pioneers. I want them to be inspired by these people who chased their dreams, were adventurous, they took risks, they left behind something worthwhile, they were funny, they were courageous,” she said, “If every kid grows up knowing these stories, my work will be done. Teachers and librarians and parents are partners in making that happen.”
In the wake of the Black Lives Matter protests that rippled across the United States and Canada, the story of John Ware, Alberta’s most notorious Black cowboy, is especially important now more than ever.
“I think there’s a need for us all to learn more, to do more, and this is our contribution toward that,” Clough said.
She added that she hopes this story can be a good jumping-off point for kids to learn about the diverse stories and people who helped shape the place that we call home.
“There are so many different types of people in the world. This generation is more open than so many before to embracing diversity. Hopefully, John’s story is the first step for them to know that diversity is something that we need to celebrate and treasure.
