carolyn victoria mill | bio pix of cvm

'i was put here to package people, not to be packaged' - cvm

Artist / Project / Office Manager, Writer, Web Mistress, Photographer, Musician, Muse.

Bridging the gap between creative people and the cold hearted business world is just one of the many things that keep CVM busy. A blend of technology and art has certainly been a theme in her life, and so it is the entertainment industry where we will find her at her best.

Getting her start at the Characters in Toronto (the oldest talent agency in Canada), followed by stints at The Talent Group and other actors' agencies, she quickly made herself very useful to both actors and agents, looking after their ever changing and sometimes high maintenance needs. With her most recent post as statistician for the Canadian actor's union ACTRA, CVM was able to make much of her passion for Cancon by reporting on foreign and domestic production work in Toronto's busy film & television scene. Making sense of so much paperwork and turning it into more easily digestible reports became her forte. This gal sure knows her way around a spreadsheet, and has continued to hone her skills in Excel and various other office applications as they pertain to getting the job done.

Seldom found without her digital camera and blackberry, her start on the tech side of things came when the technology industry took off in the 90s. A closet geek at the time, she joined forces with tech journalist Andy Walker (often referred to as the Digital Dear Abby) to form a successful syndicated technology news service; Cyberwalker Media. CVM managed the office, Andy's career, and a stable of other freelance writers. Securing regular columns and features in major newspapers across Canada and in many international business publications; Cyberwalker was a rather nerdy success. Junkets to Las Vegas and Italy, hardcore product testing, and the honing of Walkers on-camera persona were all in a days work. After the unwelcome Tech Bust of 2002 Cyberwalker took a hiatus, Andy moved to California to become a novelist and TV personality, while CVM went on to become a much sought after freelance home office manager. Amongst other things.

Organizing various creative people and making sense of their finances in a supportive, casual environment is a joy to CVM. Filing and Bookkeeping are not dirty words to her. With clients such as Blue Rodeo, producers Dale Penner and Billy Bryans, publicist Richard Flohil, award winning photographer Andrew MacNaughtan, filmmaker Ali Kazimi, and Rush's management company SRO, she has seen a few things in the course of a days work, and has risen to many challenges. Giving her further insight into the crazy world of music; CVM has been personal assistant to Canadian jazz great Molly Johnson for over a decade now, facilitating record label, fan, band and charity activities for this very talented and philanthropic musician. Just for fun CVM ran the popular Maple Lounge series at the Rivoli for a couple of years, booked the now defunct Café May on a volunteer basis, took photos for various journalists, and has been known to take an active interest in the futures of many local musicians through helpful advice and bio writing.

Well known for her people-friendly web design, CVM has created and maintained a host of very functional web sites for herself, Molly Johnson, the Rivoli and may others, as well as providing publicity and graphic design for sundry creative folks. Journalism has become a growing interest and CVM has been begun to write more and more for various publications. An opinionated correspondent, avid digital photo blogger, borderline vegan and outspoken advocate when need be, she finds great satisfaction in helping, promoting and protecting those a little less feisty than herself.

CVM's greatest passion is very likely music. She manages her partner; singer songwriter Reid Jamieson, while sometimes co-writing songs and performing together as well. (listen to Rail) Reid's latest disc of original music - The Unavoidable Truth - was produced by Josh Finlayson of the Skydiggers and Gord Downie Band, and features the talents of Sarah Harmer and Blue Rodeo's Bob Egan. This alt-country flavoured album was met with much critical acclaim from publications all over theglobe and garnered some pretty kind words from Stuart McLean of the CBC's Vinyl Cafe and a further opportunity to tour with them in the spring of 2006. While working on a soulful follow up for Reid, she helped put out two more records. The Presley Sessions - a fifties era tribute to Elvis - was originally her birthday gift from Reid but she saw fit to release it to the public to great response. She then encouraged his 75 year old great-uncle Howie to finally put out a record of his own songs. Produced by Reid this album of all original music ended up being a jazzy gem featuring some top talent that all parties are extremely proud of. They don't call her the midwife of song for nothin'!

While spending a couple of years on Vancouver Island (Victoria's Cook Street Village) she ran Rufus Island Guitar Shop and was media consultant for the Victoria Conservatory of Music and The Queen Mother Waterside Cafe. Rolling in the moss, becoming bilingual, and learning to ride a bike, CVM also devoted much of her time (and waistline) to devoloping a tasty vegetarian starter guide with her man. Look forward to this helpful little cookbook in the spring of 2009.

Sharing a birthday with Albert Einstein and Quincy Jones, this outspoken fish was born 2 of 3 in Sunderland England in 1969; moved to Nova Scotia as a wee lass; hitch-hiked to Toronto at 19; and then toured west to Victoria BC in 2005. In the fall of 2007 she moved to Kitsilano Beach in Vancouver where she continues to manage Reid Jamieson and Howie James, as well as assist Molly Johnson, is a program assistant at UBC, while also juggling various creative projects and looking for the next satisfying work experience. This December 22nd 2008 CVM will have gone 5 years without a single drag of a cigarette and is some danged proud of it.

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