A PUBLICATION FOR THE VISUAL ARTIST
FALL 2016
ISSUE 27
Dan Arberry
UNLIMITED EXPLORATIONS IN MARK MAKING
SERENA LOVE
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LOUISE WEBBER
THREE ARTISTS
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THE CENTRE FOR
CREATIVE ARTS At the Centre
Classes for all ages and levels Monthly gallery exhibitions Gift Shop featuring local artists Birthday parties School and group bookings Drop-in studio use
Calls for Entries
CFCA Group Show: Pen & Ink We are looking for Peace Country artists to create art works using Pen and Ink. One entry per person. Pieces must be no bigger than 11in x 14in. Please e-mail an image of your submission to knsangra@creativecentre.ca by Feb. 3. Show runs from March 3 – 31 .
2017 Wearable Arts Show It’s time to start thinking about the Wearable Art Show again and begin working on your wonderful wearable creations. The show will be held in the fall, in conjunction with Alberta Culture Days. Interested artists are asked to contact the Centre to add their contact info to our Wearable Arts list. Artists on this list will get regular updates and deadline reminders. Proposals must be submitted by June 1, 2017. Wall Gallery Exhibition Oppurtunies We are looking for Peace Country artists to exhibit in
Upcoming Exhibitions December 2 – 22 Reception: 7pm on December 2 The Centre Gallery CFCA Christmas Show and Sale The Wall Gallery CFCA Christmas Show and Sale January 6 – 24 Reception: 7pm on January 6 The Centre Gallery Emily Lozeron The Wall Gallery Dan Arberry February 3 – 24 Reception: 7pm on Febuary 3 The Centre Gallery CFCA Student/Instructor Show The Wall Gallery CFCA Student/Instructor Show March 3 – 31 Reception: 7pm on March 3 The Centre Gallery Serena Love The Wall Gallery CFCA Group Show “Pen & Ink” April 7 – 28 Reception: 7pm on April 7 The Centre Gallery J. Loberg, J. Kuechle, T. Brekkas, L. Quesnel, S. Corvalan The Wall Gallery CFCA HAPI Show May 5 – 26 Reception: 7pm on May 5 The Centre Gallery Grande Prairie Guild of Artists The Wall Gallery TBA
proposal form and submit it to the Centre. Details for all Calls for Entries at www.creativecentre.ca/opportunities/call-for-entries
Figure Drawing Club Join our drop-in Figure Drawing group every Thursday from 7 – 9pm, for non-instructed drawing with a nude model. $15 drop in, $10 for members. Please bring your own supplies.
Like The Centre for Creative Arts on Facebook Follow #CreativeArtsGP on Twitter Artwork by Dan Arberry
www.creativecentre.ca
9904-101 Avenue, Grande Prairie 780-814-6080 info@creativecentre.ca Art of the Peace - Fall 2016.indd 2
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in this issue 5
ARTIST’S STATEMENT
5 CONTRIBUTORS 6
ART OUT THERE
8
IMPRESSIONS OF BERLIN A SKETCH JOURNAL IN GERMANY
EDITOR: Twyla Exner DESIGN & ADVERTISING: imageDESIGN 10017 100 Avenue Grande Prairie, AB T8V 0V2 Phone: 780-532-6353 Email: info@imagedesign.pro PUBLISHER: Art of the Peace Visual Arts Association Box 21503, Co-op Plaza Grande Prairie, AB, T8V 6W7 Phone: 780-876-4737 (Debbie Courvoisier) Email: art@artofthepeace.ca
10
UNLIMITED EXPLORATIONS IN MARK MAKING
16
SERENA LOVE EMERGING ARTIST
18 ARTCETERA MASTER PASTELIST LOUISE WEBBER SHARES HER TECHNIQUES
PRINTING: McCallum Printing Group COVER: Silhouette 9 by Dan Arberry Photography by Prairie Ranger Photography
DAN ARBERRY
20
THREE ARTISTS STUDIO VISITS
Art of the Peace Visual Arts Association acknowledges the financial assistance of:
22
LOUISE WEBBER
©All rights reserved Art of the Peace 2016 Reproduction in whole or in part is strictly prohibited. Art of the Peace makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information it publishes but cannot be held responsible for any consequences arising from errors or omissions.
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GAL L E RY SCULPTURE PAINTINGS POTTERY JEWELLERY CUSTOM FRAMING PHOTOGRAPHY ART WALK 3RD THURDAY OF THE MONTH 5:30-8:00PM
T UE S–SAT: 9:30–5:30 #3 9907 100 AVE GRANDE PRAIRIE GRANTBERGGALLERY.COM
RE P RE SE N TING 36 CA NA DIA N A RT I ST S WI T H 1 8 LO CA L A RTIS TS
The Alberta Foundation for the Arts Travelling Exhibition Program The Alberta Foundation for the Arts (AFA) has supported a provincial travelling exhibition program since 1981. The mandate of the AFA Travelling Exhibition Program is to provide every Albertan with the opportunity to enjoy visual art exhibitions in their community. Three regional galleries and one arts organization coordinate the program for the AFA: Northwest Alberta: Art Gallery of Grande Prairie Northeast and North Central Alberta: Art Gallery of Alberta Southwest Alberta: The Alberta Society of Artists Southeast Alberta: Esplanade Arts & Heritage Centre
For the 2016/2017 Travelling Season the Art Gallery of Grande Prairie Presents Three New Exhibitions: White Nurse
Blair Brennan (From the AFA Collection)
Habit Forming, Ink and Branded Text on Paper, Blair Brennan
something now as different than before Larissa Tiggelers
Untitled Pink, Acrylic Paint on Paper, Larissa Tiggelers
Kleskun Hills: Views and Viewpoints Helena Mulligan, Teresa Durand, and Naomi Deutecom
Awesome View, Pastels on Paper, Helena Mulligan
For a complete list of exhibitions visit aggp.ca
9839 103 Avenue, Grande Prairie, AB T8V 6M7 Located in the Montrose Cultural Centre P: 780-532-8111 | F: 780-539-9522 | E: info@aggp.ca
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contributors ED BADER
artist’s statement
has a passion for visual cul-
ture in the form of comic books, commercial illustration and fine art. He holds numerous degrees, has exhibited widely in Alberta and is a tenured instructor at the GPRC.
TWYLA EXNER is an artist and educator BY TWYLA EXNER
I first arrived in Grande Prairie in 2014 and was delighted to discover a vibrant arts scene filled with diverse artists at all levels of establishing their interests and careers. I have heard in reference on multiple occasions that if a community is geographically isolated from the greater cultural sphere, out of necessity or ingenuity, they create their own culture. Art of the Peace magazine has been published for thirteen years and has served to celebrate the development and accomplishments of the region’s artists and document the arrival and departure of individuals who have had an impact on its cultural wealth. At the base of the magazine’s operations, readers will find that it is produced by the hard work of both artists and art supporters.Not only do these individuals create their own works they also contribute to the building of their community: they write articles, visit studios, attend events, and promote one another. Indeed, an environment of advocacy and respect is important as artists can endorse their own development through growing and sharing as a community. Artists taking a lead role in constructing and maintaining an arts community in the Peace Region is intrinsic to ensuring the future direction of the arts as an inclusive experience open to all engaged citizens.
who holds a BFA and MFA in visual arts. She has exhibited her art and delivered lectures and workshops in galleries, universities, schools, and community centers across Canada.
ANDREA JOHANNSON
is an active
ceramicist who lives in Grande Prairie. Writing, both technical and whimsical, has been a longtime pursuit. She embraces the beauty of the Peace and the diversity of its artists.
JIM STOKES is a Grande Prairie artist who has spent 35 years trying every method and medium possible. He currently spends his time squeezing quite a bit of clay.
LOUISE WEBBER
is a Canadian inter-
national award winning artist and published author of Portraits in Oils, Tips and Techniques for Inspiring Artists who has made Grande Prairie her home. She is an active member of the Federation of Canadian Artists.
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art out there...
Bailey is constantly experimenting with new mediums and techniques and approaches art making with enthusiasm and commitment. Much of her artistic inspiration is found in the natural world where animals and plants serve as muses for her colourful and delightfully detailed illustrations. Bailey has created a mural of a forest scene which serves as one of the incredible features in the 2017 Rotary Dream Home.
Bailey Merkley and her Dream Home mural
Drop by the Rotary Dream Home in early 2017 to check out Bailey’s work.
THE CANADA MURAL
In September 2016, the Beaverlodge Cultural Centre displayed The Canada Mural by Darlene Dautel. The painted mural represented a trip she and her husband had taken across Canada. In December 2015, Darlene carefully measured the gallery so her mural would fit perfectly within the space. It is constructed out of fourteen panels and measures fifty-eight feet long and two feet high. The imagery depicts the landscape as they travelled, with many personal memories added in. Darlene had expressed interest in keeping the panels together as one mural, but was willing to sell them separately as well. The Jim McFarlane family purchased the mural in its entirety in hopes it will be installed in the new Beaverlodge Hospital when it is built. In the meantime, the work adorns the Beaverlodge Public Library where the community can enjoy it. Dautel is well-known in the Peace River area as an artist and art instructor. She now lives in South-Western British Columbia where she owns and operates the Moonflower Studio.
Children working on their banners
Bailey Merkley has been practicing art since childhood, with lessons provided by her mother who was an art student in her youth. Bailey developed her love of art into a serious endeavor through post-secondary education at the Grande Prairie Regional College where she pursued studies in the Visual Art and Design program.
The Fairview Fine Arts Society has hosted a school art program at the Fairview Fine Arts Centre for the past eighteen years. Grade three students produce over 80, six-foot banners created around an annual theme that hang from the town’s light standards from May to the end of September. Grade four to six students are instructed in drawing, watercolours, fiber arts, and hand building with clay. Approximately 300 students from E. E. Oliver, St. Thomas More, and the elementary Home Schooling Program are scheduled into a six-week program by the Children’s Art Programs Coordinator and Committee. Established local artists contribute to the program as instructors. In 2015, Christina Cedar from Rycroft led the clay classes. Carolyn and Judy Brown from Spirit River taught drawing and watercolours. Melanie Hellum, Brigitte Washeim, Faye Johnson, the late Carolyn Adams, and Doreen Verschoor offered fiber arts techniques and assistance. The program is financially supported by the town, the municipality, the province, the schools and local donations from individuals and businesses. The elementary students eagerly await the program which runs during March and April.
Dautel and The Canada Mural, photo by Vicki Hotte
LOCAL ARTIST PAINTS MURAL IN DREAM HOME
ARTISTS AT SCHOOL BANNERS PROGRAM
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Ritua, Nikki Skilliter
The Grant Berg Gallery was nominated for three Grande Prairie District Chamber of Commerce Awards of Distinction: Best New Business, Arts and Culture, and The Eagle Feather. Grant was awarded the honour of The Eagle Feather. The Eagle Feather award was created for an Indigenous owned or supported business. Grant is of Cree ancestry, therefore promoting Indigenous art is of importance to him.
THE STRANGE AND THE EERIE OCCUPY GPRC’S FOLD GALLERY
“I love it and I believe in it, and I want the people of this area to see and learn about some of the Indigenous artists we have in Canada,” he states.
The Grande Prairie Regional College Art Club members brought together a collection of art that represents the unusual, the strange, the eerie, the mysterious, the haunting and the other worldly. We are inspired by the things that make us wonder and question, the things that we find strange and the things that form uncomfortable discoveries. This exhibition embraces all of these things openly and we invited viewers to join us in the exploration.
Grande Prairie Mayor Bill Given has visited the gallery on multiple occasions. “The thing that I like about it,” he says, “is that each time I go in there’s something new and unique, and oftentimes, something surprising.”
Photo by Sean Trostem
Curator Danielle Ribar selected a collection of amazing pieces of art from her peers and shared them with other students and the greater community at the Fold Gallery space located next to Howlers at the GPRC. The Strange and The Eerie exhibition was on display from October 17 to November 1, 2016 and featured artworks by: Tammy Baduk, Mitchell Ellison, Chelsey Farquhar, Jennifer Ferris, Alyssa Griko, Devyn Haywood, Sean Johnson, Kelsey Holzli, Natalie Nikiforuk, Kezia Rooke, Nikki Skilliter, and Christina Wallwork.
The gallery exhibits roughly 150 art works from 36 artists. It also keeps an additional 100 pieces in the storeroom. Artwork circulates in the gallery on a regular basis.
Walking in a Winter Wonderland, Sharon Krushel
GRANT BERG GALLERY EAGLE FEATHER AWARD
JAVA DOMAIN’S WINTER WONDERLAND Daniel Ducharme and Jessie Krushel, owners of Java Domain in Peace River, love walking in a winter wonderland. They have drawn inspiration from this experience to host a wonderland art show in December and January. In addition to the photo Walking in a Winter Wonderland by Sharon Krushel (above), the exhibit will include Amanada Monette’s intricate macro photo of a snowflake posing on her scarf and Paul Lavoie’s long exposure image Northern Lights and Star Trails over Lac Cardinal. Java Domain is the market test venue for DonaBona.ca greeting and art cards, these and other wonderland images will be featured in farmable cards as well. To double the delight, winter art will be paired with the culinary artworks of Daniel and Jessie: winter inspired drinks and desserts.
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Ruin of Anhalter Bahnhof Train Station
impressions of berlin A SKETCH JOURNAL IN GERMANY
Berlin, the capital of a reunited Germany since 1990, is a fascinating cosmopolitan city with a checkered past containing an abundance of museums, galleries and historical sights of interest. The Berlin drawings were executed during my visit to the city in May 2016. My digital camera battery died and so I was unable to photograph the various places I was visiting. Thanks to my training as a visual artist I was able to execute this series of drawings to record my impressions. Taking a
ARTWORK & WRITING BY ED BADER
photograph in the digital age happens in an instant and one can retake the photograph if not happy with it. Drawing from life is a much longer process; one slows down and closely contemplates the various details of the vista one is recording. Upon viewing the works at a later date, the experience of making, the time of day, the weather, and the location all come to mind. The framing, rendering and choice of motifs to draw are uniquely my own.
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Top Row: TV Tower Alexander Platz (left), Postdamer Platz (right)
Middle Row: Huguenot Cathderal (left), Coffee on Kottbusser (right)
Bottom Row: Music Muse in Front of Concert Hall (right)
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Dan Arberry UNLIMITED EXPLORATIONS IN MARK MAKING WRITTEN BY ANDREA JOHANNSON
ARTWORK BY DAN ARBERRY
PHOTOGRAPHY BY PRAIRIE RANGER PHOTOGRAPHY
Paintings in Dan Arberry’s studio
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Dan Arberry is an artist who, though a self-proclaimed ‘simple man’, possesses more of the mindset of a Zen Master; as in a ‘when you reach the top, keep climbing’ kind of way. Here is an individual who continually questions himself (often out loud) and makes the act of striving a positive driving force in his life. He assumes a very formidable approach to what it takes to be an artist. As he enters the next phase of his career and life, Dan takes time to consider the dynamic course of his journey, and to appreciate both the challenges and bliss his work brings to himself and others. Raised in the Peace Region, Dan enjoyed a well-rounded upbringing as a hockey player, art student, outdoorsman, and history buff; perhaps not the stereotypical path for an artist, but these undertakings have served him well through the years. Dan attended the Grande Prairie Regional College for three years (1993 –1996) where his instructor, Lionel Allingham, continuously kept him motivated and moving in a positive direction. As an 18-year-old, Dan appreciated the guidance. He went on to pursue a degree at the University of Calgary; studio, theory, and art history as well as ‘learning how to think’.
with more conviction than ever. Dan completed six pieces from that weekend workshop. He was exhausted but transformed. As well as academic reference points, the inspiration for Dan’s pieces derive from the natural objects he finds outdoors. (He has also used apples and pears because of their art historical significance as a subject matter). Dan is attracted by the metaphors these objects offer as well as a certain compelling humility and reference to his own identity. These are objects that play an important role in our lives, but are often overlooked. Dan has learned to find the most basic, organic materials interesting and handsome. Finding splendor in imperfection and complexity in the rustic, of revering authenticity above all is to see the remarkable in something that at first sight might look insipid and unpleasant. It takes a contemplative mind to appreciate subdued loveliness and courage to embrace plainness, a willingness to accept things as they are, without pretense or adornment. The unpretentiousness of an item makes it more interesting and gives it a greater philosophical presence as a singular device. For example, Dan’s series of Twenty-Five Pinecones becomes more appealing when understood outside the realm of a body of work. Each piece is distinct because of Dan’s determination to address every work individually and uniquely. A different set of criteria is addressed. Dan’s pieces celebrate the asymmetry of an apple, the authenticity of a stalk of grain, and the aesthetics of a pinecone.
I’M FOCUSING ON TEXTURE AND MARKS THAT I’M MAKING WITH OIL STICK, PASTELS, PAINT THAT I PUSH AROUND WITH MY FINGERS. GESSO, OILS, ACRYLICS. I WANT TO MAKE THE PIECE WORK AND SO I DO NOT LIMIT MYSELF TO ONE MEDIUM.
“I always saw myself as being an artist. I never wanted to be anything else. I didn’t expect I would get a job with a fine arts degree. I wanted an education. Period.” Here, Dan embraced the influence of Degas, Cezanne, Rembrandt, Caravaggio, and the contemporary artist Richard Diebenkorn. The truly pivotal point in Dan’s career was during an Art of the Peace workshop with Calgary artist Carl White. “I couldn’t do what I’m doing now if it wasn’t for him.” White propelled Dan out of his comfort zone and encouraged him to “lay it all on the line. He recognized me as a mark maker and could read the line I was laying down. Every line has a personality and a successful line has confidence.” White also validated Dan’s belief system and so he came away
And yet, Dan has resolved to never accept any work as ‘precious’, too well-drawn to be preserved forever and unable to be examined in a heroic way. This is one reason he is boldly experimenting with translucent layers of colour over base drawings, pushing the limits of what is acceptable in a world of rules and regulations. Dan is always questioning, always striving. “Who says I can’t go any further?” There is a definite conundrum as to whether Dan’s pieces are drawings or paintings. He doesn’t care much for labels. “I don’t want to limit myself. I’m a mark maker first. That’s how people acknowledge me. I like being called a drawer, but I
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Dan Arberry teaching an artist workshop
have to be careful now because I’m using colour in a visceral, non-academic manner. I’m pushing paint. I don’t use a brush in an ordinary way. In the last three years, my work has asked for something different from me. I’m focusing on texture and marks that I’m making with oil stick, pastels, paint that I push around with my fingers. Gesso, oils, acrylics. I want to make the piece work and so I do not limit myself to one medium.” One can see where the more recent product is a deconstructed answer to previous works. How do you finish a piece and let it go? When you release your art into the public sphere, “that doesn’t mean you’ve stopped creating. I don’t want to change the painting, but I want to develop aspects of the painting.” As every artist will confess, they have experienced times of self-doubt and adversity. Dan’s solution is to keep going into the studio. “When you’re down, you have to find something that is always pushing you forward, whether it’s working on your website, whether it’s documenting your work, it’s still being engaged in what you do. You deal with your problems and tackle the highs and lows. As Carl White said, ‘As an artist, you never have a day off’. You have to make every moment useful. You learn something from every single piece you have created and you grow. There is positive and negative in each piece. How do you grow the negative into a positive? You have to push yourself. As an artist, I have a responsibility to always be learning. I want every piece to be a little bit stronger. Every single one! It’s rare that I will let a piece out of my grasp that does not meet my expectations.”
Dan builds his pieces in the studio then the next day he starts dealing with them. He lives with them for a couple of weeks to understand them. If they don’t answer the questions he’s asked of them, they go back into the studio for another consideration. In due course, Dan’s aesthetic ideal and quiet, sensitive state of mind allow him to re-examine the dialogue that exists between artist and art work. When all the questions are finally answered, he then knows that the piece is finished. One difficult hurdle that Dan faced was overcoming his complacency towards his work. “I was on cruise control. Each piece was done the same way. So I was producing art for other reasons, not creating art for myself. Now I aim for every piece to be a one-off, a creation to answer all my questions. That feels right.” While recognizing the challenge of unanswered questions and pieces not created, Dan values the accomplishments that he has achieved to date. Happiness is the measure of Dan’s success. “I am happiest when I get to do things for my partner, myself, and others. It has nothing to do with money. I’m successful because I’m accomplishing my day to day goals: every single show I’ve had, but one, I’ve been happy with and that, to me, means that I have realized my objectives. And I can sell enough work to ‘feed my habit’.” Another moment that resonates as success to Dan occurs when people engage him in conversation about his work. Even though he really doesn’t like to talk about himself (at all), he loves talking about his pieces, “even though [he] feels the
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pieces speak for themselves.” Discussions of theory, structure and general analysis constitute a sharing of ideas and a sense of community with fellow artists and interested parties. Dan is happy to be part of the conversation. As for interjecting his personality into his work, Dan claims that the objects he portrays in his pieces are representations of himself. While attaining his goals and experiencing personal success, Dan’s main focus is pushing his practice with a sense of determination and discipline that can only be admired. “I need to grow. I have grown. I’ve grown up. I acknowledge where I was, and I try to remember my mistakes, my teachings, my good habits, and I share that with anyone willing. I was a student once but now I’m a contributor. That’s why I teach—to give back. I’m one small cog in the big machine of things—with a vision and a common goal. My bliss is my day to day life. And what keeps me going “The next piece!” Dan’s life has embodied disappointments, successes, dreams and still he continues to be motivated. His solution to routing the ‘lows’ is to endure, strive and prevail. He appreciates his continuing role in the Peace Region art scene and his wellestablished accomplishments over the years. This ‘simple man’ only wants to continue to advance his work, to make it good and still allow himself to be led by new questions.
Silhouette 5
Dan Arberry
Silhouette 8
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Society of Canadian Artists
Come ENJOY the FUN! McNaught Homestead Heritage
�Art Retreats �Hiking Trails �Historical Art Studio/Schoolhouse �Newly Restored Barn
2017 Special Events Saturday, April 29th, 2017 Annual Gala Fundraiser Sunday, July 23rd, 2017 Annual McNaught Festival + IODE Strawberry Tea: Live music, art demos, exhibits & children’s activities
Friday & Saturday, October 27th & 28th, 2017 Ghost Walk: Halloween fun for families
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Call for Submissions Submissions due February 1st, 2017
2017 Open National Juried SCA Online Exhibition
SCA March 15th - June 15th
societyofcanadianartists.com
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CarmenHaakstad.com
GP Paint Nights E AT, D R I N K & B E C R E AT I V E
Storm, oil on canvas, 3' by 4'
For original artwork and studio visits, email carmen@carmenhaakstad.com or c all 780- 539- 4483
B E A M A Z E D B Y W H AT Y O U C A N C R E AT E !
FACEBOOK.COM/GPPAINTNIGHTS Watch Carmen Haakstad’s interview on YouTube: you tu .be /VT D4f z4 c k q 0
CGOEDEE.WIX.COM/PAINTNIGHTS
Active member of the PRCFCA & PWS
Sandy Troudt PAINTER/PRINTMAKER
EMAIL: sdtroudt@gmail.com
WEBSITE: sandytroudt.com
ACRYLIC WORKSHOPS AVAILABLE
Framework s
Cu stom Framing & Gallery
- Orig inal works by local artists - Custom and ready-made frames - Pre-cut mats in various sizes and colours
780-624-1984 9903 - 100 Ave, Peace River, AB (the green building on the corner)
780-228-3741
please call for information
Beaverlodge Cultural Centre | Peace Country themes and wilderness vistas
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ARTICLE SPONSORED BY
Wretched Raven
Serena Love GRANDE PRAIRIE ARTIST JIM STOKES CONSIDERS THE WORK OF EMERGING ARTIST SERENA LOVE WRITTEN BY JIM STOKES ARTWORK BY SERENA LOVE
Through social media, I have had the occasion to see the work of Grande Prairie artist Serena Love (posted by Love Original). Amidst the videos of cats and other wacky things in my news feed, Love’s posts portray a warm, human presence. From a very young age, Serena has had the creative bug and the need to express herself through drawing and painting. Art was always percolating on the back burner but in the last couple years it has come to the forefront. She can’t see “living without creativity,” and states, “I’m humbled and honoured people are responding to the work.” Serena speaks of pursuing her creative path as a battle between “inhibition and confidence.” I believe many artists would agree with this state of creating. I first became aware of Serena’s art a few years ago; she had a number of her large raven paintings layered onto humble burlap. It struck me as a fine mix of materials and subject. The layering of burlap gives a strange organic quality to the surface and her treatment of the black paint makes it diffused and softened. These works can be seen as symbolic and celebratory yet an element of melancholy and mystery permeates them. Serena speaks of the works being flexible in meaning, depending on what was happening while she
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Nigel
Warhorse
worked on them. She states, “Art, ignites my passion to breathe life and colour into the ordinary.”
Serena is refreshingly matter of fact about working in multiple modes, styles, and mediums. A brooding picture one day, a decorative floral still-life the next. Just outside her studio hangs a fine painting of a bull, observed and remembered from a tropical journey. It is painted with fluorescent squealing colours. A palette seemingly derived from gasoline spilled and separated out on wet and hot asphalt.
Animals are a subject of interest for Serena. Nigel, an acrylic on burlap painting of a thoughtful silverback gorilla, was enhanced with dashes of Matrix green and hung in a grand elaborate frame. Speaking with Serena in her studio, she describes how the works in the burlap series are both fun and challenging to do; challenging as it’s a one shot process with no chance of correction afterwards—she just has to jump in. In the last year, many new works on canvas have emerged from Serena’s studio. Each painting is bold, with a high intensity, candy coloured palette, and a hint of expressionism. One of my favourites is the brooding large painting titled Warhorse. It is possible to read this painting, formed through palette knife smackings and scrapings, as an echo of the dystopian visions common in popular culture. Is the horse a sculpture? Or is it a workhorse standing in an ancient stable? Is it perhaps pressed into the service of some war machine? Regardless, the work is compelling as it portrays a despondent quality and can be interpreted in many ways.
To Serena, “art tells a story.” It “deals with the ebb and flow of life [and is] an extension of where I am in life, always looking to the future.” There are many ways of working, to deliberately approach the process of making with an openness to what can happen and allow “the works become what they are meant to be.” Only recently comfortable calling herself an artist, Serena has explored pop-up shows in the last couple years and presented her work at the Young At Art fundraiser for the Community Foundation in Grande Prairie in September 2016. Serena is also researching website options and an online store to market her work and is busy preparing for her upcoming solo exhibition at the Center for Creative Arts in March 2017.
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artcetera MASTER PASTELIST LOUISE WEBBER SHARES HER TECHNIQUES ARTWORK & WRITING BY LOUISE WEBBER
When I create my artworks I sketch from life in addition to using reference photos that I have taken. I keep a stock pile of photos from old magazines, books, newspapers, etc., that catch my interest and use them to mix, match and build a composition and to generate ideas when I have ‘artist’s block’. When I go for walks and drives, my Nikon camera is usually with me so I can take reference photos of my environment. I prefer to use soft pastels over wax and oil pastels. They have been employed for hundreds of years by notable artists as Degas, Delacroix, Millet, Manet, and Whistler. Soft pastels are a versatile dry painting medium that come in the form of sticks and pencils. They contain a large amount of pigment and less binder, which makes them fragile and gives them a velvety texture and rich colour that can be layered and blended easily using a finger, tortillion, or stump. They don’t require the use of water, turpentine or oils and there is no preparation required; just pick up the stick of colour and start your painting. I especially like that there is no right or wrong way to use pastels, which allows me the freedom to experiment.
1. I begin by making a detailed sketch directly on the pastel paper with either a vine charcoal stick or pencil, a graphite pencil or a pastel pencil.
2. After choosing my colours and separating them from my box of pastels, I start blocking in the background, then using the colours throughout the skin tones to create colour harmony, defining the light and dark areas.
3. I generally work from left to right to reduce the chance of smudging from my hand touching the paper, completing each section as I go.
4. There is no right or wrong way to use pastels, which allows the freedom to experiment.
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I use Canson Mi-Teintes coloured pastel archival and acid free drawing paper and pastel board as my supports of choice. I enjoy feeling the tooth of the paper as I work the pigment into the support with my fingers. This practice requires me to frequently wash my hands to keep the pigment from building up on my fingers and dulling other colours as I work on the piece. Extra pastel dust is knocked off of the painting by tapping the support instead of blowing it off which minimizes dust particles in the air as they can become a health issue if inhaled. When my artwork is complete, I use Sennelier Soft Pastel Fixatif to protect it from smudging and environmental pollutants. If applied in thin coats the fixative doesn’t change the colour of the pigments as many fixatives do. All my pastel paintings are matted and framed behind glass to protect the artwork. The matte creates a space between the artwork and the glass so that the painting cannot rub and transfer the pigment to the glass, which can potentially ruin an artwork.
Marj Taylor phone. 780-532-0355 email. ma_taylor@eastlink.ca address. 9506 77 Avenue Grande Prairie, AB T8V 4T3
Vicki Hotte
BFA
Original Art from the Peace Region Available at the Beaverlodge Cultural Centre 780-933-6030 | svhotte@telusplanet.net
www.vickihotte.com
Tel: 250-782-2601 | www.dcartgallery.ca
101-816 Alaska Ave, Dawson Creek, BC V1G 4T6
Artist Run Centre | 13 Exhibits Per Year Art Rental | Education Programs By Donation | Year Round | Gift Shop
mary mottishaw
5. Completed painting sealed with fixative, ready to frame.
mixed media artist, painter, printmaker
view recent work at marymottishaw.com art of the peace
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Three Artists STUDIO VISITS WRITTEN BY JANET ENFIELD, TONI SCHULER, AND CHERYL HOUSEMAN
INSPIRED CHAOS WRITTEN BY JANET ENFIELD My life revolves around the celebration of art in many forms. Experiencing art as a viewer, instructor and maker is central to my daily activities and who I am as a person. When not teaching a classes at the Centre for Creative Arts, I can be found creating in my home studio. I enjoy working with a myriad of materials and experimenting with various techniques and mediums. My studio is the stage for many successes and also for many failures (or as I like to call them, future backgrounds). My workspace is cluttered with mixed media sculptures from courses I have taught and ideas I have formed. My easel is occupied with a painting featuring striking colours and a comical subject. My computer is engaged with recent Photoshop obsessions. My mind is immersed with The Featherstones, a series of children’s books that I am writing and illustrating. There are canvases, brushes, paints, paverpol, and other materials everywhere. Completed works waiting for their opportunity to be displayed monopolize surfaces along with works in progress. Visitors to my studio may see it as a sea of chaos but it is the setting that inspires me and everything is right where I can find it.
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STUDIO DREAMS AND REALITIES
A PEACEFUL PLACE TO CREATE
WRITTEN BY TONI SCHULER
WRITTEN BY CHERYL HOUSEMAN
A spacious 750 square-foot timber frame, straw bale cabin with solar power, bright white washed walls, north facing picture windows, and a vaulted ceiling, with a cafe and a bar and... okay, that’s my dream studio. In reality, my so called studio occupies a corner of a large, partially finished basement. Half-separated by some furniture, and amongst the shoes and seasonal items, basement fixtures, office and fitness stuff, my studio is situated. It is the smallest and most chaotic area of the basement.
Nothing can be more satisfying than the peaceful beauty of country living. I was born and raised on a small farm west of Sexsmith. After relocating to Edmonton for six years, my husband and I returned to the Sexsmith area to farm and raise our family. Having a family and a farm to care for requires a great investment of time and so my love of painting was put on the back burner for a long time.
I feel creative everywhere I am, but my humble studio is where most of my art is made. In my studio I study art books and magazines and flip through my photographs to find subjects to paint if I do not already have an idea in mind. I doodle, sketch, draw, and place my brushes, saturated with juicy colours down on paper or canvas to realize my ideas, hopes, and dreams. I enjoy and experiment with different media but I favour watercolour as my main mode of expression. It lends itself well to the way I work and play with colour. I admire it for its simple set up, quick drying, easy clean up, and most of all, portability to accompany me to my other, much larger studio, the great outdoors.
I am self-taught, although I have attended painting classes, workshops, and have watched various instructional videos. I paint in oils, draw, and lately have been experimenting with watercolour pencils. I love to do other crafts too, such as paverpol, rock, and wood projects. I simply enjoy the process of creating. It relaxes me, makes me smile and brings me great satisfaction. Country life has been my inspiration for my art. I take lots of pictures of what I love: mountains, landscapes, flowers, trees, and rocks which I pull out for a rainy day of painting or drawing. Four years ago we decided to build onto our house and one of the rooms that we built was a twelve-foot by twelve-foot room dedicated to my creative projects. I love that I can spread my “stuff” out and work free from distractions. I can turn on my music to inspire me or sit in silence concentrating on whatever I am working on. Now that I have retired from working the farm I hope to spend more time creating new projects, learning new crafts and hopefully making other people smile when they see my art.
art of the peace
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louise webber I maintain a balance as both a full-time registered nurse at the QEII Hospital in Grande Prairie and as an active visual artist. Aside from taking a couple of courses in high school, I consider myself a self-taught artist. I have developed my skills through experimentation, practice, careful observation, and travel. My early works included landscapes and seascapes, but my practice has evolved to focus on portraiture. My accomplishments in portraiture are exemplified through my published book, Portraits In Oils, Tips and Techniques for Inspiring Artists. I use oils, pastels, watercolours, colour pencil, charcoal, graphite, conté, and encaustics to create rich, colourful artworks. My inspirations are derived from visits to art galleries and festivals, viewing art magazines, revisiting masterpieces from the history of art, and looking at the works of other artists. I have travelled extensively to study the works of the Great European Masters and have visited Rome, Italy, Venice, Florence, Sienna, St. Peters Basilica, the Sistine Chapel
Three Polar Bears, acrylc on canvas, Louise Webber
in Vatican City, Ghiberti’s Gates of Paradise, the frescoes of Pompeii, and the Vincent Van Gogh Museum, and the Rijksmuseum in Holland. Some of my most memorable art viewings include works by Rembrandt van Rijn, Leonardo da Vinci, Jan Van Eyck, Frans Hals, Johannes Vermeer, Raphael Sanzio da Urbino, Pierre-Auguste Renior, Sandro Botticelli, John Singer Sargent, Salvador Dalí, Pablo Picasso, Paul Cézanne, and Henri Matisse. I am an active member of the Federation of Canadian Artists and my artworks can be found in private collections across Canada, the United States and Europe. My artistic accomplishments include numerous group and solo exhibitions, participating in the Junction Arts Festival in Toronto, and achieving awards in juried competitions across North America and Europe including listing as a finalist in the Canadian Portrait Society Annual Juried Competition at the Portrait Academy of Canada and the Las Vegas Red Brush Award for oil portrait painting.
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Art works for Sylvie Richard. As a child Sylvie loved to draw and create stories. When she graduated from high school she didn’t think she could channel that creative energy into a life-long career. She took Open Studies at GPRC and regained her passion for art in her Fine Arts classes while her instructors showed her all the places she could go with an arts education. This gave her the confidence to pursue her Fine Arts degree. Sylvie now animates television shows at DHX Media and children around the world see her work.
Art works for Sylvie. It can work for you too.
S y lv ie
Op en St ud ies , 20 09
gprc.me/finearts
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ART GALLERY OF GRAN DE PRAIRIE We hope you will be inspired to visit the Art Gallery of Grande Prairie and continue our journey of exploration, inspiration and preservation of the human spirit through art. Since 1975, the community has created an engine for creativity; one that will never cease to expose the minds of this community to the newest, the most innovative and the most beautiful creations of our society and it is our honour to continue protecting, nurturing and enhancing that legacy. The future of the Art Gallery is just as surprising, enlightening, rewarding, exciting and mysterious as is the experience of art itself.
Photos by: Teeple Architects
#103, 9839 – 103 Avenue, Grande Prairie, Alberta T8V 6M7 | PHONE: 780-532-8111 | EMAIL: info@aggp.ca | FREE ADMISSION GALLERY HOURS: Monday – Wednesday: 10 am – 6 pm | Thursday: 10 am – 9 pm | Friday & Saturday: 10 am – 5 pm
Sunday: 1 pm – 5 pm | Holidays: Closed
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