ART GALLERY IS OPEN
TUESDAY to FRIDAY 12 - 4
SATURDAY 1 - 4
TUESDAY to FRIDAY 12 - 4
SATURDAY 1 - 4
It is possible that the combination of a small-town upbringing and a background in journalism and fictional literature provided the motivation to undertake this series of paintings—character driven works rendered semi-realistically while portraying subject matter on the fringes of actuality. The landscapes in the paintings are for the most part real, several of which are in the Crowsnest Pass. The characters depicted, however, are inventions of the artist. One can imagine that, with the exception of a foray into semi-fantasy, the characters are all part of some extended family.
For the most part, this extended family is not particularly prosperous, living in run down conditions of semi-poverty and eking out a marginal existence, often on the very outer fringes of lawfulness. References to moonshining, for example, are apparent in at least three of the works in the exhibit.
Painting landscapes has never quite engaged me, yet in “Rural Roots” they provide the ideal setting for the portrayal of character and personality. In virtually all of these paintings it has been important that I capture these personalities before embarking on completion of the surrounding environment. Additionally, I have felt it necessary, in this series at least, to depart from a “painterly” approach and concentrate on a “faux reality” to recreate a sense of truth, even in the works that are so obviously fantasies."
Most of all, however, there is an underlaying sense of fun in the portrayal of often imperfect people reflective of my sometimes-subversive sense of humour. The images are visceral rather than intellectual. No one is left to analise them for any deeper truth or meaning. ~Rick Gillis
For the most part, this extended family is not particularly prosperous, living in run down conditions of semi-poverty and eking out a marginal existence, often on the very outer fringes of lawfulness. References to moonshining, for example, are apparent in at least three of the works in the exhibit.
Painting landscapes has never quite engaged me, yet in “Rural Roots” they provide the ideal setting for the portrayal of character and personality. In virtually all of these paintings it has been important that I capture these personalities before embarking on completion of the surrounding environment. Additionally, I have felt it necessary, in this series at least, to depart from a “painterly” approach and concentrate on a “faux reality” to recreate a sense of truth, even in the works that are so obviously fantasies."
Most of all, however, there is an underlaying sense of fun in the portrayal of often imperfect people reflective of my sometimes-subversive sense of humour. The images are visceral rather than intellectual. No one is left to analise them for any deeper truth or meaning. ~Rick Gillis
“A room hung with art is a room hung with thoughts.” (Sir John Reynolds)
Picture yourself in a gallery. You are cruising around to see what’s new in the art world and you happen to wander over to a collection of landscapes. You think, “Hmmm, nice, but I’ve seen this stuff before.” You move on. You see a non-representational piece, a large purple stripe across a grey background and you mutter, this is art? The fellow in the black jacket shoots you an irritated glance. You hadn’t meant to say it out loud. But the uncomfortable feeling this stuff gives you, like there’s a secret code. It makes you feel terribly small town. You decide it’s bad art and move on. This time, though, you intentionally pause at the next piece. It’s even stranger, but you stand there. You’ll show this art-dude that this is like your home turf. You murmur quietly, head cocked, as though in a private conversation together, but let’s face it, you’re totally befuddled. You happen to glance at the title and, despite your cynicism, experience a flicker of recognition. Something about this piece – what is it? Okay, so maybe you judged too quickly. You take a breath, squinting as you try to penetrate the surface. What is it about this one? Maybe there’s art, and then there’s art. Right?
Most of us have had a wide range of reactions when viewing art: the pleasure of looking at an exquisitely executed painting, the curious sensation of being beckoned by an image, or of being turned inside out by a piece that challenges assumptions we didn’t even know we had. And this is only from a viewer’s perspective. What of the artist’s experience in the creating of those pieces? As we shift from viewer to artist and back again, consider for a moment what a marvellous gift the world of art is.
The elegant poetry of a line, the surprising juxtaposition of objects, a particular combination of materials – why do we do it? As humans, as artists, we are compelled to seek meaning and purpose in what we do. Art speaks the poetic language of soul. It feeds something in us and connects people to one another in new and unexpected ways. And, as our visual repertoire expands and we grow increasingly comfortable with the complexities of the creative process, there comes with it a natural invitation to move into new territory; to be curious and experiment, to grow.
This show is an invitation to consider and celebrate the privileged space we hold as both artist and viewer. As you prepare, consider trying something you haven’t done before. A new colour palette, unusual materials, a topic you’ve shied away from… Give it some thought. ~Karen Tamminga-Paton
Picture yourself in a gallery. You are cruising around to see what’s new in the art world and you happen to wander over to a collection of landscapes. You think, “Hmmm, nice, but I’ve seen this stuff before.” You move on. You see a non-representational piece, a large purple stripe across a grey background and you mutter, this is art? The fellow in the black jacket shoots you an irritated glance. You hadn’t meant to say it out loud. But the uncomfortable feeling this stuff gives you, like there’s a secret code. It makes you feel terribly small town. You decide it’s bad art and move on. This time, though, you intentionally pause at the next piece. It’s even stranger, but you stand there. You’ll show this art-dude that this is like your home turf. You murmur quietly, head cocked, as though in a private conversation together, but let’s face it, you’re totally befuddled. You happen to glance at the title and, despite your cynicism, experience a flicker of recognition. Something about this piece – what is it? Okay, so maybe you judged too quickly. You take a breath, squinting as you try to penetrate the surface. What is it about this one? Maybe there’s art, and then there’s art. Right?
Most of us have had a wide range of reactions when viewing art: the pleasure of looking at an exquisitely executed painting, the curious sensation of being beckoned by an image, or of being turned inside out by a piece that challenges assumptions we didn’t even know we had. And this is only from a viewer’s perspective. What of the artist’s experience in the creating of those pieces? As we shift from viewer to artist and back again, consider for a moment what a marvellous gift the world of art is.
The elegant poetry of a line, the surprising juxtaposition of objects, a particular combination of materials – why do we do it? As humans, as artists, we are compelled to seek meaning and purpose in what we do. Art speaks the poetic language of soul. It feeds something in us and connects people to one another in new and unexpected ways. And, as our visual repertoire expands and we grow increasingly comfortable with the complexities of the creative process, there comes with it a natural invitation to move into new territory; to be curious and experiment, to grow.
This show is an invitation to consider and celebrate the privileged space we hold as both artist and viewer. As you prepare, consider trying something you haven’t done before. A new colour palette, unusual materials, a topic you’ve shied away from… Give it some thought. ~Karen Tamminga-Paton
The serpent pursues its tail, the wheels of time revolve, the universe pirouettes, and it all comes around to the circle. Representing returning to our roots in life, they are symbolic of protection as well as connection. My explorations are multi-disciplinary; reflecting on our world through assemblage mobiles and observational works balanced by a gravitational pull.
The Orbit mobiles were born of an investigation in to my childhood desire to become an astronaut. It taps in to the collective fascination of exploring the unknown. While utilizing found and collected objects, Orbit speaks of boundless possibility tethered to the human condition.
They are time machines made of heat, debris and memory, protective forms housing delicate interiors. They are the toys of our theories circling the same dogmas over again until understanding expands, and we perceive a whole new universe. The form the mobiles take reference early astronomical and navigational equipment circa the 13th-19th centuries. The materials used are specifically found object, as being influenced by material circumstances is so often key to one’s perception of reality. The act of collection and deconstruction becoming a homage to transformation, the habits I’ve established surrounding making these discoveries evolving in to an almost separate practice. I select and dismantle many curiosities to use, from timepieces to toasters to avionics, and all are a revelation, a new opportunity to learn how things tick.
The second aspect of Tethered to Infinity are selections from the mixed media works of the Atomo Series and the assemblage boxes of the Universalis series. Atomo is an exploration of pathways and patterns beginning with the smallest unit of ordinary matter, the atom. This is via a deliberately loose and instinctual method that allows the media to have significant influence on the outcome. It connects atomic musings with earthen textures, drawing a connection with our natural tendency towards the circle. Musica universalis explores the visual rhythm of found object and the connection of form to the visual poetry of balance between elements.
Together they become the vehicle and the map for an extraordinary journey. ~ Amy Sallenbach
The Orbit mobiles were born of an investigation in to my childhood desire to become an astronaut. It taps in to the collective fascination of exploring the unknown. While utilizing found and collected objects, Orbit speaks of boundless possibility tethered to the human condition.
They are time machines made of heat, debris and memory, protective forms housing delicate interiors. They are the toys of our theories circling the same dogmas over again until understanding expands, and we perceive a whole new universe. The form the mobiles take reference early astronomical and navigational equipment circa the 13th-19th centuries. The materials used are specifically found object, as being influenced by material circumstances is so often key to one’s perception of reality. The act of collection and deconstruction becoming a homage to transformation, the habits I’ve established surrounding making these discoveries evolving in to an almost separate practice. I select and dismantle many curiosities to use, from timepieces to toasters to avionics, and all are a revelation, a new opportunity to learn how things tick.
The second aspect of Tethered to Infinity are selections from the mixed media works of the Atomo Series and the assemblage boxes of the Universalis series. Atomo is an exploration of pathways and patterns beginning with the smallest unit of ordinary matter, the atom. This is via a deliberately loose and instinctual method that allows the media to have significant influence on the outcome. It connects atomic musings with earthen textures, drawing a connection with our natural tendency towards the circle. Musica universalis explores the visual rhythm of found object and the connection of form to the visual poetry of balance between elements.
Together they become the vehicle and the map for an extraordinary journey. ~ Amy Sallenbach
Over the span of the last 140 years, carbon, in all its forms and for good or evil, has irremediably been linked to the economic and social fibre of Alberta. Indigenous peoples knew of it for 12,000 years, but it was not until the 1700s that references to coal appeared in European journals. Those Europeans who came and stayed, knew the significance of coal. Coal is fairly ubiquitous as a mineral in this province. It was mined in many places and until the early 1950s it commanded the energy landscape. It heated our homes, powered our railroads, and provided power to an expanding electrical grid. Thereafter, it was replaced by oil and gas for transportation and heating, but it had retained its importance for power generation and industrial processes....
......The Monochrome Guild is a group of film-based photographers founded in Edmonton twenty years ago. The processes we use to create our art predate Albertans' use of these carbon resources by some thirty years. A small collective within our group have been working since 2015, to document both what remains of the coal industry of the past and contrast it with that of today, and possibly tomorrow.
For us, what started as an ideal subject to demonstrate our art form has taken on a much broader emphasis - current affairs. Art may have a wider emphasis in society than its creators first anticipated. This may well apply here; the viewers will decide.
Our exhibition attempts to illustrate the past history of the coal industry in Alberta. We have also chosen to include some pieces that present the impact and scope of the modern industry. The monochrome print perfectly showcases the look and feel of what one imagines the coal industry to be like. The grit and coarseness and the dark and black mood of some of the work is intended to reflect the artist's interpretation of the industry. Historically it was a very difficult existence for the men and women that dedicated their lives and well-being to an industry and a resource that was both demanding and sometimes deadly. A walk through a cemetery in any of the old mining towns paints a grim picture. Many lives were shortened by hardship, health issues and accidents and this is demonstrated in our interpretation of these memorials. Yet the dream of prosperity proved irresistible, and the industry forged ahead undeterred.
Our exhibit also touches on the present, and hints at what the future might bring. It is our goal to present some realistic visual direction as to where we have come from, and where we may be going. Our artists demonstrate the hardship and the costs of the industry in both human and environmental terms. Certainly, coal provided a huge benefit to society, but our work reveals the true toll it has taken.....
.....Only traditional black and white film methods are used to create the pieces to be displayed. The useof old techniques and chemistry stand in perfect harmony with the history of coal. Since the evolution of digital photography, many people may have forgotten or may not even know what is required to produce a traditional black and white silver gelatin print. The photographer visualizes the image he wishes to create. The photograph is taken, and the film developed by the artist, resulting in a negative. The process continues in the darkroom where the the negative is used to create an image on light sensitive paper. Success is defined as a print which both conveys the artist's initial visualization and is also technically perfect. Prints that meet both these criteria are the basis of this photographic exhibit.
The Monochrome Guild - Fred Braakman, Nigel Goldup, Arturo Pianzola, Robert Pohl, Court Smith
......The Monochrome Guild is a group of film-based photographers founded in Edmonton twenty years ago. The processes we use to create our art predate Albertans' use of these carbon resources by some thirty years. A small collective within our group have been working since 2015, to document both what remains of the coal industry of the past and contrast it with that of today, and possibly tomorrow.
For us, what started as an ideal subject to demonstrate our art form has taken on a much broader emphasis - current affairs. Art may have a wider emphasis in society than its creators first anticipated. This may well apply here; the viewers will decide.
Our exhibition attempts to illustrate the past history of the coal industry in Alberta. We have also chosen to include some pieces that present the impact and scope of the modern industry. The monochrome print perfectly showcases the look and feel of what one imagines the coal industry to be like. The grit and coarseness and the dark and black mood of some of the work is intended to reflect the artist's interpretation of the industry. Historically it was a very difficult existence for the men and women that dedicated their lives and well-being to an industry and a resource that was both demanding and sometimes deadly. A walk through a cemetery in any of the old mining towns paints a grim picture. Many lives were shortened by hardship, health issues and accidents and this is demonstrated in our interpretation of these memorials. Yet the dream of prosperity proved irresistible, and the industry forged ahead undeterred.
Our exhibit also touches on the present, and hints at what the future might bring. It is our goal to present some realistic visual direction as to where we have come from, and where we may be going. Our artists demonstrate the hardship and the costs of the industry in both human and environmental terms. Certainly, coal provided a huge benefit to society, but our work reveals the true toll it has taken.....
.....Only traditional black and white film methods are used to create the pieces to be displayed. The useof old techniques and chemistry stand in perfect harmony with the history of coal. Since the evolution of digital photography, many people may have forgotten or may not even know what is required to produce a traditional black and white silver gelatin print. The photographer visualizes the image he wishes to create. The photograph is taken, and the film developed by the artist, resulting in a negative. The process continues in the darkroom where the the negative is used to create an image on light sensitive paper. Success is defined as a print which both conveys the artist's initial visualization and is also technically perfect. Prints that meet both these criteria are the basis of this photographic exhibit.
The Monochrome Guild - Fred Braakman, Nigel Goldup, Arturo Pianzola, Robert Pohl, Court Smith
“My first memory is of light — the brightness of light — light all around.” ― Georgia O’Keeffe
“Look at light and admire its beauty. Close your eyes, and then look again: what you saw is no longer there; and what you will see later is not yet.” ― Leonardo Da Vinci
Every year, The Alberta Society of Artists (ASA) puts out an open call for artwork to be juried into a themed show that will travel across the province. Into the Light is a sequel to Nocturn, ASA’s previous travelling exhibition which celebrated darkness and was analogous to the statement by Francis Bacon: “In order for the light to shine so brightly, the darkness must be present.” Into the Light is an exploration of "light" where each of our 19 artists has interpreted its meaning in their own unique styles. Please join us in viewing this special exhibition!
For more information, please visit albertasocietyofartists.com or scan the QR code above.
“Look at light and admire its beauty. Close your eyes, and then look again: what you saw is no longer there; and what you will see later is not yet.” ― Leonardo Da Vinci
Every year, The Alberta Society of Artists (ASA) puts out an open call for artwork to be juried into a themed show that will travel across the province. Into the Light is a sequel to Nocturn, ASA’s previous travelling exhibition which celebrated darkness and was analogous to the statement by Francis Bacon: “In order for the light to shine so brightly, the darkness must be present.” Into the Light is an exploration of "light" where each of our 19 artists has interpreted its meaning in their own unique styles. Please join us in viewing this special exhibition!
For more information, please visit albertasocietyofartists.com or scan the QR code above.
Allied Arts Council of Pincher Creek
We wish to gratefully acknowledge our relationship with the Allied Arts Council of Pincher Creek.
We wish to gratefully acknowledge our relationship with the Allied Arts Council of Pincher Creek.
