2023 vol. 1 - Alberta Craft Magazine

CELEBRATING OVER 40 YEARS OF CULTURE IN THE MAKING

ALBERTA CRAFT COUNCIL PUBLICATION

Become an Alberta Craft Council Member!

You belong here! Join our community of Craft in Alberta. We are Craft artists, makers, designers, supporters, customers, collectors, educators, writers, curators, administrators and more. Show your support for the Alberta Craft Council’s work as a member-based, nonprofit Provincial Arts Service Organization dedicated to developing the careers of Alberta Craft artists and the sector.

We have a few different membership levels, here’s a quick breakdown! Craft Lovers is perfect for customers and supporters who love Craft, you will receive a 10% discount in our Shops, a subscription to Alberta Craft magazine, and advance notice on special events. The next level is our General membership, you receive all the perks of a Craft Lover plus our in depth bi-weekly e-news with sector updates and opportunities, listing on our member directory, free professional development programming, and exhibition opportunities. The Professional membership level (or Emeritus for senior professionals) receive all the perks listed above and is for artists who are interested in professional development, applying to become an artist in our shops, adding a profile to the national Citizens of Craft online directory, and other promotional and professional opportunities. Business and Organizational members support the development of Craft in Alberta, these members receive Alberta Craft magazine bundles, referrals for artists and networking opportunities, reduced advertising rates, listings in our member directory and bi-weekly e-news, and are eligible to create a profile on the national Citizens of Craft online directory. We also offer free student memberships, learn more about memberships on our website at: www.albertacraft.ab.ca/member-benefits.

ALBERTACRAFTMAGAZINE

The Alberta Craft Magazine is a proud member of the Alberta Magazine Publishers Association.

The Alberta Craft Magazine is published twice a year at an expanded 40 pages (up from 24) to include more images from our exhibitions and create more space to cover Craft happenings around Alberta. The next issue is already underway. For up-to-date information on current exhibitions, events, online artists talks and interviews please follow us on social media channels, sign up for our free customer newsletters, or become a member today.

The Alberta Craft Magazine makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein but assumes no liability in cases of error of changing conditions. Any business relation or other activity undertaken as a result of the information contained in the Alberta Craft Magazine, or arising there from, are the responsibility of the parties involved and not of the Alberta Craft Council.

ALBERTACRAFTCOUNCIL

EDMONTON LOCATION

10186 – 106 Street. Edmonton, AB, Canada T5J 1H4

Tuesday – Saturday 10am - 5pm

Shop 780-488-5900 | Main Office 780-488-6611

E-mail acc@albertacraft.ab.ca

CALGARY LOCATION - cS PACE

1721 – 29 Avenue SW, Suite #280

Calgary, AB, Canada T2T 6T7

Wednesday – Friday 11am - 5pm Saturday 10am - 5pm 587-391-0129

STAFF

EDMONTON

Executive Director - Jenna Stanton

Gallery Shop Coordinator - Rael Lockwood

Exhibitions & Memberships - Jill Allan

Fund Development & Special Projects - Saskia Aarts

Digital Content & Marketing - Laura O’Connor

Financial Officer - Wendy Arrowsmith

Gallery Shop Assistants - Jen Harris, Anna Wildish, Zoe Kolodnicki, Simone Halliday-Shaw

CALGARY

Gallery Shop Coordinator - Corinne Cowell

Outreach, Events & Volunteers - Jill Nuckles

Gallery Shop Assistant - Melanie Archer

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Chair Natali Rodrigues (Calgary)

Past Chair Tara Owen (Calgary)

Vice Chair Dawn Detarando (Red Deer)

Treasurer Chary Woods (Edmonton)

See the back cover for more of Anna’s work.

Check out our expanding Members Directory!

We’re upgrading our members directory. With over 450 members across the province visit the Alberta Craft Council’s online Members Directory, a wormhole of artists profiles, websites, and social media channels to keep you scrolling and engaging with Alberta’s creative Craft artists. We believe that contemporary and heritage Craft provides a true reflection of Alberta’s culture, join us in celebrating and nurturing the exceptional craftspeople active in our province today.

Snapshot artist from the directory: Anna Bilek in Calgary, AB Website: www.passionforglass.ca

Instagram: @passionforglass

Directors Mary-Beth Laviolette (Canmore), Dawn Saunders-Dahl (Canmore), Kari Woo (Cochrane), Jennifer Salahub (Calgary), Kayla Gale (Calgary, AUArts

Student Liaison)

MAGAZINE

Editor: Jenna Stanton

Design and Layout: Laura O’Connor

Contributors: Jenna Stanton, Jill Allan, Saskia Aarts, Jen Harris, Corinne Cowell

The Alberta Craft Council is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to developing Alberta Craft and the Alberta Craft Industry.

www.albertacraft.ab.ca

FUNDING AGENCIES & SUPPORTERS

FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Craft is a great connector. It is firmly rooted in community, the sharing of skills, creativity and encouragement. It has a familiarity, from objects and materials that exist in many people’s daily lives – from special objects shared across the table, marking occasions, and heirlooms handed down, to those sentimental handmade gifts or a favourite handmade mug or cozy blanket that enhance our daily rituals. Craft has an engaging quality, piquing people’s curiosity in its processes, creating a sense of marvel at our human capacity for building incredible skill and unique creative expressions. Many of us have early memories of making Crafts, sharing skills and conversations around the table connecting to creativity, stories, and traditions. Craft connects us.

In this issue, we bring you our feature exhibition – Albirda! The impetus for our Feature Exhibition Albirda: Put A Bird On It! was to bring more people into our Craft galleries and community. This relatable theme inspires artists at all levels and connects to many potential visitors, new customers, and future supporters.

In pondering ideas for this group-themed exhibition, we reflected on the noticeable increase in birding among our artists, staff, board members and the public. Many of us were part of a growing Birds of Alberta social media group where individuals grew an online community through shared pictures and enthusiasm for learning more about the multitude of bird species spotted across our province.

Albirda was created to encourage a wide array of Craft artists with this popular muse. This call for entry was a great opportunity to connect with new artists across the province and reach new audiences among the expanding birding community. We also reduced barriers to applying; not requiring membership, artist’s resumes, or statements which can often intimidate artists we would like to include and celebrate in our Craft community. The call garnered more applications for an exhibition than we typically see, with over 120 applicants from across the province. Albirda features the works of over 60 artists from across the region, with over 30 of those artists new to the Craft Council. Our Feature group exhibitions are often made up of 15-30 artists, but there was such a joyful response we were hardpressed to narrow it down.

Expanding our community, at the opening reception, we met more than a few artists who were thrilled to be in their first gallery exhibition. As we connected them to visitors and other artists in attendance and encouraged them to join us on future Craft Tours, they remarked, ‘We found our people!’ There’s no better feeling of meaningful work than creating a space where people belong and seeing our community grow.

New audiences of bird appreciators visited the exhibition and joined us for birdthemed Craft Tours, hands-on workshops, nature walks and gallery talks from birding groups like Wild Birds Unlimited and WILDNorth in Edmonton. Our Bright Night Lecture Series in Calgary featured Birds of Alberta author Chris Fisher and one of our longtime artists, glassblower Daren Petersen. You can learn more about Darren’s glass and his passion for birding in the ‘Meet the Maker pages 38-39’.

Learning, sharing, and connecting audiences to Craft and our artists is part of our mandate and just happens to be our most fun and meaningful work. Our Craft Tours and hands-on workshops continue to bring us together with new collaborators and artists. We hope you can join us to marvel at the skills of artists in our province and connect with our makers on our Craft Tours and hands-on workshops to make and create Craft & community.

Jenna Stanton Executive Director

On the cover: Pigeon Study by Tracy Cameron, Calgary AB, 2019. textiles. Read about Albirda: Put A Bird On It on page 4 - 24.

DISCOVERY GALLERY PAGE 26 - 29

COVETED CRAFT PAGE 30 &31

THE MAKER

Albirda

Alberta Craft Feature Gallery - Edmonton: July 23 - October 29, 2022

Alberta Craft Gallery - Calgary: January 21 - April 29, 2023

Our second Feature Gallery exhibition of 2022 was Albirda: Put A Bird On It, which debuted at our Edmonton gallery, July 23 –October 29, 2022. The works migrated to our Calgary location for a second showing from January 21 - April 29, 2023. This exhibition was open to members and non-members alike and attracted many new artists to show with us. The resulting exhibition was rich with diverse media and perspectives, and with works from artists across the province.

Covid has impacted all our lives and one of the positive legacies of this time was an opportunity to try something new or concentrate on hobbies and passions. As we prepared the calls for 2022, we considered some of the activities that flourished during these times and of course bird watching came to mind. Many of us found comfort, hope, lessons, awe, and peace observing the habits of our fine feathered friends in the beautiful Alberta landscape.

Flocking to the fields, meadows, marshes, and forests of our province to soothe their covid weariness, the artists of Albirda found their lives enriched and were inspired to make works based on their time with the fascinating flying creatures that live in and migrate through our beautiful province each year.

We partnered with Erin Dykstra of Wild Birds Unlimited to deliver outdoor bird-watching tours at Lois Hole Provincial Park in

PARTICIPATING ARTISTS:

St Albert and an indoor tour of our exhibition that included a visit from rescue and rehabilitation organization WILDNorth and their Raven friend Corby the Corvid (aka Raven), who charmed us all!

In Calgary we hosted a Bright Night talk at the cSPACE treehouse, featuring Chris Fisher author of Birds of Alberta, and Alberta Craft Council member Derren Petersen who is a passionate Red Deer naturalist and glass artist. The opening reception for the Calgary exhibition was a riot with many participating artists in attendance and a surprise visit from a City TV crew who stayed to enjoy the party and interview some of the Albirda artists. In addition, we offered several themed workshops including Needle Felt a Chickadee with Jill Nuckles, Rug Hook a Bird with Nancy Crites, and Build a Birdhouse with Jean-Claude Prefontaine.

With fine craft objects from over 60 Alberta craft artists, Albirda considered our province’s winged wildlife through a broad diversity of depicted bird species, materials, and artistic approaches. Featuring works from both members, and artists new to the Alberta Craft Council, we hope that you find this exhibition’s fantastic spectacle of avians delightful too.

To view the online exhibition and artist talk visit albertacraft.ab.ca/feature-gallery

Alana Biffert, Annette ten Cate, Barbara Howe, Bonny Houston, Brielle Reeves, Caitlin Richards, Claudia Zakrison, Corinne Cowell, Crys Harse, Dale Lerner, Danielle Piper, Darcy L. Hoover, Darren Petersen, Deanna McGillivray, Erin Stinson, Esther Neufeld, Frankie, Gracie Mirabo Safranovich, Heather Strachan, Hilary Forge, Holly Boone, Jennifer Hartley-Illanes. Jill Nuckles, Kaleb Romano, Karla Mather-Cocks, Keith Turnbull, Ken Lumbis, Kerry Warner, Kevin Chow and Jamie Mason (Rawry & Pohly), Lara Felsing, Leslie Delanty, Linda Vincent, Lisa Wilkinson, Liv Pedersen, Louise McFadyen, Mimi Valias-Clark, Margaret R. Hall, Mary Sanche\ Erin Saunders\ Mike Hooves (MEM), Melanie Schoenbeger, Melanie Smit, Milt Fischbein, P Susanah Windrum, Raynelle Paramonova, Sandy Nemeth, Sara Young, Sarah Ritchie, Scott Van de Sande, Shellie Jones, Shikha Banerjee, Shona Rae, Siri McCormick, Stephanie Elderfield, Stephen Yettaw, Suzette Knudsen, Tara Owen, Taygan Appleton, Teena Dickerson, Teresa Johnston, Teresa Stieben, Tracey Cameron, Vicki Myers, Wendy Passmore-Godfrey.

Karla Mather-Cocks, Open Band, 2022, woven mixed yarns and metal findings

Margaret Hall, Migration, 2022, wool felt

Siri McCormick, Wren and Birch, 2022, stained birch branches, handmade wool felt, handwoven cotton bloucle and chenille tapestry; handwoven twig nest

Lisa Wilkinson, Birdhouse, 2022, raku-fired clay

Danielle Piper, ᐱᐦᐱᐦᒋᐤ (pihpihciw), 2020, leather, glass beads, sequins, wood

Suzette Knudsen, Just Looking Thanks, 2021, clay with slip and underglaze

Keith Turnbull, Raven, 2019, clay, glaze (fired to cone 6)

Frankie FBR, Birds Want to Have Fun! , 2022, basswood, batik of wash papers, acrylic ink, wax

Shellie Jones, Yellow Shafted Northern Flicker, 2022, fibre art

Kerry Warner, Resting Albirdies, 2022, clay and copper. Photo by Bailey Warner Bonny Houston, Scissor Tail 3 , 2021, glass

Claudia Zakrison, Great Horned Owl, 2022, fine silver, sterling silver, carnelian, 14K gold

Hilary Forge, dee! , 2022, ceramic

This Page (clockwise): Darren Petersen, Good Northern Wood, 2022, glass, steel, paint P. Susanah Windrum, Marabou, 2022, metal Shikha Banerjee, Away from Reality (detail), 2022, cotton, silk cloth, wooden frame

Next Page (top row, l-r): Scott Van de Sande, Clever, 2022, steel, aluminum, electric light fixture Mimi Valias-Clark, Who’s Watching Who, 2022, cotton, alpaca, wool. Photo by Alex Clark (bottom row, l-r): Teena Dickerson, Guidance, 2019, bronze, poplar Raynelle Marie Paramonova, Lean on Me - Barn Owls, 2020, raku clay, glazes.

Photo by Gideon Paramonova

Crys Harse, Bright-Wing Nuthatch, 2022, recycled copper, copper, brass, recycled oak

Ken Lumbis, Marsh Walker, 2017, pit-fired ceramic, found objects

Erin Stinson, Patience is a Virtue - Yellow Warbler, 2022, mixed media, cloche

Sara Young, MAURICE, 2022, wool, wire, wood

Liv Pedersen, Pelican, 2022, cotton warp, weft of wool, synthetic yarn

Taygan Appleton, Barn Owl, 2022, glass

Holly Boone, Feathered Family, 2022, wool, sticks, clay

Mel Smit, Chickadee with Rowan Berries, 2022, silver, 14kt green and yellow gold, black rhodium, mokume, carnelians, black diamond and leather cord

Jill Nuckles, The Way I See It, 2022, wood, wool, sisal

Deanna McGillivray, Raven Feather, 2018, pate de verre, kiln formed glass, hot glass

Heather Strachan, Migrating Snow Geese, 2022, fibre

Mel Schoenberger, Owl, 2021, wood

Louise McFayden, Magpie Marauders, 2021, dyed linen, cotton and linen applique prints, yarn, wooden dowel

Stephen Yettaw, “Author Unknown” The Raven’s Quill, 2020, black granite, white carerra marble, pipestone

Milt Fischbein, Great Horned Owl of Alberta- A Portrait in Filigree, 2022, sterling and fine silver

This Page (top row): Shona Rae, Ramsay Rooter, 2022, elk bone, found objects, acrylic plexiglass block, oil paint, epoxy Sandra Nemeth, Bird & Flower Dessert Plate, 2022, earthenware, underglaze, clear glaze.

Photo by Conrad Habing (bottom row): Stephanie Elderfield, Dabbling Duck, 2022, sterling silver, quartz with inclusions Teresa Johnston, One for Sorrow, Two for Joy (detail), 2022, clay, ribbon

Kaleb Romano, Touccie With Flowers, 2022, M370 whiteware clay, lamp kit

This Page (top - bottom): Alana Biffert, Hummingbird, 2022, borosilicate Sarah Ritchie, Great Horned Owl Jar, 2022, ceramic Caitlin Sian Richards, The Visitor, 2022, paper, paper pulp, air dry clay, wheat paste, plastic, fibre, thread, wire

This Page (top row, l-r): Tara Owen, Linen in Flight, 2022, linen, smokey quartz, habu silk, stainless steel, thread, embroidery hoop Mary Sanche\ Erin Saunders\ Mike Hooves (MEM), Treasure Tapestry, 2022, dyed fabric, silkscreen, embroidery, found objects. Photo by Bryce Maruk

(bottom row) Barbara Howe, Chickadee, 2022, porcelain clay, clear glaze

Darcy L. Hoover, Woodpecker 1 , 2022, cotton thread on unbleached muslin

Kevin Chow & Jamie Mason, Creatividee, Flight (Red), 2021, MDF, hardwood, latexacrylic, sharpie, clear coat.

Photo by Jamie Mason

Gracie Safranovich, Good Morning , 2022, thread, cotton, fabric, wooden frame

Tracey Cameron, Pigeon 6 , 2022, textiles

Wendy Passmore-Godfrey, Allegro Bird, 2013, paper construction and mache, wood, wire, feathers, ephemera.

Photo by Jenn Seippert

Esther Neufeld, White Pelican, 2019, needle and wet felted

Lara Felsing, From Exotic to Invasive (The Life of the Starling on the Praries), 2022, mixed media sculpture

Leslie Delanty, a sparrow amongst the sparrows, 2022, cotton fabric, embroidery floss, birch panel. Photo by Claire Bourgeois

This Page (clockwise) Brielle Reeves, Suburban Menace, 2022, beadwork.

Photo by Sapling Photography Corinne Cowell, Jason Kenny Nightmare, 2022, hand embroidery, stenciling, antique linen doiley Dale Lerner, Vincent, 2017, glazed ceramic

Opposite page (clockwise) Linda Vincent, Colourful Bird Trio, 2022, yarn and plastic canvas Annette ten Cate, Western Meadowlark, 2022, hand-build ceramics Tess Stieben, as he held the last one, 2014/2022, used glove, shirt sleeve, embroidery thread

Flock to the Online Shop!

Celebrating the fascinating creatures of flight that live in and migrate through our province each year, Alberta Craft Council’s exhibition Albirda: Put a Bird On It features work from over 60 Alberta Craft artists. We have been utterly delighted by the enthusiastic reception of this exhibition in person and online, and have enjoyed getting to know Alberta’s community of birders/birdwatchers.

Taking a cue from the exhibition’s name, we put the Albirda logo on a selection of items, including a variety of t-shirts, stickers, hats, and more. Join us in celebrating our province’s vibrant bird population and sport your Albirda merch today!

The Alberta Craft Council’s portion of the proceeds goes towards creating more paid opportunities and programming for Craft artists in Alberta.

To shop the Albirda merch collection scan the QR code or visit albirda.myspreadshop.ca

Jennifer Hartley-Illanes, Burger Bird, 2016-2022, embroidery thread, polyester satin, interfacing

art. July 10 – 21, 2023

rdpolytech.ca/series

Discover

With just your library card, you can read over 40 diverse Albertamade magazines. Online and at your fingertips.

The Alberta Craft Council is excited to announce that our magazine Alberta Craft has joined the Read Alberta Collection in libaries across the Province. Supported by the Government of Alberta and Alberta Magazine Publishers Association.

www.albertamagazines.com

Pottery | Bronze Casting | Metalsmithing

Welding for Artists | Glass Beadmaking

P rocession of the Self

Matthew O’Reilly

Alberta Craft Discovery Gallery - Edmonton September 10, 2022 - October 22, 2022

Matthew O’Reilly’s works for Procession of the Self are a series of portraits developed during a year-long (2021-22) residency at Medalta international artists in residence in Medicine Hat. In his Discovery Gallery exhibition, O’Reilly used gigantic and diminutive figural works to take a critical look inward while satirizing the ideas behind public statuary and what is deemed acceptable in the public square.

Feeling conflicted about his place in the world, grappling with ideas about how he relates to the public square, and the process through which ideas manifest themselves in our sacred public space, O’Reilly tests the boundaries by pushing his works to extremes. He sees his work as anthropological and autobiographical, drawing inspiration from California Funk heroes such as Viola Frey and personalities in his family for his richly expressive towering characters.

In his works for Procession of the Self, O’Reilly experiments with the surface treatments of his menagerie, leaving some surfaces for paint after firing and utilizing Shigaraki to make pustules in the surfaces of his grotesques. The resulting works have exaggerated proportions and gestures; they are charming and obnoxious at the same time. Large in scale or number, they demand attention and space, looming over the viewer and stretching outward and upward from floor to ceiling. What does it mean to place large statuary inside a small gallery space, and how do we expect such gregarious oversized personalities to behave in such close quarters?

Humour is one of Matthew O’Reilly’s character traits, and he has infused his ceramic work with it as well. During his artist’s presentation, Matthew joked about his current lifestyle of continually travelling to the next opportunity, making work that tailor fits in the space allotted in each studio. Using this humour and exaggeration, O’Reilly brings our attention to what we celebrate or denigrate in the public sphere.

Statuary can provide the opportunity for viewers to consider how our individual values relate to our collective values, an important endeavour in our increasingly diverse pluralistic communities. -O’Reilly

When viewed in the context of current North American society as we question and redress history and historical statuary, the questions that Matthew’s works bring to our attention are significant.

Emerging ceramic artist Matthew O’Reilly completed his MFA at the Alberta University for the Arts in 2020, where he focused on the grotesque, satire, and monuments. In 2021 he received the First Place NCECA Graduate Award of Excellence from the Juried Student Exhibition for his Grad School achievements; last year, he received the Winifred Shantz Award for Ceramics. Currently, he is the artist in residence at the Clay Studio of Missoula, Montana, where he is ‘…exploring our relationship to the digitizing public square’. O’Reilly is interested in teaching and travelling, expanding his experience and network as an artist and educator.

To view the online exhibition and artist talk visit albertacraft.ab.ca/discovery-gallery

This page: Head Studies, 2022, ceramic, exhibition view Transition, 2022, ceramic

Opposite page: Polarized, 2022, ceramic, exhibition view Making Our Idols, 2022, ceramic, exhibition view

Wildly Sensitive

Annette ten Cate of Medicine Hat, AB

Alberta Craft Discovery Gallery - Edmonton October 29 - December 17, 2022

Annette ten Cate’s exhibition Wildly Sensitive took place October 29 – December 17, 2022, in the Discovery Gallery, Edmonton. Featuring hand built, clay sculptures that reflect her deep connection to the wildlife of Alberta - some of which are designated as “at risk”, ten Cate’s work beckoned us to take a closer look, enjoy the story, consider the wildlife depicted and the dilemmas they face in their natural habitats.

Each species is presented in a narrative context alluding to the circumstances they face in their threatened habitats. Depicting her subjects in almost human narratives, wearing overalls and sweaters, gambling with musical chairs and poker, in fine fighting spirit as a boxer or a weightlifter or, huddled in a frying pan, ten Cate accords viewers the conditions to easily relate to the charming characters in each tableau. Injecting the scenarios with humour and lightheartedness, ten Cate personalizes these issues; making objects loaded with familiar emotion. Offering the viewer an opportunity to identify with the creatures, she hopes her efforts will help to protect them and their habitats.

There are three major categories of habitat loss: Destruction of habitat due to activities such as clearing land for development, mining, logging and agriculture; Degradation of habitat as the result of pollution, climate change and introduction of nonnative invasive species of plants, insects and animals; and finally, Fragmentation of habitat by construction of roads and buildings that restrict wildlife movement, disrupt ecosystems,

and separate animal populations. Some of these devastating effects are represented symbolically in Wildly Sensitive; for example, the Northern Pygmy Owl perched amid tree stumps left from clear cut logging, the Red-Tailed Chipmunks gazing across a chasm separating them, or the Ord’s Kangaroo Rats playing cards atop a discarded plastic bottle. Some animals can adapt to the disturbance of their habitat and manage to incorporate themselves (sometimes too well!) into the human world. But for others, the disruption of habitat has devastating effects and has brought many species dangerously close to extinction.

Wildly Sensitive is the culmination Annette ten Cate’s ultimate mission to draw people and wildlife together. But as she developed her vision for this exhibit, it evolved to include a visual statement about the impact of habitat loss on the quality of life for the creatures with whom we share space. As she prepared the works, species that are considered sensitive or at risk of extinction in Alberta became the focus of Annette’s exhibit. She hopes the viewer will consider what we risk losing if extinction becomes a reality for any of these endangered species.

To view the online exhibition and artist talk visit albertacraft.ab.ca/discovery-gallery

Coveted Craft

Coveted Craft is our in-shop feature where we showcase a selection of objects that we hope will inspire you to bring craft into your daily life. We carry the work of over 175 artists in our downtown Edmonton Gallery Shop and 80 artists in our Calgary Gallery Shop at cSPACE - Marda Loop.

The Alberta Craft Council continues to present Craft to visitors in a wide array of styles, techniques, and unique expressions of creativity.

Bring Alberta Craft home. Visit us online or in person. 10186-106 Street, Edmonton | 1721-29 Avenue SW, Calgary www.albertacraft.ab.ca/galleryshop

Did you know that Alberta Craft Council Membership has its benefits for shopping as well? Be the first to know when new work comes in and receive a 10% discount!

1 Osoyoos, found Ponderosa pinecone, maple, paper, acetate

Julya Hajnoczy, Calgary

2 Large salad Bee bowl , ceramic

Kaleb Romano, Edmonton

3 Blackfoot Floral pendant, cast silver

Albertine Crow Shoe, Brocket

4 Cotton table runner, cotton

Pirkko Karvonen, Boyle

5 Bright Explosion, murrini glass techniques

Anna Bilek, Calgary

6 Serpent Tail, herb chopper

Shaun Semple, Strathcona County

7 Pillow Stool, cherry wood and pool green cushion

Kenton Jeske, Edmonton

8 Flat baker style rolling pin, blackened Canadian maple

Andrew Glazebrook, Red Deer

9 Murrini glass, murrini hand blown glass

Darren Petersen, Red Deer

10 Electric Blue hollow necklace, blown glass beads on leather cord

Leanne Keyes, Red Deer

11 Cluck Norris, needle felted wool on fabric, 9” bamboo embroidery hoop

Nicole Coursen, Edmonton

12 Bee cheese board, ceramic

Teresa Johnson, Calgary

Exhibitions & Events Spring / Summer 2023

More in-depth coverage of these exhibitions will be featured in the next issue of Alberta Craft Magazine. For up-to-date information on current exhibitions visit albertacraft.ab.ca or sign up for What’s In our free customer E-Newsletter.

LIQUID LANDSCAPES

Paul van den Bijgaart

Edmonton: January 14 - March 4, 2023

Within the motion and intensity of the hot glass studio, Edmonton based artist Paul van den Bijgaart has created an exhibition of blown glass wall works and objects.

CONVERSE SUBVERSIVES

Shona Rae

Edmonton: March 11 - April 29, 2023

Calgary: June 30 - September 2, 2023

Calgary artist Shona Rae explores how societies old and new deal with social inequalities, gender identification, ageism, rape, plague and political upheavals, Rae strives to shift perspectives.

HAPTIC RITUALS

Lael Chmelyk

Edmonton: May 6 - June 24, 2023

Haptic Rituals explores ideas of “otherhood” through quilting and functional ceramics. Through this exploration and reclaiming of domestic objects, invites the viewer to question the status quo and investigate the role their physiologies play in their own story.

PORTAGE COLLEGE: LEGACY OF GRADUATES

Edmonton: June 30 - August 26, 2023

Calgary: September 9 - November 4, 2023

Portage College: Legacy of Graduates features work by graduates from Portage College’s Aboriginal Art Certificate Program. Portage College is a small community college in Lac La Biche, Alberta.

FORM(ED)

Carissa Baktay

Calgary: May 6 - June 24, 2023

Form(ed) presents a series of O.O.U.U.’s (Objects Of Unidentified Uses) exploring memory, body, and femininity through material. Blown glass, hair and textile reference the artist’s bodily experience and serve as symbols for storytelling; ambiguous yet familiar.

ORNAMENT & CRIME

Edmonton: April 8 - July 22, 2023

Calgary: TBA 2024

Ornament & Crime celebrates adorned, decorated, patterned and ornamented excess. 46 artists from across Canada are featured in this hyperbolic spectacle of exaggerated adornment with all the delightful trimmings they can muster. We look forward to sharing their bedecked, festooned, and fabulous works with you!

ALBERTA CRAFT GALLERY EDMONTON 10186 - 106 Street NW, Edmonton AB

Paul van den Bijgaart, Lidded Vessel, 2022, glass Shona Rae, Bluebeard’s Dolly (detail) , 2023, wool, wagon wheel hub, bronze galvanized wire

ALBERTA CRAFT GALLERY CALGARY 1721 - 29 Avenue SW, Suite 280 Calgary AB

Eveline Kolijn, Dinoflagellate Gavotte, 2023, linoprint on plankton collecting mesh with phosphorescent pigment, stitched on black Arches rag paper

Lael Chmelyk, Still I Rise, 2023, cotton, water based print medium, vintage fabrics. Photo by Matthew Huitema photo

Carissa Baktay, BOT (brushogtickle), 2021, glass, horse hair, mechanized toy. Photo by Marino Flovent

Craft Collaborations Fundraiser and Feature Exhibition

November 9 - December 9, 2022

The Alberta Craft Council hosted its third annual Craft Collaborations online auction fundraiser and feature exhibition in celebration and support of Alberta’s Craft artists. This year 35 artists came together from across the province and across disciplines to create one-of-a-kind work.

A number of arts organization and artists contributed unique experiential packages to round out the auction.

A total of $6730 was raised through the Craft Collaborations auction and exhibition, surpassing our $5000 goal. The funds raised will directly contribute to creating more paid opportunities and programming for Craft artists in the province.

An important part of this fundraiser is paying the contributing artists. Artists receive 50% of the retail value of their bid upon projects. A total of $3915 was raised for artists.

We are grateful for the support of our community and the generosity of the artists who chose to donate their portion back to the Alberta Craft Council. We wish to thank all of the artists and community of supporters who all contributed to the success of this fundraiser.

Trout embroidery on hoop, ceramic, ceramic colourants, glaze

2022 PARTICIPATING ARTISTS AND SUPPORTERS:

Arlene Westen & Deanne Underwood, Crys Harse & Linda Chow, Elise Findlay & Dana Roman, Gillian Mitchell & Claire Becq, Jennifer Illanes & Cindy Giesbrecht, Karen Cantine & David Cantine, Karen Cantine & Shawn Cunningham, Laurie Bisset & Lisa Kaye-Stanisky, Leia Guo & Mackenzie Roth, Leah Kudel & Emily Nash, Luke Weiser & Milt Fischbein, Morgan Possberg & Noble Seggie, Natalie Gerber & Bill Morton, Puck Janes & Becky Best-Bertwistle, Talar Prefontaine & Jean-Claude Prefontaine, Tara Owen & Karen Kryzan, Stephanie Elderfield & Sara Young, William Miles & Brandon Tyson, Holly Boone, Fern’s School of Craft, Theatre Network, Viva Clayworks & Longroof Brewing

Craft Collaborations returns

November 2023

Alberta Craft Awards 2023

Nominations are now open for the Alberta Craft Council biennial Alberta Craft Awards! The bi-annual Alberta Craft Awards are designed to honor individuals and groups who make significant contributions to Alberta’s Craft culture.

Awards will be handed out in the following five categories: Early Achievement Award - $1,000

Excellence Award - $1,000

• Tom McFall Honour Award - $1,000

Linda Stanier & Family Memorial Award for Excellence in Ceramics - $2,000

Fibre Arts Award - Hand Weavers, Spinners and Dyers of Alberta Endowment - $2,000

Letter of Nominations accepted until:

Tuesday, August, 1, 2023, at 11:59pm MDT

Scan the QR code for more information and to nominate those who deserve to be recognized for their dedication to Alberta’s Craft culture!

Becky Best-Bertwistle & Puck Janes, Westslope Cutthroat

Linda Chow & Crys Harse, From the Sow’s Ear copper, fresh water pearls, magnet braided copper wire

Deanne Underwood & Arlene Westen, Earth and Sky, Sky: Needle and wet felt merino wool, Earth: Tapestry woven with 100% cotton warp and 100% wool weft

Craft Tours

Craft curious? Join us for Culture in the Making experiential Craft Tours. Connect with your community of craft artists and supporters on curated boutique tours to artists’ studios, and behind the scenes of museum collections, cultural sites, galleries and more.

Many of our tours include hands on workshops from world renowned Craft artists from across Alberta. Created for new audiences, these workshops give participants a chance to learn more about the artists, their Craft mediums, and inspiration.

Bring your curiosity and connect to your creativity as we build community and meaningful experiences centered around Craft.

Did you know that Alberta Craft Council Membership has its benefits for Craft Tours as well? Be the first to know and receive a discount of up to 50%!

Recent Craft Tours:

1. Glassblowing with Suspended Studio, Edmonton

2. Edison Tour - Curatorial Tour of Wolves: The Art of Dempsey Bob, Calgary

3. Bright Nights talk with “Birds in Alberta” author Chris Fisher and glass artist Darren Petersen, with a tour of the Albirda: Put a Bird on it exhibition, Calgary

4. Leather Journal and Bookbinding and Leather Mask-making with Dale Ladouceur, Edmonton

5. Learn to Needle Felt Chickadees with Jill Nuckles, Calgary

6. Visible Mending with Beverly Gan, Edmonton

7. Build a Birdhouse with Jean-Claude Prefontaine, Calgary

8. Bird Watching Walk with Gavin McKinnon, Calgary

9. Rug Hook a Bird with Nancy Crites, Calgary

10. Make your own Braided Rag Rug with Blenderz Garment Recyclers, Edmonton

11. Collectors & Collections: Asian Textiles with Nickle Galleries, Calgary

12. Patterns with Natural Dyes; Printing Mordants with Lael Chmelyk, Edmonton

13. Fibre Studios tour, Edmonton

14. Canmore Fire & Ice Experience, Canmore

Upcoming Craft Tours:

15. DUPLICATA! Design your own repeating patterns with Vikki Wiercinksky, Edmonton

16. Leaving an Impression: Cyanotype workshop with Mireille Perron, Calgary

17. Taking Cyanotype to the next level workshop with Mireille Perron, Calgary

18. Personal Talisman Sculpture Making with Shona Rae Calgary

19. Adorned and Resisting - Metis Decoration and Story with Krista Leddy, Edmonton

20. Weaving Healing Mandalas with Tess Stieben, Edmonton

Around Alberta

Noteworthy craft exhibitions, events, and more

Human Sprawl

Leighton Art Centre, Foothills

April 1, 2023 - March 31, 2024

Michelle Atkinson’s Human Sprawl explores humanity’s tendency to live in excess with personal consumption impacting biodiversity. Born from waste, the animal sculptures were created from thick kiln-cast slabs of broken window glass destined for the landfill and the plant sculptures are made with donated bottle glass.

The animals in the work are to represent what we’ve lost and are all classified as threatened or endangered by the Government to both drive home our impact but also act as an educational opportunity.

We have so many meaningful topics to discuss in this moment in history, but biodiversity will always be essential. If I can inspire even one person to look at their own consumption and effect change in behaviour or provoke them to learn about conservation programs, that’s a win.

- Michelle Atkinson

www.leightoncentre.org

Day at the Beach

Harcourt House, Edmonton

April 28 - June 10, 2023

Ritchie Velthuis’ Day at the Beach is inspired by visits to a friend’s cabin in Slave Lake in Northern Alberta. Beach visits are a time spent unplugging and settling into natural rhythms provided by pristine nature. The work presented documents the artist’s impression and observation of this environment.

In this sculptural installation, a series of small ceramic figures are carefully placed on a beach of Alberta sand. The figures depict ordinary people found on typical Alberta beaches. A beer can here, a bag there, along with sundry objects complete the beach scene. The sand adds a playful element and makes the urge to interact with the installation practically irresistible.

Rather than a static installation, the figures and props will be moved periodically during the presentation of the exhibition to discover whether the placement will change the viewers’ perceptions. Different narratives will likely be made when different people and props are put together.

www.harcourthouse.ab.ca

Gathering Near and Far, Still

Southern Alberta Art Gallery, Lethbridge

May 25 - June 24, 2023

Long ago, we hunted and gathered. When considering our ancient past, hunters seem to get all of the attention. Gathering, however, deserves a closer look.

April Matisz’s Gathering near and far, still depicts characters enacting human needs, from collecting plants for food or medicine to migrating to new environments. Throughout these ongoing journeys, stories emerge that transform these acts into something profound.

April’s multimedia installation of drawings, ceramics, collages, and life-sized figures are set in a floral and seemingly distant past from which our biological and social systems emerged.

Curated by Adam Whitford, Interim Curator

www.saag.ca

Ritchie Velthuis, Day at the Beach (detail), ceramic, acrylic paint and sand, 2023

April Matisz, A Kind of Sentience, collage, 2020.

Michelle Atkinson, Human Sprawl, previous installation.

Photo by Harder Lee Photography

Medalta International Artists in Residence Solo Exhibitions

Yuill Gallery at Medalta, Medicine Hat

May 27 - July 8, 2023

Medalta is an innovative industrial museum, contemporary ceramic arts facility, art gallery, and community hub in Medicine Hat.

The site is also world renowned for the Medalta International Ceramic Artist in Residence program. The long-term artists in residence will be having solo exhibitions from May 27 to July 8 2023, with an opening reception on May 26 in the museums Yuill Gallery.

Participating Artists (Long Term Artists in Residence 2022-2023 residency year):

Tomo Ingalls

Daniel Labutes

• Corwyn Lund

• Rebecca La Marre, Exhibition Curator (emerging curator from Saskatoon, SK)

www.medalta.org

Bird Pick

Entwined & Entangled: A Fibre Art Exhibition

Leighton Art Centre, Foothills

June 24 - August 20, 2023

Entwined & Entangled celebrates contemporary fibre arts, creative collaboration, and a half century of shared history between the Sheep Creek Weavers Fibre Arts Guild and Leighton Art Centre.

The Sheep Creek Weavers Fibre Arts Guild, founded in 1974 (the same year that Leighton Art Centre was incorporated as a non-profit), began with an emphasis on weaving. Today the guild is a diverse community of spinners, weavers, knitters, felters, quilters, crocheters, dyers, rug hookers, and hand-sewers who create conceptual pieces as well as crafting practical household items and wearable art.

Entwined & Entangled reflects the founding principles of the guild: creating, educating, and celebrating fibre arts. It features works by individual guild artists as well as collaborative group pieces and installations. Inspiration for the pieces is diverse and ranges from the ever-changing landscape of the Alberta foothills to personal memories, shared experiences, myths, and even dreams.

www.leightoncentre.org

Treelines - Here and There

Nickle Galleries, Calgary

May 11 - July 21, 2023

Treelines -Here and there is a new body of work, by Gwen MacGregor, that explores the connections between logging, alienation from the land and representations of the land.

The exhibition at Nickle Galleries will include over 40 three dimensional crocheted trees I have made, of a specific species that grow in BC and the highlands of Scotland. As well as realistic looking trees there will be a series made out of recycled plastic bags that are intentionally dystopic in character. Accompanying the trees will be a series of large scale photos and videos of the crocheted trees placed in situ in both places. When placed on the land and documented, the wee trees come across a bit whimsical and sad. But then that seems appropriate for the time of environmental crisis we are living in.

- Gwen MacGregor

Curated by Michele Hardy

www.nickle.ucalgary.ca

Gwen MacGregor, Treelines.

Photo by Duncan Maisels

Sheep Creek Weavers Fibre Arts Guild collaboration, Wild Rose (detail), 2019-20, mixed fibre media in loom frame

Medalta in the Historic Clay District, Medicine Hat

Meet the Maker

Interviewed by Corinne Cowell, Alberta Craft Council

Corinne Cowell: How long have you been making glass? What started it all off?

Darren Petersen: I have been making glass for 34 years. In 1988, in my first year at the Alberta College of Art, now Alberta University of the Arts, I met up with then 4th year student Dean Smiley. He was friend of my older brother and introduced me to the hotshop, Tyler Rock, Bonny Houston, and Tyman Brosz, among others. He also sat me down at a bench, walked me through my first gather and blowing my first glass bubble. It was like nothing I’d ever experienced or imagined myself doing. I was hooked.

CC: Where do you make your work?

DP: For the past 26 years I have worked from my home studio in Red Deer, Sparrow Glassworks. I am incredibly lucky to have a hot glass studio that I can work in whenever I feel the urge.

CC: Do you work on your own?

DP: I work alone 90% of the time, but enjoy teamwork and collaboration. I find one assistant sufficient for most complex pieces, rarely, a third person is necessary. In the beginning, about 50% of what I made required assistance but learning from Jim Norton, who was quite skilled as a solo glass blower, I became increasingly independent. My wife Deborah also graduated as a glass major and assists when possible. Collaboration with other makers is a fantastic means to develop new work.

CC: What was a major moment in your glass experiences?

DP: I received a scholarship to Pilchuck Glass School with classes instructed by Dante Marioni. Dick Marquis, an American artist who specializes in Venetian cane and murrini techniques was also there. This had a profound influence on me. It clarified how much I didn’t know and how hard I needed to work to develop the skillset to make the work I wanted to make.

CC: How often are you out in wild spaces?

DP: Daily. Red Deer has a good trail system along Waskasoo Creek and the Red Deer River, Gaetz Lakes Sanctuary and Mckenzie Lake trails are all close to where I live. I spend spring to early fall birding, flyfishing and photographing nature throughout Alberta. This intimate connection to wild spaces is very important to me.

CC: How have wild spaces influenced your work?

DP: They largely define me, my outlook and the aesthetic of my work. There is such diverse beauty in the natural world, from a rockface to a square foot of prairie grassland, insects, wildflowers, to birds and mammals. It inspires my constantly.

CC: What did you make for Albirda?

DP: I created a glass cylinder representing a dying birch tree with Sapsucker sap well holes drilled into the surface. As I tend to take things literally, the show title said, ‘put a bird on it,’ so I did. I perched Brown Creeper on the side of the vessel (page 8).

Top-Bottom: Darren Petersen in his studio Sparrow Glassworks, Red Deer, AB Dunlin Decoy, blown glass with metal stand

CC: What is it about birds that intrigue you?

DP: Everything. Many Alberta species are like old friends I look forward to reacquainting with each spring. I’ve gone birdwatching in several countries and would love to do more.

CC: What is your working/artistic process?

DP: I’m in the hotshop during the winter months, making glass full-time. Part of the blowing season is production, making variations on the work that I have found commercially successful. Glass is expensive to work with, so I make a lot of vessels, drinking glasses and decorative objects to cover the costs and to help pay the bills. After Christmas, I set aside time to be wholly creative. In the warmer months I focus on cold work, finishing pieces, grinding, polishing and assembly but basically working part-time around my outdoor pursuits.

CC: Please elaborate on your surface textures, they seem to play an important role in your work.

DP: I work a lot with glass powders and frit on the surface of my pieces. Many colors are reactive with each other resulting in interesting organic surfaces. Physical textures are challenging with hot glass because at high temperatures the results tend to be smoothly heat polished. There are ways to achieve them though (hot drilling into the surface, plunging a hot bubble into water for controlled crackle) to name a few. I build up complex visual textures through many, many layers of glass.

CC: Can you talk about some of your avian pieces?

DP: The shorebird decoys are essentially long necked vase forms modified to become birds. I love the simplicity of this traditional

bubble transforming into something else. A challenging part when making birds is for them to resist caricature. I prefer the direction of folk-art style decoys. I alternate between simple versions of actual species, like Curlews, Spotted Sandpipers and Dunlins to inventing variations of a species. Between breeding, winter and juvenile plumage, there is such variety amongst shorebirds that I don’t get hung up on accuracy in the studio. It’s more about enjoying the process of making and being creative.

CC: What are your biggest challenges when making work?

DP: Glass is very demanding. Having the skills to make it do what you want it to do, or the understanding to know what it wants to do is a constant challenge.

CC: What are you currently working on?

DP: Since making the ‘Albirda’ piece, I’m intrigued with finding ways to re-create and reconsider the patterns a Sapsucker makes in a tree surface. I’m making small roundel discs riddled with holes that elongate into ovals when the bubble is spun into a plate and applying them hot to the surface of a blown form. I also have a glass fusing kiln and am interested in making glasswork that blends the ‘warm’ fused glass with ‘hot’ glass components.

CC: What books are you currently reading?

DP: I’m reading David Attenborough’s, ‘A Life on Our Planet’. He is more optimistic than me, I worry about the delicate creatures we are making homeless through our over consumptive ways. I guess in part, this is why I search out bits of wilderness, to be reassured and feel a sense of intimate connection by learning about and knowing and loving nature.

Real Shore Bird. Photo by Darren Petersen Shore Bird Decoys, blown glass with metal stand

Ripples

Embrace

Return

Return Address: