Exhibition Statement: Cultivate | Instigate

Cultivate | Instigate

Alberta Craft Gallery – Calgary January 18 - March 21, 2020

Cultivate | Instigate is about the influential creatives at the forefront of post-secondary craft education in Alberta. The artists in this exhibition balance the dual roles of educator and professional practicing artist. Acting as torchbearers, they are bridging Alberta’s rich craft legacy with contemporary craft culture. They do so through the exceptional work they create, along with their passionate (and often resilient) commitment to imparting their knowledge, skills and dedication to emerging craft artists. Hailing from Alberta University of the Arts, Red Deer College, and Portage College, the faculty members in this exhibition are representing the excellent post-secondary craft educational opportunities around the province.

Acting as torchbearers, they are bridging Alberta’s rich craft legacy with contemporary craft culture

Participants include faculty from the ceramics, fibre, glass, and jewellery + metals programs at Alberta University of the Arts formerly known as Alberta College of Art + Design. Since 1926 AUArts has been a major contributor to Canada’s visual culture, with graduates gaining significant national and international reputations as artists, designers and creative leaders. In addition to credentialed undergraduate Bachelor of Fine Arts and Bachelor of Design degrees, the University offers a graduate Master of Fine Arts in Craft Media, making it the only institution in the province to offer and confer university level undergraduate and graduate degree programs in art, craft, and design.

Taught at the Lac La Biche campus, Portage College’s Native Arts Program offers traditional and contemporary Aboriginal art forms through hands-on instruction. The skilled instructors have a vast knowledge of Aboriginal art from a cultural and historic point of view. Advanced courses in hide tanning, painting, drawing, carving, sewing, footwear, beading, and decorative arts are examined and studied throughout the program.

The visual arts program at Red Deer College offers a concentrated visual arts foundation in a two-year time span. The College offers state of the art studio spaces including a fully equipped ceramics studio. A broad range of visual experiences help students form a visual arts vocabulary and master skills in composition and technical areas. After the second year of study, students can transfer to the Alberta University of the Arts, NSCAD University, Emily Carr University of Art and Design or another Canadian university or art college.

PARTICIPATING ARTISTS

Alberta University of the Arts: Zimra Beiner, Ceramics, Reed Fagan, Jewellery + Metals, Marty Kaufman, Glass Mackenzie KellyFrère, Fibre, Martina Lantin, Ceramics, Bill Morton, Fibre Lyndsay Rice, Jewellery + Metals, Tyler Rock, Glass, Natali Rodrigues, Glass, Laura Vickerson, Fibre

Portage College Native Arts and Culture Program: Trudie Allen, and Ruby Sweetman, Native Arts and Culture Program

Red Deer College: Trudy Golley, Ceramics

Alberta Craft Council Curatorial Team: Jenna Stanton, Jessica Telford and Joanne Hamel