Cultivate | Instigate

Alberta Craft Feature Gallery – Edmonton May 11 – August 31, 2019 Artist Reception: Saturday, June 15 from 2 - 4pm

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.

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 universitylevel undergraduate and graduate degree programs in art, craft, and design.

Mountain 20180901 by Mackenzie Kelly-Frère

"It may seem a cliché, but in many ways teaching found me. As a graduate student I discovered that teaching was a creative practice in which you and your students may discover new things together. I distinctly recall a seminar course that I took with Dr. Sandra Alfoldy titled “Ornamenting Space” in which it quickly became apparent that one could teach in a way that did not prescribe content to students, but rather allowed them to generate new ideas in a supportive learning environment. This, to me was a revelation. To this day I gauge my own success in the studio classroom by that formative experience."

– MacKenzie Kelly-Frère

Child-size fully beaded moccasins by Ruby Sweetman

"I feel the more I can be successful in creating art as an artist not just an instructor, the better it is for the students to see what can be achieved if they have the right mindset." Ruby Sweetman

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.

"I feel the more I can be successful in creating art as an artist not just an instructor, the better it is for the students to see what can be achieved if they have the right mindset. Creating works of art in my free time is relaxing and helps me keep on top of age-old skills of our ancestors."

– Ruby Sweetman

HST Double Vase by Trudy Golley.

Photo: Paul Leathers

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 helps 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.

"Throughout all my teaching positions, I have remained committed to working in the open studio in order to share my experience with my students in a more relaxed atmosphere. Some of the most meaningful exchanges —those that can’t be recreated in a classroom situation— are shared with students after-hours or on weekends. Often this helps students to reflect on what they are hearing and seeing and assists them to make up their minds about how to proceed with their own work."

– Trudy Golley

Hilbert Scored Square by Reed Fagan

PARTICIPATING ARTISTS:

Alberta University of the Arts:

Zimra Beiner, Ceramics Reed Fagan, Jewellery + Metals Marty Kaufman, Glass Mackenzie Kelly-Frère, Fibre Martina Lantin, Ceramics Bill Morton, Fibre Lyndsay Rice, Jewellery + Metals Tyler Rock, Glass Natali Rodrigues, Glass Laura Vickerson, Fibre

Portage College:

Trudie Allen and Ruby Sweetman, Native Arts and Culture Program

Red Deer College:

Trudy Golley, Ceramics