Donna Clement is a Canadian textile artist who shows and sells on her web site and at various exhibits throughout the year. She travels throughout the world and loves to share her photos of inspiration seen abroad, with special focus on UNESCO World Heritage Sites. She is an exhibiting member of ARTICULATION Textile Group and CONTEXTURAL Fibre Arts Cooperative.
I went west last weekend for my first trip out of Calgary since September (health reasons) and it was so wonderful to get away from the snow here and extra long winter and head to the greenness of British Columbia.
I was in Vancouver for 5 days, the forecast for which was solid rain, but in reality we never felt a drop of rain the very many times we went out for shopping trips to various trendy areas. Stayed a 20 walk away from Granville Island and the market; hit West 4 Avenue for latest goodies in boots, scarves and kitchenware; and then onto Commercial Avenue for the interesting eclectic mixture in the old hippie area.
These photos show the contrast:
March 26, Vancouver
- their spring is late too and the cherry trees were just popping out in blossoms this weekend.
March 28, Calgary
- meanwhile I had to come back to all this snow but the chinook winds are coming and now the water is running down every hill in copious amounts. But the forecast is for more snow this coming weekend...
'Leak of the week' for the Calgary Folk Festival coming in July...
THE HEAD AND THE HEART
This is a Seattle band with a lovely gentle sound that I am quite enamored with.
Composed largely of transplants to the Seattle area, The Head and the Heart write poignant, soulful songs that speak to fresh starts and ghosts left behind. Textured harmonies, catchy piano, a trio of harmonies and an almost symphonic use of strings weave together layers of indie Americana that is sonically adventurous, yet achingly familiar.
I was very excited to learn that the Alberta College of Art and Design (ACAD) is hosting the 3rd Annual Reel Artists Film Festival this weekend. And once again, very sad to find out it is on while I am out of town :-(
From their catalogue of films being shown, three jump out as ones I would love to see.
On Thursday, March 24 at 9 pm is Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Radiant Child. The description reads: though Jean-Michel started out as a graffiti artist, he quickly rose to fame in 1980s New York creating distinctive paintings and befriending icons like Andy Warhol and Deborah Harry. However, trouble soon took hold and he died suddenly at 27. This movie uncovers the mystique of both the artist and the man. To see the trailer click here.
Movie poster
On Saturday, March 26 at 7 pm is Winds of Heaven: Emily Carr, Carvers and Spirits of the Forest. The description reads: Winds of Heaven is an impressionist, luminous exploration of the solitary life of one of Canada's most celebrated and irrepressible painters, Emily Carr. It takes viewers on a lyrical journey into the brooding mystery and beauty of Carr's paintings, and highlights her connections to the First Nations People and the Northwest Coast of British Columbia. To see the trailer click here.
Cedar
1942
Emily Carr
On Sunday, March 27 at 2:30 pm is The Colour of Your Socks: A Year With Pipilotti Rist. The description reads: the movie accompanies the Swiss artist Pipilotti Rist around the world, shows her at work in her studio in Zurich as well as at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Since she won the Duemila Prize at the Biennale di Venezia in 1997, Pipilotti Rist is an internationally recognized and renowned artist. For the first time, she lets a documentary filmmaker into her world, providing insight into her creative process, the development of projects and the collaboration with her team. Watch the movie trailer by clicking here.
Rist, 1996 installation "Sip My Ocean"
Admission to all films is free.
The movies will be shown in the Stanford Perrott Lecture Hall, ACAD on the SAIT campus. 1407 14 Avenue NW, Calgary.
This posting describes only 3 of the 14 films being shown. There are also workshops happening over the week. Go! Go! Be cultured!!!
For the catalogue of the entire festival click here.
Isabelle de Borchgrave’s costumes are truly ‘pulp fashion’ – amazingly detailed historical garments that are painted, crinkled, crushed, folded and molded from paper!
Belgian artist Isabelle de Borchgrave is a painter by training, but textile and costume are her muses. Working in collaboration with leading costume historians and young fashion designers, de Borchgrave crafts a world of splendor from the simplest rag paper. Painting and manipulating the paper, she forms trompe l’oeil masterpieces of elaborate dresses inspired by rich depictions in early European painting or by iconic costumes in museum collections around the world.
Drawing inspiration from textiles and costume, the Belgian artist has created works based on the Renaissance finery of the Medici family and gowns worn by Elizabeth I and Marie-Antoinette to the creations of the grand couturiers Frederick Worth, Paul Poiret, Christian Dior, and Coco Chanel.
Her work is awe-inspiring and you can check her website to view her vast portfolio.
Lucky you if you're planning a trip to San Francisco - go see Pulp Fashion: The Art of Isabelle de Borchgrave organized by the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco on display through June 5, 2011. The 'exhibition preview' on the gallery web site is amazing.
I just got juried into the Calyx Distinctive Art show and sale for both of their Calgary and Edmonton shows in May. In Calgary there are 2 separate sales, with 30 different artists each day. This will be their 11th year of the semi-annual art exhibition and sale in Calgary. They have just expanded in to Edmonton and this year will be their second show. I am looking forward to showing in my home town and having familiar faces visit. More details to follow on what I will have available...
21st Semi-Annual Art Exhibition and Sale
Calgary, Alberta
Two Day Event with Different Artists Featured Each Day
Saturday April 30, 2011 and Sunday May 1, 2011
10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Crescent Heights Community Centre
1101 - 2nd Street NW, Calgary, AB
Free Parking, Free Admission, Free Draw
2nd Semi-Annual Art Exhibition and Sale
Edmonton, Alberta
Saturday May 14, 2011
10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Pleasantview Community League Hall
10860 - 57 Avenue NW, Edmonton, AB
Just came across a New York artist, Holton Rower, who does some pretty interesting work out of his Lower Manhattan studio space.
This video shows one of his techniques called "Tall Painting" where layers of paint are poured to create amazing results.
Click here for his web site and check out his gallery of work. Under "Gallery", then "Sculpture" are various bodies of works. I especially liked the series on Locks and Money.
Devised in Tokyo in 2003, PechaKucha Nights are now taking place in over 380 cities around the world. Drawing their name from the Japanese term for the sound of "chit chat," PechaKucha Nights are based on a simple presentation format: speakers present 20 slides each, for only 20 seconds per slide. It's a format that makes presentations concise and keeps things moving at a rapid pace.
The seventh version of this night in Calgary occurred on Valentine's Day and had the theme of LOVE.
It was held at the Lantern Community Church in Inglewood. Hosted by Wil Knoll, the speakers included:
- marbella anne carlos, visual artist
- Jamie Hobbs, creator, "I Love Love" community art project
- Paul Hughes, community organizer/conceptualist
- Jacqulynn Mulyk, City Repair facilitator
- Steve Nagy, traveler/photographer/dabbler
- Art Proctor, artist/activist/love doctor
- Lady Seraphina, professional domme
- Tim Tamashiro, entertainer/jazz lover
- Sheri-D Wilson, poet
It was a wonderful evening with many speakers about written word, visual art, the power of love in our lives, doing what you love, getting love in various ways (a dominatrix spoke on this!) – always an evening of many interests. I took my husband to this one and he is very interested in attending the next session. It is such a diverse evening!
