All in Visual and Media Arts

The Power of an Image

The Power of an Image

Nabila Walji
Artist Perspectives, Visual and Media Arts, Guest Writer series

When you hear Alberta, what picture comes to mind?

Among the reel of photos you may visualize, one that likely unites all Albertans is our imaginings of the mountains. Let me tell you about my story of the mountains.

Almost straight-out of the womb, my parents took me on a road trip to our beloved Rocky Mountains. Actually, I spent much of my youth travelling our province, and the entire West Coast, in our family minivan. Sometimes in my car seat I sat side-by-side with my great grandmother, other times my napping sister, other times a cousin and so on. At some point or other, all of my grandparents, cousins, aunts, and uncles have spent time in the van - and like most Albertans, our favourite destination has always been the mountains!

Artists of Arts Commons - Part five

Artists of Arts Commons - Part five

Alex Bonyun
Artist Perspectives, Behind the Scenes, Inspiring Stories, Visual and Media Arts

Welcome to the fifth instalment of the Artists of Arts Commons, a series sharing the stories of our staff who practice art in their personal time – whether it’s an active hobby or as much as a secondary career. We’ve been excited to be able to share a wide range of artistic pursuits with you, from painting to dancing, to felting and script writing. In part five, we introduce you to a puppeteer, a sketch artist, and a full-time music teacher who are all part of our dedicated front-of-house team.

Hali Heavy Shield mentors RBC Emerging Visual Artists through Indigenous Storytelling and History

Hali Heavy Shield mentors RBC Emerging Visual Artists through Indigenous Storytelling and History

Alex Bonyun
Artist Perspectives, Visual and Media Arts, Learning Through the Arts

“Petroglyphs, rock carvings, pictographs, rock paintings…they represent visions of the spirit beings. Spirit beings make their home amongst the hoodoos, and rock art connects the physical and the spiritual world.”

Hali Heavy Shield paints a picture with her words, revealing a multifaceted perspective of Writing on Stone Provincial Park that goes deep into her roots as an Indigenous artist. Hali Heavy Shield or Nato’yi’kina’soyi in Blackfoot, which means Holy Light that Shines Bright, is a local multidisciplinary artist as well as PhD student at the University of Lethbridge researching Blackfoot art and storytelling. Her talk was part of a professional development session for Arts Commons Emerging Visual Artists earlier last month.

Exposure Festival: What does Calgary's favourite photography festival have in store this year?

Exposure Festival: What does Calgary's favourite photography festival have in store this year?

Alex Bonyun
Behind the Scenes, Visual and Media Arts

Entering its 17th season, Exposure Festival has delighted Calgarians with unique photography exhibitions in galleries, local businesses, online, and outdoors. Through its programme of exhibitions, portfolio reviews, artist talks, discussions and events, Exposure explores what photography is, what it can be, its current place in contemporary art, and the future of the medium. New for 2021, Exposure will bring an exciting city-wide public exhibition to its audiences in Calgary.

Artists of Arts Commons - Part four

Artists of Arts Commons - Part four

Alex Bonyun
Artist Perspectives, Behind the Scenes, Visual and Media Arts

On stage at Arts Commons there’s no doubt that you’ll see amazingly talented people. Whether they’re bringing a script to life on stage, making you laugh till your sides ache, or energizing you with a night of amazing music, Arts Commons is a building filled to the brim with talent. Few people think about the individuals behind the scenes that make it all happen.

In part four of this multi-part series, we’ll introduce you to some of our staff who have been secretly (some much less secretively) practicing their art in their off-hours including a painter, a felt artist, and a dance instructor. For some it’s a hobby, and for others it’s a separate career fueled by their passion.

Stitching Together Social Connection

Stitching Together Social Connection

Alex Bonyun
AC@Home, Visual and Media Arts, Artist Perspectives

The COVID-19 pandemic has, among other things, contributed a great deal of isolation for many members of our Calgary community, but for some people, this isolation was always a way of life, and has only become stronger with the enforcement of widespread social restrictions. Penny Gunderson is a local artist who works in a number of different art mediums including slow stitching, encaustic or hot wax painting, fibre, and fabric printing. Her interest has recently turned towards the problem of isolation and the importance of women being able to connect with other women for social and cultural support.

Visual Arts Goes Virtual: A look inside the creation of the 360 tours

Visual Arts Goes Virtual: A look inside the creation of the 360 tours

Celina Vides
AC@Home, Behind the Scenes, Visual and Media Arts

During the pandemic, we have seen the temporary closure of museums, galleries, and exhibition spaces. For these entities, the work to keep audiences engaged could be said to be relatively easy as they work with highly visual pieces that can be shared online. But as an avid museum attendee, I know there is more to the experience of art than just flipping through pictures on a website.

In our current world, what can cultural organizations do to bring back these immersive experiences? The answer is not as simple as you might think.

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