Orange!

Posted on September 26, 2014 by Painter Lady

I met Loretta down at the East Village, once asked to do some painting at the Golden Age Club in a madly creative environment called create! Loretta Young has some kind of story! What’s most amazing is how she lights up a room! Last Sunday saw the launch of a collection of her paintings, collage and mosaics at the Hear’s My Soul Cafe. It was a brilliant blue day and Loretta was wearing orange.

The surroundings were exquisite. I was able to connect with beautiful and dear friends, sharing in the music of Trio Velocity while munching on Janice Beaton Fine Cheeses and sipping complimentary wine. It doesn’t get any better than that! Wandering slowly from one space to another, I really engaged Loretta’s work, seeing a vibrant statement about life and freedom. Having also been a very active participant in Calgary’s MOMO Dance Theatre, Loretta’s visual work also appears to dance, no matter the medium. A spattering of orange seems to be a consistent underpinning and a delightful complement to the cerulean and ultramarine dominance.

I enjoyed embracing new friends and Loretta’s family, all present and excited about sharing this really important moment in time, a celebration of Loretta, her spirit and her art. Thanks again to visionary, Wendy Lees, who works tirelessly to create experiences around art and life in the East Village! Thanks also to Mike who contributed his time to some beautiful framing and display. A magic touch!

Hear’s My Soul in the Orange Lofts

Posted on February 22, 2014 by Painter Lady

After such a ‘magical’ afternoon, painting…it was over to Nina Saini’s Hear’s My Soul Cafe for wine and celebration. A gathering space in the Orange Lofts, this little cafe must be enjoyed by all! This is a spirit-filled and ‘happening’ place. Problems get resolved at Hear’s My Soul. Inspiration happens at Hear’s My Soul! Much connecting happens as a person looks out onto one of the coolest intersections of the city…people are warm and funny. The wine is good. The food is exquisite. I settled in and relaxed with Wendy Lees, grateful for the friendship and conversation.

From the menu, I selected, Smoked meat, garlic aoili, grilled zucchini and red peppers, red onion, arugula and aged white cheddar PANINI! Yummers…and Woodbridge Cabernet-Sauvignon 2012 as an accompaniment. Fantastic!

There are powerful stories written on the walls…visual narratives that sing of heart, spirit, life, children, pain, mothers, resilience…this is such a beautiful space! GO!

I really enjoy attending THE FIRSTS of things going on in our city, and just happened to hit this event last evening. Recently I attended the first of the full moon walks accompanied by cellist, Morag Northey, down in Fish Creek Park. This particular intimate gathering of folk meant bringing out the paint, pencils and markers! I recognized Sarah-Joy from Nikki Reimer’s Calgary reading from sic ages ago, so a lovely thing to reconnect. On Hear’s My Soul Facebook page, the gathering is advertised this way. Something else for creatives in Calgary to keep in mind.

“Hi all! First time drink and draw session will begin tomorrow, Friday 21st starting at 7pm! Once a month a group of artist…any type are invited to join other creators to do what you do best…kinda like a sketch session but it doesn’t matter what medium of art you practice. You can even just come by….chill with others…have drink of any sort ( as always I recommend booze) network or practice your art. Everyone is welcome. So come down and join!”

Thank you, Nina, for providing a space that is warm, welcoming, inspiring…a space with everyone can gather.

create! in the East Village

Posted on January 22, 2014 by Painter Lady

Wendy Lees invited me to explore painting as one of the offerings at the Golden Age Club this week, Wednesday and Friday afternoons. Director of a recent initiative to use ‘creation’ as a way to connect a community, create!, Wendy has designed community drop-in art and craft workshops in the East Village. For an excellent overview on the physical re-invigoration of the area, please see the Take A Tour section at the bottom of the link here. Click on the wee orange icons.

Present location and with gratitude, a sunny art space on the 2nd floor of the Golden Age Club in East Village awaits you with coffee and cookies too! — at East Village Calgary.

Photo Credit: Michelena Bamford

I have written a few times about Wendy’s Love Art in Calgary tours and am a huge fan of her passion and her projects, both. We have become well-bonded through her designs and this is one of those friendships and experiences that I am truly enjoying as one aspect of the gift of retirement. From one of Wendy’s communications, this…

“My main focus right now (well one of them) is to secure funding for the ongoing work which I am doing with create! I am doing this through soliciting for private donations (large donors) and with a couple of grants through the Canadian Red Cross and the Calgary Foundation. I have a lot of support for this project from Druh Farrell’s office, from the East Village Neighbourhood Association, from the Golden Age Club and from many other organizations and people.” I also know that Wendy has enjoyed huge support from Nina’s Hear’s My Soul Cafe, #107 535 – 8th Ave SE.

While I need to tighten up the facilitation of materials and the clarity as I speak about the technical aspects of colour, I think that the experience of working with such a diverse and interested group was wonderful. Parts of the activity were specific and controlled and others may have been too open-ended. I’m reflecting on all of it. The truth is, it’s important that each person pick up something new to mull over…and it’s also so important for me to learn something so that I might grow. What Wendy is doing is such a blessing for all of us.

Thanks to friend,Michelena of Wolf Willow Studio (workshop leader and inventor of wonderful things) for bringing a youthful gaggle along with her and buying us a ‘mother load’ of fries to celebrate afterwards at Gina’s in the Golden Age Club.