My friend, Pat, has an astonishing way of discovering new and wonderful places to visit around Calgary. My tendency is to always say “YES” when an invitation comes my way from Pat because, in the end, I learn something new and see something fascinating. So, when I received an e mail to travel south to Nanton and to see the Coutts Centre for Western Canadian Heritage, I was keen. Included in the experience would be a lovely and reasonably-priced brunch served up by Brown’s Catering and live music under a tent (although we all agreed the musician of the day might have turned down the mic…just a little). As well, we then strolled about and admired the gardens and the buildings. Delightful!
We could not have had a nicer day…a huge open sky and golden canola fields in full bloom created a backdrop of magic. The drive was filled with our usual enthusiastic banter and that always makes the miles fly by. Gail, Mary, Pat and I embraced the visit and the views. It was an exceptional time. I’ve been digging myself out of a period of sadness, despondency and disconnect. I am grateful for dear friends who have stuck with me through the malady, and anticipate, as I do, better days. What can be more healing than amazing sky, flowers and forever-friendship. Thank you, Pat.
Click on individual photographs, in order to have a better look.
Thanks to Gail who hosted a further debrief at her home in High River. I appreciate the hospitality and it was so wonderful to see you again.
This afternoon, People’s Portrait Prize came down. Yesterday, I was pleased to be able to immerse myself in all of the different pieces created by so many artists, all on my own. As artistic subject matter goes, I especially enjoy portraiture. Each artist relies on a subject/reference/idea, but puts down very personal marks during the process of painting, sculpting or drawing. It was a fantastic exhibit, so varied and was demonstrative of the vision and effort of many people. Congratulations to all of you!
I enjoyed the wander-about, as well. It was a wonder I could wander out of the stairwells because I became captivated, as I always do, by Katie Green and daniel j. kirk’s Imaginarium, 2017. I hope that they won’t mind that I did my point and shoot with my phone as I walked backwards up the stairs. Amazing and surprisingly restful!
Imaginarium by Katie Green and daniel j. kirk 2017
Imaginarium by Katie Green and daniel j. kirk 2017
Imaginarium by Katie Green and daniel j. kirk 2017
Imaginarium by Katie Green and daniel j. kirk 2017
I stepped in and chatted with the gentleman at reception for Alliance Francaise (don’t know how to get that accent under that ‘c’). I was smitten by the remarkable library and the impressive line up of activities that are handy for people who want to access resources or up their game as French-speaking Canadians. A wonderful and welcoming spot!
I was carried away by a variety of venues, all housed in cSPACE with a deliberate and tasteful aesthetic. The Alberta Craft Gallery, as part of the Alberta Craft Council, was a really ‘happening’ place yesterday. I loved the surprising and ephemeral works created by Dena Seiferling and Stefanie Staples. Participating in an exhibit titled PERCH, is it any wonder I love this stuff?
I guess I stopped wandering and started starting and stopping for the next longest while, completely swept up by the wonderful efforts by so many artists. The portraits were next. I couldn’t possibly grab a photo of all of the portraits that moved me. My readers will get the gist…
I’ve been following a portrait series by Chris Flodberg as he’s been posting bits here and there on social media, so it was really, with fondness, that I had opportunity to enjoy these ‘in the flesh’ so-to-speak. These photos stink…but, I’m hoping you will follow the link that I’ve provided. Chris is represented by the Masters Art Gallery, here in town.
Portrait with Candles and Belt by Chris Flodberg Technique: oil on board Dimensions: 27×16 in.
I apologize…I didn’t even take note of the artist…but, had to photograph this one as I engaged it. If you can help me out with the documentation, that would be great.
Nick Rooney…an artist I met during my committed period at Gorilla House and then Rumble House, just always amazes me with his technical considerations, his hands-on approach to materiality and his connection with pigments as a traditional practice.
Nick Rooney
Dawn Escobar…just a dear and beautiful human being. This is a portrait she did of her mother. I find it interesting that I migrated to this piece, took a photograph of it and this morning, I read the following message on social media.
“You enter with hopes of winning some thing knowing that the chances are small. Congratulations to those who did win 🎉. The second hope is that someone saw your piece and you touched them. 😊. Thank you for having the contest. See you if not soon, next year. 💐💐💐💐💐. P.s. mom enjoyed herself “
Your work touched me, Dawn.
I didn’t leave cSPACE without first stepping into Assemble Work/Shop and spoke with Anne Kirsten. What a very exciting space. I’m going to let me daughters know about this! cSPACE is a bit of a wormhole…a person could disappear and not resurface for a very long time. I just got a taste yesterday, but I’ll be back.
It was time to rush off in time to view Humans as presented by TheatreCalgary. A nice light lunch was served and the Director, Vanessa Porteous, had opportunity to speak to us about her process, the play and future projects.
One gets used to multiple horizon lines, gazing out to that distant line to the west, where the sky reaches down behind the mountains like a silken blanket. There are the foothills, layers of cityscape, residential sprawls, the river and everything else that seems to tuck up close. Autumn’s landscape often seems endless and forever-deep.
All of that can change. With the change of weather and atmosphere, perspective shifts. This morning when Max and I headed out for Frank’s Flats, it seemed the world was two-dimensional. White crystals in the air, mixed with foggy patches and a sky that was a warm white…all of this spilled over and covered those horizon lines that define and create depth. Driving, I became mostly captivated by a sense of texture and acutely aware of how close everything was to me. As I moved into the landscape, it seemed as though I was being swallowed up.
Out on the slopes, my perspective of things opened up again. While very small, in comparison to the larger landscape, this part of the world was like coming home and my breathing opened up. Max bounded down to the frozen pond with the same enthusiasm that I felt. Above us, flock after flock of geese called out to the cold air, arriving and then disappearing to the west and to the south. I was reminded again of Stanley Kunitz’s poem, End of Summer. It has been, for years, my September poem in the classroom. I miss some things about having my own classes.
I relished the time with Max in this earthy, frozen, sleeping landscape. I felt inspired to write a children’s story about how every winter, somehow the pond becomes spotted with heavy round rocks. I created a character who systematically places them there on the ice. Each spring the pond becomes more and more shallow until all at once, there is no pond water left, but a huge field of rounded stones.
When perspectives shift, we create and think creatively.
I arrived to teach social studies a full hour early this afternoon, so I signed in and then headed for Fish Creek Park to the east. It was interesting being on the west side of the Bow River. My perspective and experience of the river is typically from the east side. While the air was biting by this time, I was in heaven. I felt alone. But, it wasn’t so.
There at the base of the ancient river elms, were three men, filming hair brushes. Yes. You read that correctly.
I carried on walking north along the river, for quite some time and then thought it best to head back.
Returning to my waiting car, I had opportunity to speak with one of the three men, a crew member for Bruce McCullock’s new work, Young Drunk Punk. I deliberately took time to look at his props. We spoke, as we walked along, about our own father’s hair brushes and the lasting scent of Brylcreem. We talked about black pocket combs and all of the nostalgia associated with these objects. I explained that from a distance I had imagined that the three of them were releasing a beaver and photographing the event. When we parted, one of us said, “Go home and check your hair brushes.” The other said, “Beware of the beaver.” How fun was that? What perspective we gain by putting ourselves into the world and making observations. One never knows.