Visual arts & new media

This research is being conducted in six waves over the course of the next year. This is a community resource that is FREE to access and results from the third wave of research are now available. 

Findings for Alberta organizations from Wave 3 results include:

• Community attitudes on comfort are becoming entrenched.
• Risk tolerance provides a richer understanding of how Albertans will approach engagement.
• Right now audiences indicate they need to hear experiences will be safe and fun.
• Capitalize on desire for shared experiences but with a focus on innovation and intimacy.
• The intersection of cohorts, shared experiences, and risk tolerance means audiences will engage, but appear to be doing so with their cohorts in mind - "will this put my friends/family at risk?". 

What are the implications for Alberta organizations?

• Comfort with conditions and other people has dampened willingness to actually engage in their usual activities. It is likely this variable is an additional barrier impacting final consideration of participating in activities.
• The benefits you offer and the messaging you broadcast must overcome that broader interpretation of risk. Whereas risk used to be overcome simply by appealing to the motivations of the individual, now we will have to assuage safety/health concerns that impact the people around the individual (i.e. safety measures are not just for you; they are for those around you.)
• Knowing who you can reach, what to offer them and what to say will be critical as organizations plan how to engage audiences in the coming months.
• Right now audiences indicate they need to hear the experiences they will have are safe and fun. This is critical for building confidence and organizations need to reinforce those dual messages of safety/comfort with enjoyment. The weight of each type of message will vary depending on how risk tolerant the audience is.
• Audiences need to hear they will be able to have the desired shared experiences but that the experience is safe (for them and their cohort). To balance those needs of social, safety, and fun, organizations will need to develop and continuously reinvent (often many times over) the types of small group offerings that deliver this.
• Opportunities exist for organizations in the experience economy to engage Albertans by balancing the notion of cohorts with shared experiences. Show them how to engage with their entire cohort or at least show the activity will not put their cohort at risk.

Download the reports:

• Alberta Report
• Calgary Report 
• Edmonton Report

You can subscribe to receive notifications when the new reports are available by visiting stone-olafson.com. 

About the project

The Alberta Foundation for the Arts is pleased to be a funding partner in this collaboration with Stone-Olafson and other community leaders to develop a long-term research investigation and evaluate how current conditions will reshape Albertans’ attitudes and behaviours towards social and group activities, across a variety of sectors. The purpose of this work is to give leaders of community sports, recreation, arts and culture, professional sports, active living, heritage, tourism or hospitality sectors relevant facts about local audiences that they will need to bring life back to our communities.

The initiative is being funded by: 

• ActiveCITY Collective
• Alberta Foundation for the Arts 
• Angus Reid
• ATB
• Calgary Arts Development 
• Calgary Foundation
• Edmonton Arts Council
• Edmonton Community Foundation
• Rozsa Foundation
• Stone-Olafson
• Travel Alberta

Get to know an Alberta artist! There are more than 1,700 Alberta artists included in the AFA collection, and many of them are new or emerging contemporary artists. We're taking an opportunity to highlight some artists from the collection whose artwork is currently on exhibition or on tour.  

By: Kimberly Van Nieuvenhuyse, Writer/Social Media Officer

Meet Alberta artist Allison Tunis

Allison has a life-long love for art going back to when she was a young child. She started embroidery and cross-stitching in her early teens as a hobby. When she was in her last year of her Fine Arts degree, she starting to combine the conceptual work she was doing with the cross-stitch embroidery she had loved for years.  

I had a chance to chat with Allison to find out more about her practice, what it’s like to work as an artist in Alberta and who her favourite Alberta artist is (hint: it’s our province’s first Artist in Residence!).

Alberta Foundation for the Arts:  Tell me about your practice.

Allison Tunis: I have two ways of working really, as I have two very different mediums that I work in. My embroidery practice is something that I have honed over the last 20 years, and while it is always improving still, it is a healing process for me and is designed to be a comfortable practice. I work in a big squishy armchair in my living room, with tea on hand, and I spend a lot of hours just sitting and stitching, with a bit of computer design and digital planning in the beginning stages.

However, I am also currently the artist-in-residence at Harcourt House, an artist-run centre, and my studio practice is quite a bit different. For this residency, I am developing a series of large-scale mixed-media paintings that involve gel photo transfers, text and embroidery, as well as an interactive installation to explore themes about our society’s use of language towards and about fatness and its effects on people, such as myself. This is a much more expressive practice for me, although this particular residency involves a fair amount of research and repetitive data entry in the beginning stages.

AFA: What’s it like being an artist in Alberta?

AT: Being an artist in Alberta is very exciting in my opinion. While we may not have the same reputation as some of the larger cities such as Vancouver and Toronto, the support artists get in Edmonton and Alberta is fabulous. I have been privileged to be offered some unique opportunities to have my work travel around Alberta, including with the TREX program, and bring my concepts and techniques to venues outside of large cities and to audiences that may not normally engage with art is an amazing feeling.

AFA: What inspires you?

AT:  I’m inspired by communities that form out of hardship and the resilience of people. The work I do is heavily influenced by real individuals in our (larger) communities and the need for diverse and authentic representation in art and media. The abilities of human beings to persevere and create positive change out of trauma and hurt is amazing, and I strive to use my art to heal, acknowledge and share from my own experiences.

Image Credit: Allison Tunis, Sam, embroidery on cloth, 2017. Collection of the Alberta Foundation for the Arts. 

AFA: How do you want people to feel about your art?

AT: I don’t have a certain way I want people to feel about my art, but I do hope that my art challenges people to think about some of the ways our media and art has regulated what we consider to be beautiful, what we consider to be valuable, what we consider to be important. My work is asking questions, but not necessarily giving answers, and it’s up to viewers to decide how they feel and what they believe. I also hope that viewers that live in marginalized bodies are able to see themselves represented and validated in my works through literal visual representation and/or connections to broader human experiences and concepts.

AFA: What is your favourite part of the art-making process?

AT: My favourite part of the art-making process is the last hour of an embroidery piece. The sense of accomplishment after dozens (if not hundreds) of hours of work is wonderful, but also the details really only appear when you have all the stitches in place so it’s a beautiful moment of getting to finally see the whole picture of weeks and months of staring at blotches of colours.

AFA: Your work is in the AFA’s art collection. How does that make you feel knowing your work is part of an art collection that belongs to all Albertans? Note: Allison’s work came into the AFA collection through the Art Acquisitions by Application program.

AT: The fact that two of my pieces are in the AFA collection is almost surreal to me. I am so passionate about the work I create, and the fact that my province and home feel that my work is of the calibre that they would like to own it and show it to our communities is an honour. It’s also very exciting to think that these traditional techniques are still valued and can be used in ways to communicate new and impactful technology and concepts to Albertans and beyond.
 

Image Credit: Allison Tunis, Little Bear, embroidery on cloth, 2017. Collection of the Alberta Foundation for the Arts.

AFA: Who is your favourite Alberta artist?

AT: That’s a tough one! One of my favourites is Lauren Crazybull, the first Artist-in-Residence for Alberta. I’ve been familiar with her art practice and her work in the community for a while, and I am so excited to see that she has been selected for this new opportunity.

AFA: Tell us a fun fact about yourself.

AT: I was an abstract color-field painter for three out of four years of my Fine Art degree. I abruptly changed paths in my last year to focus on more conceptual works about bodies, sexuality and social issues.

AFA: Thank you for taking the time answer my questions, Allison!

AT: You’re welcome.

Allison has a BFA (2008) from the University of Alberta, with a focus on painting and drawing and also a Graduate Diploma from the Vancouver Art Therapy Institute (2014). In addition to her artistic practice, Allison also runs a Queer Youth Art Club for LGBTQIA2S+ youths twice a month. It’s a free space for young people ages 14-24 run out of the Alberta Sex Positive Education & Community Centre, where they can explore different art themes and materials, whilst building safe(r) communities.

Allison’s work from the AFA art collection can been seen in two Travelling Exhibition Program (TREX) exhibitions, including Real Women, developed by the Art Gallery of Alberta and curated by Shane Golby. It will travel Alberta from now until August 2020. She is also has a new exhibition at Harcourt House that is on view until November 23, 2019.

On September 29, 2022, we marked the 50th Anniversary of the AFA Art Collection. As part of the celebrations, we are sharing snippets from the history of the collection. 
Learn more about the celebrations! 

By Larissa Hauck, former Art Collections Officer, and Kristin Stoesz, Art Collections Registrar

How often do you imagine AFA staff will discover an unknown collection of Alberta art while out on assignment? Well, it’s happened at least once!

The AFA's Art Placement Program began in 1976 as a way to ensure Albertans have the opportunity to enjoy the collection and enhance public spaces in government offices and buildings, and nonprofit organizations. The AFA currently has more than 100 Art Placement Program loans throughout Alberta.

The discovery

In July 2015, AFA Art Placement staff travelled to the downtown Edmonton office of the Government of Alberta's former Public Affairs Bureau to remove all of the artwork on loan in preparation for their move to the Edmonton Federal Building (now officially known as the Queen Elizabeth II Building).

As staff removed artwork from the walls and wrapped the works to prepare for shipping, they discovered a unique collection of 25 artworks that were not part of the AFA Art Collection, nor any of Alberta's other 14 provincial art collections.

Carole Bondaroff, Rosebud, 1985, etching on paper

It was almost too good to be true! With early artworks by prominent Albertan artists such as Dr. Joane Cardinal-Schubert and Carol Bondaroff, it seemed like a lost cultural treasure had been discovered. 

As AFA staff pondered over these new discoveries a few questions came to mind like:

• where did this art come from?
• why was it created?
• how did it end up in the Public Affairs Bureau?

Each of the artworks had envelopes secured to the back that held a fragment of information about the artist and artwork. It was apparent that the research into this collection had only just begun...

The mystery unravels...

It turned out that these artworks were owned by the Public Affairs Bureau, which originally commissioned them for the Alberta Pavilion at the 1986 World Exposition on Transportation and Communication in Vancouver. Upon completion of the event, the artworks were relocated to Edmonton.

Expo 86 Scan

AFA staff suggested the possibility of a transfer of these artworks to the AFA Art Collection. The works were well-suited for both art placement and exhibition programming, and they reflected the history of the Government of Alberta’s involvement in Expo 1986.

Both parties agreed that the artworks would benefit from being transferred to the AFA as it would:

• increase public access to the works 
• promote Alberta artists
• ensure proper care through the AFA’s maintenance and conservation programs.

The transfer was completed in March 2016. The artworks are a valuable addition to the AFA collection as they address gaps in representation of artwork from sections of the Alberta visual arts community.

The artists

In addition to Cardinal-Schubert and Bondaroff, the 25 artworks included work by Albertan artists Ken Christopher, Amy Loewan, Helen Mackie, Irene McCaugherty, Stan Phelps and Jim Stokes.

Dr. Joane Cardinal-Schubert

Among the artworks, AFA staff discovered six oil pastel on paper drawings by Dr. Joane Cardinal-Schubert.

Cardinal-Schubert was a highly regarded member of the visual arts community, not only as an artist working in variety of visual mediums, but also as a poet, lecturer, activist, and advocate for First Nations People. In 1994, she was awarded the Commemorative Medal of Canada for contribution to the Arts in Canada. In 2003, Cardinal-Schubert was granted an Honorary Degree, Doctor of Law, from the University of Calgary.

The six artworks were completed from 1980-1985, and are strong examples of the artist’s work from this period.

Dr. Joane Cardinal-Schubert, This is the Earth, 1985, oil pastel on paper

Helen Mackie

Also discovered were five works by Helen Mackie, who who was active in Alberta’s visual arts community for several decades.

Mackie was a member of the Calgary Allied Arts Foundation, the Secretary and Treasurer of the Alberta Society of Artists, and the Alberta Printmaker’s Society. Her work resides in local, national, and international collections, including the Glenbow Museum and Nickle Galleries in Calgary, MacEwan University in Edmonton, the Canada Council Art Bank in Ottawa, and the Windsor Castle Library in England.

Mackie’s artworks continue to be popular in the AFA's Art Placement and TREX programs. Cows Near Night was included in the 2016 TREX Region 2 (programmed by the Art Gallery of Alberta) exhibition entitled Cattle Call. The below etching and woodblock print on paper is a strong example of Mackie’s work that highlights Alberta’s prairie landscapes and cattle culture.

Helen Mackie, Cows Near Night, n.d., etching and woodblock on paper

The AFA Art Collection continues to grow through acquisition methods including the Art Acquisition by Application Program, Curatorial Acquisition Program and through generous donations by individuals and organizations.

On September 29, 2022, we marked the 50th Anniversary of the AFA Art Collection. As part of the celebrations, we are sharing snippets from the history of the collection. 
Learn more about the celebrations! 

By Gail Lint, Arts Collections Consultant

You may recognize the building by its easily identifiable artwork that has become familiar to the area’s landscape.

You may have walked past and wondered why there is a bunch of faces on the side of a building.

You may not even know it exists...

Sandra Bromley, “It’s About Time”, 2006, digital photographs, laminated glass, aluminium (Collection of the AFA) 

What am I looking at? 

The home base for the Alberta Foundation for the Arts (AFA) and the AFA Art Collection. We are located in downtown Edmonton, just north of MacEwan University in the Capital Arts Building.

Capital Arts became our home in 2006 when the AFA Art Collection moved from Beaver House, where it had resided since the 1970s, and the Arts Development (grants) section relocated from the Standard Life Centre on Jasper Avenue, to gather under one roof.

Where did the artwork come from?

To commemorate the opening of the building, and in recognition of the 2005 Alberta Centennial, the AFA launched a commission project to source an artwork for the external wall at the entrance of the building.

The commission was invitational and three well-established, professional Alberta artists were invited to submit proposals. An external expert panel consisting of art professionals, artists and art educators reviewed and adjudicated the submissions.

The commission was awarded by the AFA in partnership with The Works Visual Arts Society to Edmonton artist Sandra Bromley. Her proposal: to create a laminated glass and photographic mural incorporating one hundred images of Albertans “documented” over the course of Alberta’s history.

What was the artist's intention?

In the words of the artist, the mural It’s About Time:

 “... embraces and celebrates our Alberta narrative through a collection of one hundred snapshots revealing the qualities we all share. The matrix of images captures the pioneering strength of homesteaders and adventurers, the independent spirit of our cowboys, the joy of friendship, and the value of Albertans just doing ordinary things.

The artwork is intended to make us laugh, empathize and connect with times gone past and wonder at all the lives lived. It is a celebration of Alberta’s culture and history in all its many forms.”

Sandra Bromley, “It’s About Time”, 2006, digital photographs, laminated glass, aluminium (detail east wall)  (Collection of the AFA) 

In the proposed concept in 2005 the artist, Sandra Bromley included the following description:

“Twelve years ago I moved back to Edmonton from a stay of over thirteen years in London, England. During the first week of my return I took a bus from Whyte Avenue to the downtown core. The bus was packed with people representing a score of cultural groups. I was surprised by how multicultural the passengers on the bus were, and I was absolutely mesmerized by the richness of all the different facial structures and the inflections and tempo of the different languages.

It struck me that each person had a fascinating and widely variant story to tell. I was curious as to what the stories were. The power, excitement, and richness of that initial impression of the people who live in Alberta has never left me.”

The mural provides the viewer a glimpse into a captured moment of time and a direct visual and emotional link to the people who both inhabit and historically helped build the province of Alberta.

Where did the images come from?

The historical portrait images were derived from a wide variety of sources including museums and archives, old photo albums, junk shops, historical societies and garage sales and were chosen for their visual character, influential personalities and documentation of historical events.

To obtain images of the present, Bromely travelled throughout the province photographing individuals and accepting other people’s photographs of family and friends.

Sandra Bromley, “It’s About Time”, 2006, digital photographs, laminated glass, aluminium (detail south wall)  (Collection of the AFA)

Regardless of how often one gazes at the mural, an image always seems to appear that has not been noticed or focused upon in past viewings. The mural has a life of its own as it documents and speaks to our sense of place. Whether we recognize or identify with an image becomes our own personal experience on every viewing.

Easter eggs!

Images of Alberta’s noted visual artists include Peter von Tiesenhausen, Doug Haynes, Gordon Ferguson, Isla Burns, and Phil Darrah to name a few.

On a second viewing you may focus on celebrated singer songwriter Corb Lund, the legendary Lois Hole, Edmonton town crier Pete Jamieson or pioneer mountain guide Bill Peyto all interspersed with images of WWII soldiers, farmers, and everyday Albertans.

Sandra Bromley, “It’s About Time”, 2006, digital photographs, laminated glass, aluminum (detail Lois Hole)

If you have yet to experience the mural maybe It’s About Time to check out a downtown landmark.

To access other artworks by artist Sandra Bromley included in the art collection, visit the AFA's Virtual Museum. 

Sandra Bromley, “It’s About Time”, 2006, digital photographs, laminated glass, aluminum (detail Sandra Bromley)

The Lieutenant Governor of Alberta Arts Awards Foundation is proud to announce that artist Faye HeavyShield (Blood Reserve, Kainaiwa Nation, AB), writer and filmmaker Cheryl Foggo (Calgary, AB), and dance choreographer Vicki Adams Willis (Calgary, AB), have been selected to receive the 2021 Lieutenant Governor of Alberta Distinguished Artist Award.

Arlene Strom, chair of the Lieutenant Governor of Alberta Arts Awards Foundation said, “Albertans can be proud of these three whose contributions have pushed the boundaries of art to reflect Indigenous identity and expression; present a more inclusive and diverse view of Alberta’s history; and define the province as a beacon for jazz dance artists. Each has contributed immeasurably to the development of the province’s artists, arts communities and expanding art disciplines.”

Faye HeavyShield, Visual Arts

Over the past 30 years, Faye HeavyShield is one of Canada’s pre-eminent artists within Alberta and the Blackfoot Confederacy. Currently living on the Blood Reserve in southwestern Alberta, Faye studied at Alberta University for the Arts in Calgary. 

Honouring her Kainaiwa (Blood) Nation, the striking landscape they dwell within and the Blackfoot language which she speaks, Faye HeavyShield’s legacy of three-dimensional art and sculpture, including recent installations incorporating photography and delicately constructed paper figures, make her a senior figure in the artistic and cultural renaissance of Indigenous nations in the country. 

Cheryl Foggo, Playwright, screenwriter, film maker, author

Creating a more inclusive and diverse view of Alberta’s history through her plays, films, books, articles and multi-media presentations has been Cheryl Foggo’s life work. Profiled in Who’s Who in Black Canada and the recipient of the 2008 national Harry Jerome Award for The Arts, Foggo has applied her talent as a researcher and writer to uncovering the compelling but overlooked stories of Alberta’s Black settlers and cowboys. Most recently, the award winning National Film Board feature-length documentary, John Ware Reclaimed (2020), highlighted an earlier thriving Black community in the province often left out of the history books.

Her seminal, autobiographical book, Pourin’ Down Rain: A Black Woman Claims Her Place In The Canadian West was reprinted in 2020 to commemorate its 30th anniversary. In addition to her books, Cheryl Foggo has published prose in more than 40 journals and anthologies. Two new productions of Foggo‘s plays are scheduled in 2021 with the Citadel Theatre in Edmonton and the Urgency Collective in Calgary, and her short play The Sender is currently available through Toronto’s Obsidian Company’s 21 Black Futures Project. As a cultural activist, mentor and volunteer she advocates for writers and Black artists.

Vicki Adams Willis, Performing Arts: Dance  

Vicki Adams Willis has changed the face of jazz dance in Alberta and Canada. A co-founder nearly 40 years ago of Decidedly Jazz Danceworks (DJD), she is foremost a teacher and choreographer of more than 35 original productions. Jazz dance is a misunderstood art form. Born of African parents and of the Black American experience, Vicki Adams Willis acknowledges herself as a guest in this form and has demonstrated her deep understanding of, and utter respect for, the authentic roots and history of jazz through her research, teaching and choreography. She is recognized as a true leader in the world of jazz; an acclaimed ground-breaking choreographer who created one of the most unique jazz dance companies in the world, and the key person to ensure Calgary, Alberta as a viable dance centre for serious jazz artists. 

“These three ground-breaking women have offered important contributions to the arts in Canada. Their creativity has brought new light to their respective disciplines and created countless opportunities for us all to learn, grow and explore fresh ideas. Artists like this are essential to the vibrancy of our communities and we are truly fortunate to have them as cultural leaders in our province and country as a whole.” Her Honour, the Honourable Salma Lakhani, Lieutenant Governor of Alberta 

Ceremony

The awards patron, the Honourable Salma Lakhani Lieutenant Governor of Alberta, will present the awards at a celebration hosted by the Community of Lac La Biche and Portage College, Lac La Biche campus, at an awards event June 10 and 11, 2022. This celebration in 2022 will also include recognition of the 2022 Emerging Artists.

The 2021 Distinguished Artists were chosen from nominations received and reviewed by a jury of experts overseen by the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity. Jurors for the 2021 Distinguished Artist Awards were Mary-Beth Laviolette, visual arts curator and author; John Estacio, 2017 Distinguished Artist and JUNO nominated composer;  Seika Boye, scholar, writer, artist and Assistant Professor, University of Toronto, Centre for Drama, Theatre & Performance Studies; Jordan Abel, Nisga’a writer from Vancouver and Assistant Professor in the Department of English and Film Studies at the University of Alberta teaching Indigenous Literatures and Creative Writing.

On September 29, 2022, we marked the 50th Anniversary of the AFA Art Collection. As part of the celebrations, we are sharing snippets from the history of the collection. 
Learn more about the celebrations! 

By Erin McDonald, former Manager, Art Collection, and Gail Lint, Art Collections Consultant

The formative years of the AFA Art Collection were benefited from the generous donations of artworks from artists, collectors and benefactors. 

Donations were the stepping stones to building the collection in the first year – without them the collection may have faced a challenging time to establish its reputation and credibility!

A.Y. Jackson

In 1973, the AFA received an unprecedented donation of 18 drawings by illustrious Group of Seven artist A.Y. Jackson. Jackson spent time in Alberta documenting the landscape while visiting his cousin in the Lethbridge area.

A.Y. Jackson, Rolling Landscape with Ranch, 1940, pencil on paper

Later the same year another donor approached the Foundation with a gift of an A.Y. Jackson oil painting, Northland Tapestry. This work has been loaned to major institutions for numerous exhibitions:

A.Y. Jackson, Northland Tapestry, 1950, oil on board 

Arthur Lismer

Artwork by Arthur Lismer, another artist of Group of Seven fame, was gifted to the collection through a private estate. People may not realize that some of Canada’s most celebrated artists can be found in the holdings of the AFA's provincial art collection.

Arthur Lismer, High Glacier, c. 1926-1928, oil on board

Emily Carr

Another highlight of the  collection is acclaimed Canadian artist Emily Carr, represented by two artworks gifted in 1977 by a gallery owner in Eastern Canada. Without the "art of giving," these Canadian icons may never have found their way into the AFA Art Collection.

Emily Carr, Market by the Sea, Brittany, 1911, watercolour on paper

Throughout the years acquisition by donation has been one of the foundational building blocks to create a diverse, intrinsic and invaluable legacy collection. Alberta artists have contributed to the holdings with donations from their personal collections, including their own artworks and those of colleagues.

James and Marion Nicoll

Major donations from Calgary based artists James (Jim) and Marion Nicoll, during their days of productivity, and from their estate, increased the holdings by more than 400 artworks. They were considered instrumental in the development of the Alberta art scene, and influenced and mentored numerous artists who became key players in the province.

Unknown, James and Marion Nicoll, n.d., silver gelatin on paper

Their artistic styles were polar opposites! Jim focused on a traditional academic approach...

1981.155.002 James Nicoll, Home of Paint, n.d., oil and ink on canvas board

... which was contrasted by Marion’s eclectic exploration of modernist design and abstracted form.

Marion Nicoll, January, 1969, woodblock on paper

Illingworth Kerr

In 1978, a gift from Illingworth Kerr featured a suite of more than 50 drawings illustrating circus scenes and a journey to Africa. This was followed by an additional donation in 1982 and 1983 of lino cut print portfolios depicting fauna accompanied by the original lino blocks.

Illingworth Kerr, Magpies, Winter Sun, n.d., linocut on paper

Illingworth Kerr, Magpies Winter Sun, n.d., original lino block & synthetic floor tile,

R Gyo-Zo Spickett

A donation deserving honourable mention came to the AFA in 1993 from Calgary artist R Gyo-Zo Spickett (formerly known as Ron Spickett). A celebrated figure in the Alberta art scene, Spickett was also an educator and mentor at the Alberta University of the Arts (formerly known as the Alberta College of Art and Design) and the University of Calgary.

• Through his commitment to Zen Buddhism, the artist changed his name to Gzo-Spickett and eventually shifted his focus to music. At the time of this donation the artist had not painted since 1981, though he did return to his visual art practice in his later years.

Spickett held the AFA Art Collection in high regards and, although other institutions expressed interest in his artworks, he gave the AFA the first opportunity to make a selection. AFA staff visited the artist’s studio and recommended 24 paintings be accepted as a gift from the artist.

R. Gyo-Zo Spickett, Dream Painting, 1974, oil on canvas

In 2009, a major retrospective was on exhibit at the Univeristy of Calgary Nickle Galleries featuring artworks from public and private collections. A catalogue by the curator, Geoffrey Simmons, entitled Spirit Matters: Ron (Gyo-Zo) Spickett, Artist, Poet, Lay Priest was published to accompany the exhibition. The AFA loaned 33 artworks to the exhibit, the majority of them having been gifted to the foundation by the artist.

Artist upon artists...

Donations to the AFA Art Collection account for more than 26 per cent of our artworks in 2022. Significant donations have been received during the past 50 years, which has helped the AFA build the curatorial representation of some of the major artists in Alberta.

To name and credit all the donations to the AFA collection would require a year of blog posts! A few additional donations worthy of mention (but only a sampling of them) include:

• Janet Mitchell
• Graham Peacock
• Sveva Caetani
• Robert Chelmick
• Kay Angliss (Alberta Society of Artists Highlights Prints – a complete set)
• RFM McInnis
• Jacques Rioux
• George Webber (photographer)
• George Weber (printmaker)
• Ron Kostyniuk
• Sylvain Voyer
• Robert Scott
• Hazel Litzgus
• Greg Payce
• Don Wells
• Murray MacDonald
• Peter Hide
• Arlene Wasylynchuk (estate)
• John Clark (estate)
• Les Graff 
• ... and so many more!

Les Graff, Garden Things/Still Life, 2006, oil on canvas

The "art of giving" to the AFA collection has been an invaluable to building this treasured art collection. A sincere thank you to all the donors and benefactors – where would we be without you?

On September 29, 2022, we marked the 50th Anniversary of the AFA Art Collection. As part of the celebrations, we are sharing snippets from the history of the collection.

Learn more about the celebrations! 

By Erin McDonald, former Manager, Art Collections

2015 was dubbed Canada’s Year of Craft.  It was a year which saw a significant increase in craft creation and related activities. Alberta was abounding with artists and galleries that specialized in the creation, sales and collection of fine craft media. 

With a number of unique artworks available, the Alberta Foundation of the Arts (AFA) had made the acquisition of fine craft media a priority for the AFA Art Collection. 

You might be interested in this…

The AFA was contacted in the summer of 2015 about something that might be of interest to them—a significant collection of ceramic works by Albertan artists. 

Joan and Tom Chapman, located in Red Deer, were in possession of large cache of ceramics that they had collected over the years and were seeking a suitable storehouse for the works. 

About the Chapmans

The Chapmans owned and operated Chapman Galleries (1974 – 1984) and Four Corners Gallery and Framing (1988 – 1998) in Red Deer, Alberta.

From the Resource Centre files, an original invitation to a Chapman Galleries exhibition

For two decades, Joan and Tom were at the heart of the resurgence of studio and design potteries which combined distinctly modernist approaches to art, with traditional forms and techniques. 

A fine craft resurgence in Alberta

This resurgence ushered in an era of brilliant artists that inspired and explored Alberta’s burgeoning studio pottery world. These included:

• Noboru Kubo
• John Chalke 
• Jane van Alderwegen
• Harlan House
• Charles Wissinger
• and many other talented artists

John Chalke, BASECAMP, n.d., ceramic, AFA Art Collection

Fit to print

During this time, the AFA Art Collection had also released a series of publications that accompanied travelling exhibitions to highlight the evolution of the mid-century ceramics movement in Alberta. 

These exhibitions travelled throughout province, with stops in places like Red Deer, Lethbridge, Edmonton, Calgary and Grande Prairie. 

Studio Ceramics in Alberta 1947-1952 (1981)

Early Albertan works and artists were identified as part of the nascent clay tradition that began post-World War II in, Studio Ceramics in Alberta 1947-1952 (1981).

The publication featured an interview with Luke Lindoe, and early works by Greg Arnold, Walter Drohan, and Lindoe himself. 

Studio Ceramics in Alberta II, 1953-1963 (1982)

The second publication, Studio Ceramics in Alberta II, 1953-1963 (1982), explored the emergence of the ceramics department at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology & Art, and the emergence of the Edmonton Potters’ Guild in 1953. 

The publication showcased artists like Sibyl Laubental, Vivian Lindoe, and Katie Ohe, and highlighted the strength of female artists in the medium.

Alberta Clay Comes of Age: Studio Ceramics in Alberta III

In 1984, the last in the series, Alberta Clay Comes of Age: Studio Ceramics in Alberta III, 1964-1984 was released.

The exhibition and catalogue featured emerging artists like Ed Drahanchuk, Annemarie Schmid Esler, and Tony Bloom who would ultimately become synonymous with the ceramics movement in Alberta. 

Annemarie Schmid Esler, PLATE, ABSTRACT BLACK AND WHITE, n.d. ceramic, AFA Art Collection

Seeking a home for art

When Joan Chapman retired, she and Tom retained a number of their favourite artworks in their own personal collection. In 2015, the Chapmans were ready to downsize their personal collection and wanted a proper home for the art.

In particular, they sought a public collection that would ensure that the ceramic arts of Alberta would be shared broadly. At the same time, the AFA was seeking fine craft media to acquire and possessed the ability to store and care for the works. Perfect partners. 

Hidden gems

The significance of the Chapman’s personal collection was discovered during a studio visit to the Chapman home in August 2015. 

Significant pieces by Albertans were found in the holdings. Many created during periods previously unrepresented in the AFA Art Collection: an abundance of mid- to late-century modern Alberta ceramics. Hidden gems.

Flute

Tony Bloom’s Flute was an incredibly exciting find that was offered by the Chapmans after the studio visit. 

Tony Bloom, FLUTE, ca. 1970-2, ceramic, AFA Art Collection

Found in a drawer, Flute was one of Bloom’s earliest explorations of ceramics. Having later examples of Tony’s work in the collection, Flute was an incredible addition to the holdings for the purpose of curatorial research and documenting an artist’s career.

Narrow Neck Vase

Works such as Toru Hasegawa’s Narrow Neck Vase were discovered. Works such as this can be used as a reference point to note stylistic changes in an artist's practice over time. 

Hasegawa’s previous works are from the same period, but are in the medium of stoneware and represent his exploration of more sculptural forms. Meanwhile, this functional vase shows his delicate application of colour, mimicking brush strokes of traditional Japanese-style painting. 

Toru Hasegawa, NARROW NECK VASE, 1968, ceramic, AFA Art Collection

This work highlights Hasegawa’s formal training from Kyoto Sakuge University before he moved to Hinton, Alberta in 1967 to study in the studio of Frank Kiyooka.

A donation for all Albertans

In December 2015, the AFA Board approved a motion to accept the generous donation from the Chapmans. There were 33 artworks added to the AFA Art Collection's holdings, including 23 ceramics.

These works tell the story of the incredible evolution of studio ceramics in Alberta, the significance of one small central gallery, and its connection with the AFA Art Collection four decades later.

Generous donors, like Joan and Tom Chapman, help the AFA to acquire historic and contemporary artwork that increases the value of the art collection as a legacy for the people of Alberta. 

Indigenous relation to the land in amiskwaciwâskahikan (Edmonton) is the subject of a new artwork, Sipikiskisiw (Remembers Far Back) by Michelle Sound, which was coordinated by the Edmonton Arts Council and is currently being installed this week at the Edmonton Transit Service (ETS) shelter located at 10020-100 Street NW.

The transit shelter was recently renewed as the City of Edmonton works toward creating more safe, inclusive, and attractive public spaces for transit riders and the public.

Commissioned in 2022 under the City of Edmonton’s new Public Art Policy, the Edmonton Arts Council worked with three local Indigenous artists/curators to select an artist for this project. Edmonton Arts Council's Public Art Director David Turnbull said, “the new policy allows us to be flexible, responsive, and use curatorially-driven approaches to intentionally grow and develop a public art collection that is high quality, accessible, relevant, and representative of Edmonton’s diverse communities.” 

“We are pleased to partner with Edmonton Arts Council and artist Michelle Sound to display this Indigenous art – which tells a meaningful story of those who were here before Edmonton was a city – in our transit space,” said Carrie Hotton-MacDonald, Branch Manager of Edmonton Transit Service. “Supporting talented artists and displaying their beautiful works of art helps to create more vibrant transit spaces for everyone to enjoy, and this work adds to the inventory of public art and murals in transit spaces.”

Like Sound’s artwork often does, Sipikiskisiw (Remembers Far Back) explores her Cree and Métis identity from a personal experience rooted in family, place and history.

Her artwork for the ETS shelter uses torn copies of archival images of an Indian Affairs Papaschase reserve survey map from 1899 and a photograph taken prior to 1907 of Indigenous men and tipis on the grounds of Fort Edmonton. The artist then mended the torn imagery using embroidery thread, caribou tufting, porcupine quills and beadwork.

The rips in the images are meant to “show the colonial violence that Indigenous people have experienced, including residential schools, intergenerational trauma, loss of language, and displacement from our territories,” explains the artist.

The mending of the images doesn’t fully obscure the rips, shares Sound, just as “the loss, grief, longing, and memory cannot be fully mended and the resiliency required to survive colonialism is also messy and fragile. These losses can never be fully healed but we can process our histories and realities through art, culture and stories.”

In an article about the artwork, Emily Riddle – one of the curators of the project – writes that the land on which the ETS shelter now sits was an important outlook for Indigenous Peoples prior to the construction of downtown Edmonton. Said Riddle, “When the jury met, Michelle Sound was at the top of each of our lists of artists whose work we wanted to see in Edmonton...in stitching together these two archival records with threads, beads, rick rack and tufts, Michelle Sound asks us to imagine a restitched present while we are in transit. On the hill above the site of both these photos, we are very much embedded in this history and in the forever now of a Nehiyaw present.”
 

Title image credit: Photography by Heather Saitz.

Vivek Shraya’s How to Fail as a Popstar heads to CBC 

The theatrical one-person show, created by Albertan artist Vivek Shraya, will feature as an original series on CBC’s free streaming service, Gem. How to Fail as a Popstar is a comedic coming-of-age tale based on the artist’s life.

Shraya will write and star in the show, which will be filmed in Toronto and set for release later this year.

From stage to paperback to screen

The play was originally commissioned and produced by Canadian Stage in Toronto. Shraya’s play debuted in 2020 with a print edition of the script released in 2021. The show has appeared on several Canadian stages with upcoming tour dates in Quebec in February 2023 and played internationally in Ireland and Germany.

Multi-disciplinary artist

Shraya’s many talents are showcased in literature, music, film, visual art, theatre and fashion. The Edmonton-born artist has music featured in the HBO Max show Sort Of and her book, I’m Afraid of Men, was profiled in Vanity Fair.

Representation in the AFA Art Collection 

The AFA acquired Shraya’s work Trauma Clown in 2020, adding to our ever-growing and increasingly diverse collection.

Vivek Shraya  
Trauma Clown, 2019 
Photograph on paper 
Collection of the Alberta Foundation for the Arts

On September 29, 2022, we marked the 50th Anniversary of the AFA Art Collection. As part of the celebrations, we are sharing snippets from the history of the collection. 
Learn more about the celebrations! 

By Gail Lint, Arts Collections Consultant

In 2008 and 2009, the AFA supported a special curatorial initiative focused on building the holdings of the AFA Art Collection with contemporary Indigenous art. The initiative addressed the work of senior artists not properly represented in the collection, as well as a new generation of artists who are now making an impact.

For this initiative, artworks were acquired through a variety of sources. Curatorial assessment and recommendations by Indigenous artist Dr. Joane Cardinal-Schubert were an invaluable part of the process. Through Joane’s insight, wisdom and guidance, the artworks acquired have significantly enhanced the AFA's holdings.

Creating new relationships with Indigenous artists

Joane provided an avenue to acquire artworks by Indigenous artists unknown to the AFA Art Collection prior to 2008.

2008.085.001 Aaron Paquette, Aniti Anemos 2007, acrylic & gold leaf on canvas, AFA Art Collection

Through her mentoring and respected reputation in the art community she approached both established and emerging artists, conducting interviews and studio visits. She presented recommendations for curatorial acquisition into the AFA Art Collection.

Through the efforts of Joane, balanced by additional curatorial recommendations from the Collection’s Acquisition Working Group, the Indigenous curatorial initiative increased the AFA holdings by an incredible 73 artworks over a two-year period. 

2009.021.002 David Garneau, At the Fiddle Camp 2009, acrylic on canvas, AFA Art Collection

Narrative Quest exhibition

In celebration of Alberta Culture Days in September 2009, the AFA created an exhibtion of artworks by Indigenous artists entitled Narrative Quest. It was displayed in the gallery at the Capital Arts Building in Edmonton.

Curated by AFA Art Collections Consultant Gail Lint, Narrative Quest featured a selection of 60 artworks by 22 Indigenous artists from the AFA Art Collection, and included several of the artworks acquired through the Indigenous curatorial initiative.

2008.086.004 George Littlechild, Cross Cultural Examination #2 2007, ink jet print on paper,  AFA Art Collection

The exhibition combined a variety of traditional and contemporary styles in diverse media. The prevalent themes in these artworks are often based on storytelling.

These are stories that have been shared by the elders, stories of a search for understanding and meaning, stories of identity and belonging, and stories retold to preserve a threatened culture. They are stories immersed in the past, reflective of the present and hopeful for the future

The passing of Dr. Joane Cardinal-Schubert

On September 16, 2009 while installing the Narrative Quest exhibition in the Arts Branch gallery for the Alberta Culture Days celebration, word reached the staff that Joane Cardinal-Schubert had passed away.

2008.106.004 Joane Cardinal-Schubert, Flutterby (Birchbark Letter) 1998, mixed media on canvas, AFA Art Collection

Until that day, there had been no indication from Joane that she was ailing. She was determined to complete her curatorial contract and source artworks for the AFA Art Collection and, through her valiant commitment, she introduced new artists and assisted in building the representation of senior Indigenous artists.

The next day, during the official opening of the Narrative Quest exhibition, which was accompanied by a traditional smudge led by an Indigenous elder, there was a large raven sitting on top of the Capital Arts building above the location of the gallery. It was believed that Joane attended the ceremony in spirit.

The Narrative Quest exhibition was dedicated to the memory of Joane Cardinal-Schubert (1942 – 2009).

 “Let the next 
Generation 
be born 
with the knowledge 
of what has passed.”

(excerpt from the poem Keeper by Joane Cardinal-Schubert)

Narrative Quest on tour

Narrative Quest Exhibition (installation view) Capital Arts Gallery, Edmonton (Sept. 2009)

After the Culture Days exhibition at Capital Arts Building in 2009, Narrative Quest toured to:

• the Royal Alberta Museum in Edmonton
• the Red Deer Museum and Art Gallery (edited selection)
• the Museum of Contemporary Art in Calgary (edited selection)
• the Art Gallery of Grande Prairie

An edited selection of 32 artworks from the Narrative Quest exhibition then travelled to the Embassy of Canada, Prince Takamado Gallery in Tokyo, Japan (November 25, 2014 to February 27, 2015). It was met with critical acclaim.

Joane's ongoing legacy

In 2016, the National Gallery of Canada hosted a major retrospective exhibition featuring Alberta’s celebrated Indigenous artist from Cold Lake: Alex Janvier: Modern Indigenous Master (November 25, 2016 to April 17, 2017). 

Nine AFA artworks by Alex Janvier were included in the exhibition. Almost half of these artworks were acquired through recommendations by Dr. Joane Cardinal-Schubert.

2009.001.004 Alex Janvier, Untitled 2009, acrylic on canvas, AFA Art Collection

In 2017 the Nickle Galleries at the University of Calgary hosted a major retrospective of Dr. Joane Cardinal-Schubert: The Writing on the Wall. It was the first retrospective since her passing in 2009.

19 artworks from the AFA's holdings and an additional two artworks from the Government House collection were loaned for inclusion in the exhibition. An edited selection of these artworks toured to four other galleries across Canada until 2020.

1989.025.001 Joane Cardinal-Schubert, Moonlight Sonota: In the Beginning 1989, oil on canvas, AFA Art Collection

In part two of our look back at the tremendous impact Joane has had on the AFA Art Collection, we will take a look at the AFA's Fellowship for Indigenous Curators and the next generation of acquisitions by Indigenous artists.