Art House

We are pleased to feature Change of Life (2015) by Brandon Atikinson, one of two of his artworks now on display at the AFA art house in Calgary. Brandon will be hosting an After Hours fireside chat on September 24 at the AFA art house, an incredible opportunity to learn from this artist and enjoy his work

Brandon Atkinson is a Métis artist from Edmonton where he has lived for most of his life. He first started to draw when he was 8 years old and credits his grandparents with encouraging him to pursue his craft as an artist. 

Brandon’s drawings focus on animals and the environments in which they live. While his drawings are unique creations, based on what he feels and sees with his ‘inner eye,’ his work demonstrates similarities with aspects of the Woodland school of art. This is seen in the use of X-ray decoration, where inner structures—environments and narratives—of people and animals are depicted.

Credit line:

Brandon Atkinson
Change of Life, 2015
ink and pencil on paper

About the artist

Elsa Robinson is a Jamaican-Canadian multidisciplinary artist and instructor based in Edmonton, where she has lived since 1984. In addition to her years of study as a self-taught artist, she has a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Alberta and a Master of Fine Arts degree from Vermont College of Fine Art. 

Her work combines concepts from her cultural heritage as a Jamaican and as a Canadian. With careful attention to colour, shape, texture intuition, and the power of cultural symbols, she is able to express notions of love, friendship, inner strength, equality, and ancestral connections that most powerfully guide her own life.

About the artwork

Masquerade (2021) by Elsa Robinson is a mixed media collage comprised of glass beads, sequins, upcycled fabric, metallic thread, cotton thread, trim, and osnaburg fabric. It is one of our newest acquisitions to the AFA Art Collection.

It draws upon the cultural traditions and histories of people of African heritage, taking inspiration from traditional West African masks and the carnival traditions of Trinidad and Tobago, while honouring the experiences of her Jamaican and African ancestors who were enslaved, through use of selected materials.

Where to see it

Masquerade is so new, it's not even uploaded to our Virtual Museum yet! You can see it in person at the AFA art house in Calgary. It is displayed on our New Acquisitions Feature Wall just as you enter the gallery. 

Don't miss Elsa's After Hours artist talk, "Between the Spaces," on August 27 at 7 pm (doors open at 6:30). Learn about her approach and how heritage and cultural influences inform her work. 

The AFA art house and all our events are free to attend and dedicated to Alberta art and artists.