Artist Profile

We're pleased to share a special shout-out to Alberta artists who brought home 2022 Juno awards. Congratulations to all of the incredible artists on their wins:

• Maria Dunn: Traditional Roots Album of the Year 
  • She received two AFA Music Individual Project Funding grants for her Joyful Banner Blazing album: art production grant to assist with the recording; and marketing grant for publicity. Catch her live in Leduc and Sherwood Park in 2022/2023.
• Andrew Wan: Classical Album of the Year (Small Ensemble)
  • Andrew is an accomplished musician born in Edmonton. He was also a 2008 Lieutenant Governor of Alberta Emerging Artist Award recipient.
• Brett Kissel: Country Album of the Year   
  • ​Brett celebrates win in his What is Life? album. Catch Brett on tour in Alberta this summer (Calgary and his hometown, St. Paul).
• Caity Gyorgy: Vocal Jazz Album of the Year
  • Originally from Calgary, Catiy won for her EP Now Pronoucing: Caity Gyorgy.
• Fawn Wood: Traditional Indigenous Artist or Group of the Year 
  • Fawn is a Cree and Salish musician from Saddle Lake who won for her album, Kakike.
• Garth Prince: Children's Album of the Year 
  • ​Edmonton-based African artist won for his Falling in Africa album.

For a complete list of the winners and nominees, check out junoawards.ca. All the best to them on their future endeavours! We're proud of their talents and appreciate their magnificient work for all of us to continually enjoy! 

Marigold Santos. Photo credit: Stacey Watson

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 are 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 Marigold Santos

Born in Manila, Philippines and immigrating to Canada in the late 1980s, Filipinx-Canadian artist Marigold Santos is an interdisciplinary artist. Her practice ranges from drawing, painting, sculpture, installation and tattoo.

I had an opportunity to ask Marigold a few questions about her artistic practice, how her work as a tattoo artist influences her other artistic work and what her favourite part of the art-making process is!

Alberta Foundation for the Arts: How did you start making art?

Marigold Santos: I’ve always been creative and found myself drawn to making things ever since I was a child. I went through a period in my early post-secondary education where I stubbornly fought off my inevitable journey into art school by taking social sciences and religious studies in the first couple years of school. But when I realized that I was denying what comes most natural, I took some time off and went back to school to do my Fine Arts degree at the University of Calgary, and then I never looked back.

AFA: What is it like being an artist in Alberta?

MS: The art communities in Calgary and Edmonton are the ones I am the most familiar with as they are the cities I spend the most time in, and I find the people engaged and involved and quite open and supportive of each other. The greater public of Alberta also seem to be keen on supporting the arts.

Marigold Santos, Flight, 2013. Collection of the Alberta Foundation for the Arts.

AFA: What is a misconception people have about artists?

MS: There are two misconceptions that I find most often and they relate to each other. The first is that art making is easy and that the life of an artist is less tiresome than other professions. And the second would be that artists are able to ‘channel’ their negative (and positive) experiences into their work and therefore your art is always an outlet. To address the first one, art making involves so much personal management and discipline, research, exploration and experimentation, and a lot of trial and error that is not for the faint of heart. There is also so many behind-the-scenes aspects of art making, from grant writing and proposals and submissions, to art storage and shipping, to coordinating and communicating with galleries that require balance and attentiveness on the part of the artist. And in terms of the second misconception—if it were only that easy.

AFA: Tell me about your practice.

MS: My work is informed by my diasporic experience and is presented in many drawings and sculptures, paintings and installations that address self-hood and identity as a result. The focus is in the many ways our landscapes (social, geographical and psychological) can shape us and how in turn the multiplicity and fragmentation of self that can occur when navigating various experiences can be something celebrated and embraced.

AFA: What inspires you?

MS: Part of reflecting on my family’s immigration is considering what we ‘take’ with us and what we ‘leave’ behind, and in my situation because I was a small child, I realized that what I took with me was the folkloric stories of the Philippines that I was told as a child. Specifically, the character of the asuang (also spelled aswang), who is a scary and evil creature of folklore who takes on many shapes and personalities depending on who is telling the narrative and what region it comes from. In my work, the asuang becomes reconfigured from a malevolent creature, to one of strength and empowerment. And in my work, the asuang becomes a way for me to address contemporary issues of fragmented and multiple self-hoods. 

Marigold Santos, Of Wicker, acrylic on linen, 2016. Collection of the Alberta Foundation for the Arts. 

AFA: You are also a tattoo artist—how does that influence your other artistic work?

MS: Tattooing came to me because it was another way to make a mark. I have been receiving/collecting tattoos since I was 18, and it was an important way for me to create an image-symbol on my skin that represented something important in my life along the way.

I didn’t consider being the person to give the tattoos until a couple years ago, and I decided I wanted to incorporate the technique into my practice, as it was a way for me to acknowledge the importance of ink in my pre-colonial heritage of the Philippines where there was a rich hand-poke tribal tattooing tradition. It was also a way for me to give access to my work in a different way than conventional ways, to open up my art-making practice where there is an intimacy between someone else and myself through the act of tattooing, as well as to enrich my knowledge base and to learn a new skillset through trading and sharing knowledge with other tattoo practitioners, who are, for the most part, women.

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

MS: My favourite part of art-making is how selfishly absorbed I am in the process from beginning to end, and watching a work develop, and really only being able to digest it once it has been completed. Sometimes I am so hyper-focused when making a work that when it is finally finished, I often forget how I got there because, as silly as it might sound, I sometimes feel like I was in a trance!

AFA: What do you want viewers to take away from your work?

MS: That I am a feminist.

AFA: Your work is in the AFA art collection. How does that make you feel knowing that your work is part of an art collection that belongs to all Albertans?

MS: I think it’s very cool that I am part of the AFA collection, because it makes me feel woven with the culture and community that helped me create foundations in my art experience. It is rewarding to be recognized as a practicing artist whose dedication and commitment to their research, experimentation, and work creates an impact worth investing in.

AFA: Who is your favourite Alberta artist?

MS: I don’t have just one favourite, but to list some Alberta artists who I find hardworking and inspiring are Amy Malbeuf, Robin Arsenault, Kablusiak, Jane Trash, Stacey Watson, Foonyap, Nicole Kelly Westman, Tia Halliday, and Katie Ohe.

You can see Marigold Santos’ most recent exhibition, MALAGINTO at the Dunlop Art Gallery in Regina. It is on view until January 12, 2020.

Explore the AFA Collection.

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 are 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 Karrie Arthurs

Karrie Arthurs is a Calgary-based artist who works with paper, ink and… skin! A long-time tattoo artist, Karrie says her two artistic practices influence one another—almost melding together.

I had an opportunity to find out more about Karrie’s artistic practice and why she has a special connection to the paper she uses in her artwork.

Alberta Foundation for the Arts: What is your background?

KA: I received a BFA with Distinction, major in Drawing, from the Alberta Art and College of Design (now the Alberta University for the Arts) in 2000. I’ve had representation with the Christine Klassen Gallery since 2012. I have been actively tattooing for almost 20 years and have had my own shop since 2007 in Calgary. 

AFA: How did you start making art?

KA: As far back I can remember making art was essential to survival. It assisted me in problem solving and trying to understand issues that effected me. It gave me a voice and a means of expression.

Karrie Arthurs, Locked Doors, mixed media on antique charcoal portrait, 2016. Collection of the Alberta Foundation for the Arts.

AFA: How does living in Alberta impact your art?

KA: I’m always inspired by my immediate surroundings and life experiences. Particularly in Alberta it’s the landscape and the people that effect my practice; the mountains, the vivid seasons, the harsh winters, the steadfast settlers, the driven pioneers.

AFA: What is like being an artist in Alberta?

KA: I have never lived anywhere else so being as artist in Alberta is all I know. Seems pretty great to be honest. There is a good community here.

AFA: What is a misconception people have about artists?

KA: That it’s hobby and not a career. And we are either brooding or whimsical.

AFA: Tell me about your practice?

KA: For several years now I have sourced and collected a large amount of “antique” paper, envelopes, documents, portraits etc. Some dating 150 years old or more. This is the material I drawn on with ink, charcoal and chalk primarily.

AFA: What inspires you?

KA: Everything inspires me. Music, a phrase of words, my personal relationships, the landscape, how I feel in relation to others, my childhood...everything.

AFA: You are also a tattoo artist—how does that influence your other artistic work?

KA: Being a tattooer and an artist I get a lot of visuals, sometimes it’s over-saturated. One bleeds into the other because I’m inspired by both. Since I’ve been doing both for so long now the two practices sort of meld into one another and they no longer look very separate. It’s all mark making in the end whether it’s commission based or for my own practice.

Karrie Arthurs, Family Revenants, mixed media on antique charcoal portrait, 2016. Collection of the Alberta Foundation for the Arts.

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

KA: Probably when I’m in the process executing the image in my head into something tangible.

AFA: What do you think sets your work apart from other artists?

KA: I think what sets me apart is my relationship with the paper I’m using. It’s like a person. It’s been kept and treasured and had many hands on it, it almost has a soul. I like to keep the papers as much as I do use them to make art.

AFA: How do you want people to feel about your art? What do you want them to take away from your work?

KA: I want memories evoked. Past memories. When the viewer can see something in my work and relate it to a memory of their own that’s incredible. I want to viewer to also think about time, aging, death, tradition, transition and other things related to the past.

AFA:  Your work is in the AFA art collection—how does that make you feel knowing that your work is part of an art collection that belongs to all Albertans?

KA: When I was in college I was able to go through the AFA Collection in its entirety in person, alone. It was humbling and memorable. Having my work in this collection is a dream come true. To be recognized by Albertans to leave a mark for all Albertans is incredible. I’m very humbled.

Karrie Arthurs, Sleeping Ghosts, mixed media on antique charcoal portrait, 2016. Collection of the Alberta Foundation for the Arts.

AFA: Who is your favourite artist?

KA: I’m a Chris Cran fan.

AFA: Tell us a fun fact about yourself.

KA: Well I probably don’t look like any other artist in the collection. I have nice face tattoos and four gold teeth, haha!

AFA: Is there anything else you’d like to add?

KA: Just thanks a million, for liking my work enough and seeing something in it that you wanted to share with Albertans.

You can see Karrie’s work in person as it travels the province as part of the TREX exhibition Permanence of Ink. The exhibition is curated by Danielle Ribar of the Art Gallery of Grande Prairie and is on tour now through 2020.

Join the AFA in recognizing its 30th Anniversary and the annual Month of the Artist by celebrating our local artists and arts organizations. Get to know Robin Cisek, singer/songwriter.  

Robin Cisek is a singer/ songwriter who creates melodic and moody, alternative pop with introspective and vulnerable lyrics. Jump to her bio below. As of June 2021, new music from her most recent album, Delicate Minds, is available now on her website or via Spotify.

We had an opportunity ask Robin about her music, her artistic practice, and about being an artist in Alberta...

Tell us about your music practice

I typically have a very fluid process when it comes to songwriting. In the past, I have scratched entire songs and then started over to create something I love.

When I am writing, I like leaving room in my songs to be creative. The recording studio can be a fantastic place to be spontaneous and come up with new ideas and having too rigid of a song structure often closes you off to the possibilities.

I like to connect my songwriting to my own experiences, I have taken inspiration with my experiences with health problems, my own mental health and relationships of mine or of people around me. It is important to me to create songs that talk about important things that connect people through common feelings thoughts and emotions.

^{Album cover for Robin Cisek's Delicate Minds}

My latest album, Delicate Minds, is about all different aspects of mental health which I view as a universal subject. I think everyone can relate to having anxiety, having a bad mental health day or experiencing trauma in their lives and we need to talk about it more often to normalize it.

What is it like to be an artist working in Alberta?

Being a pop artist in a western province has sometimes created challenges. My genre of music doesn't typically fit with what people expect to hear at live concerts.

On the other hand, and many people may not know this, but in Alberta, especially Edmonton where I am located, there is a beautiful, vibrant community of artists and musicians! There are so many people who I've met, worked beside, collaborated with and watched grow that are so incredibly talented and unique.

It's been really cool to be involved in this community!

^{Robin in studio with her producers}

You recently posted on Instagram about successes from the past year. Can you tell us about a few highlights?

I've definitely been feeling extremely blessed with the new album I've released. It's been really cool to see so many people relate to the things I talk about in my music. The music and the topics within the songs have been very well received, and I have had opportunities that I could have never expected. It's been a huge step in my career as a musician.

The Alberta Foundation for the Arts has provided me with an Individual Project Grant that has allowed me to capitalize on my music's success and create more opportunities for my career. Through their support in marketing and promoting my project, I've been able to share my music and my personal message about mental health with new people.

This summer, I've had more streams than ever before and it has opened doors to sync licensing, radio charts, performance opportunities and so much more! I am also super excited to be attending a program from Canada's Music Incubator as one of 7 chosen to be part of APTN and RBC's Indigenous Music Accelerator. I know it will be an amazing opportunity to progress my career and learn from some amazing mentors.

Currently, I'm working on new music and looking to get back in the studio soon! I received an Individual Micro-grant from Alberta Music which is supporting my next single!

The last year has offered little opportunity for live, in-person performance. How have you adjusted during the pandemic?

The pandemic has been especially challenging for all artists and musicians, and has really challenged me to get creative! I've had to rely on different tools like social media, livestreaming, YouTube and other outlets to progress my career.

^{Robin performing in Edmonton in 2019 at the Northern Alberta Jubiliee Auditiorium}

I've been very fortunate to land performance opportunities both online and socially distanced when restrictions allowed for it. This year, my live shows are something I have been looking to improve on. I just want to give people a really great show especially when people are stuck inside and missing that human interaction! I've been investing in my live show and practicing my craft, and I can't wait for the next chance to perform!

For me, this year has been about adapting and talking about the real things that are affecting all of us, like our mental health. On the negative side, I wish I could perform live more and I wish I could have gone out, networked, and had a chance to pound the pavement for my debut album.

On the positive side, it's allowed me to take the time to reconnect with myself creatively, hone my craft and improve what I'm working on. I'm excited for what is to come!

What’s the most important thing Albertans can do to support local artists in Alberta?

One of the most important things that Albertans can do is to support local artists on social media.

By liking, following, sharing, streaming and commenting on posts, videos, music etc. you are helping our music get out there and giving positive feedback that lets us know we are supported. It only takes a moment of your time, doesn't cost anything, and helps our content reach new listeners who may support us too!

During the pandemic, when we aren't allowed to go out, play live and hustle our merch and CDs, social media is one of the only ways we are able to reach people and share what we do. If you have the funds to do so, consider purchasing some merch or CDs from an artist you love, hiring them for a socially distanced or live streamed concert, or even giving a donation or tip!

Finally, and perhaps a little controversially, the ultimate way for you to support local musicians is to make sure they're getting treated and paid fairly. We as artists have costs to cover, being a musician is a challenging career choice and, even though it is appreciated, we can't make a living and continue to make music on exposure alone.

Often I see musicians playing free shows and receiving no compensation for their time on stage, the hours of practice before, and the equipment they use. I think this is something that needs to change in the music industry. All musicians and artists appreciate it when people support them and work to make sure that they recieve fair pay for their effort, skill and time.

So next time you see someone playing live music, throw a 5'er into the guitar case or make sure your organization has a budget to compensate or present an honorarium to an artist or musician!

Robin Cisek bio

Robin uses her soulful and highly stylized vocals to create mysterious and dramatic narratives that are captivating and powerful. Robin’s inspiration comes from her own experiences and her Indigenous heritage.

Robin is emerging professional artist and released her first commercial song at the end of 2017, and then another in 2018. Robin’s single, “Waiting on You” claimed the #1 spot on an Indigenous International Radio chart and remained on the countdown for 24 weeks.

With her Freshman album, released in June 2021, Robin shows her dedication to creating music that has a profound meaning while being melodic, catchy and listenable. Through her new music she will be discussing the deep meanings and emotional aspects of mental health while infusing her lyrics and sound with hopefulness and a positive outlook on the future.

How will you take part in art and support artists? Share your experiences through social media by tagging the AFA and using the hashtag #TakePartInArt.

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.

Join the AFA in recognizing its 30th Anniversary and the annual Month of the Artist by celebrating our local artists and arts organizations. Get to know Frederick Kroetsch, documentary filmmaker.  

Frederick is an Edmonton-based documentary filmmaker. Jump to his bio below. The World Premiere of his newest film, Blind Ambition: The Story of Wop May, will be on October 3, 2021, at the Edmonton International Film Festival. Check out screening info here.

We asked Frederick about his film, his practice, and about being an artist in Alberta...

Tell us about your documentary filmmaking practice.

For me, collaboration is key. Filming documentary content can be difficult and usually requires working with many other artists. There are directors, cinematographers, actors, animators, editors, foley artists…depending on the complexity and creativity it often means numerous people.

I also prefer to be diverse in the content I make. It ranges from commercial to abstract. There are numerous aspects to documentary, and I enjoy all of them.

What do you want people to know about documentary filmmaking as an art form?

Documentary IS an art form. It isn’t just reality TV, activism, and true crime retrospectives. Documentary has a long and celebrated history in Canada, with some proposing we make it our official art form.

Documentary is ubiquitous - our digital landscape is inundated with vlogs, Youtube, news organizations and Netflix. So much of that content falls into conventional tropes.

I’d like people to think about the way we tell our stories and seek out content that has style and originality. Next time you post a selfie video, record using lights, or do it under water.

Tell us about your recent project Blind Ambition: The Story of Wop May

Blind Ambition brings to life the story of what I think is Edmonton’s most inspiring pilot – Wilfred ‘Wop’ May.

This project started as a very small and conventional documentary with talking heads interspersed with archival photos. As we slowly received more funding support, the project became more ambitious.

Once we secured some AFA funding, we decided to recreate some of the historical moments that didn’t have any archival materials. Then we decided to shoot on actual 35mm film. Another grant came in and we decided to film with a 50-piece orchestra in Prague. We pieced it all together in small hops.

In the end it became a 20-minute short documentary with creative elements like cinematic dramatic recreations and comic book art.

What is it like to be an artist in Alberta?

Like all places, there are both positives and negatives to being a documentary filmmaker in Alberta.

On the positive side there is tremendous support from organizations like the AFA, Edmonton Arts Council, Edmonton Heritage Council and the Film and Video Arts Society of Alberta (FAVA) to keep me telling stories. The film community is passionate and always ready to lend a hand.

It is also less expensive to live here and rent facilities than other major cities. Alberta also seems to have an entrepreneurial/risk-taking spirit that often lets me push the barrier a little further.

On the negative side, I’m required to travel long distances to attend industry events and meet with broadcasters.

^{Behind the scenes filming Blind Ambition: The Story of Wop May}

It’s been a difficult year for artists. What’s has your experience been like trying to work during the pandemic?

I went from shooting a food travel series across Canada with my wife, to sitting in my basement in front of a computer. Although financially challenging, it provided me an opportunity to look inwards and start developing new projects.

Due to timing issues, we had no options but to film Blind Ambition during the pandemic. It was challenging to work with a relatively large crew and maintain proper COVID protocols – but we managed to pull it off with no one getting sick. 

What’s the most important thing Albertans can do to support local artists in Alberta?

Find out if your elected officials care about supporting artists. Go to local art shows. Hang out at local film festivals. We make cool things here – we should be proud of that.

And please come to the Edmonton International Film Festival to check out amazing Albertan films!

Frederick Kroetsch bio

Frederick has numerous credits under his belt! Here are a few highlights...

He made Last of the Fur Traders for AMI-tv, which follows the journey of his father returning to the arctic.

He also created the TV-series Queen of the Oil Patch for APTN. Frederick has made dozens of documentaries for organizations such as TELUS Originals, CBC Digital, Telefilm, Bravo, NFB, CTV and Shaw.

He recently produced the feature documentary The Secret Society and is currently directing the TV-series Dr. Savanna: Wild Rose Vet for Cottage Life.

Frederick graduated with a film production degree from Concordia University; was awarded a Top 40 Under 40 Award in his home city of Edmonton; and won a Hot Docs Short Film Pitch. He is an alumnus of The Werner Herzog Rogue Film School, The NSI Business for Producers Program, Whistler Doc Lab, and the TELUS Fellowship Program. 

Frederick is EP and DOP on Wochiigii lo: End of the Peace, which premiered at TIFF 2021.

The film Form and Function from his arts collective “Are we artists or Cops?” is currently on display at the Artists in the Fallow Exhibit at Brighton Block. He is also very excited about receiving his first Canada Council grant for an experimental film tentatively titled Flesh Ballet

How will you take part in art and support artists? Share your experiences through social media by tagging the AFA and using the hashtag #TakePartInArt.

Our intrepid Arts Development Consultant and luminary in Edmonton community theatre, Barb Mah is retiring from the Government of Alberta and the Alberta Foundation for the Arts (AFA). 

Her dance and theatre training combined with a formal business education means that she is equally at ease in a rehearsal studio or doing a forensic analysis of your latest financial statement. 

Here's a bit more about Barb as we bid her adieu as she seeks new adventures!

Artist profile

We asked Barb about her artistic practice and career:

How many shows have you worked on in your career?

Over 50 - too many to count...

If you could only do one: Directing, acting, choreography or teaching?

Teaching, followed closely by directing. (In community theatre, they’re much the same.)

What’s one of your favourite memories working in theatre?

A production of The Rocky Horror Show. The cast was so tight that we could have performed for no audience and would have been happy. At the cast party, we all slept over at the theatre as we were so reluctant to let it go. (I don’t even like that show that much, but that cast…)

What’s one of your proudest moments as a teacher?

So many good moments, but watching students suddenly “get it” (usually in movement, which for those that don’t have a movement/dance background, they can struggle with).

This is directing-related but, during one show, I hired a teen in a cast of otherwise adults (I didn’t realize he was that young). A quiet young man that, during the course of rehearsal and doing the show, came out of his shell. I received a heartfelt note at the end, telling me he had started the show in a depressed state of mind, and that the show had given him back his life. 

What show have you always wanted to work on, but haven’t yet had a chance?

Bucket list: Merrily We Roll Along (I came close: pre-pandemic, I had actually cast it. Then COVID. We did a “first/last” read on Zoom and then everyone went home and cried.) But I have been very lucky in being able to do shows that are dear to my heart. One of these days…

What will you be up to next?

Next show (also a bucket list item): Austentatious, by a local (Calgary) writer. Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice gone completely off the rails. I became aware of this show over 15 years ago when the AFA funded its initial production. (It has since played Off Broadway and across the pond).

Anything to add? 

Other crazy interests: Star Trek and Regency cos-play. (I’m a costumer as well and am crazy about costumes, I’m a decent sewist – have been my whole life.)

Barb and the AFA

Early days

Barbara Mah started working for Alberta Culture and Multiculturalism In May of 1989. You will note that Barb's career pre-dates the establishment of the AFA in 1991, which was an amalgamation of three former government-funded arts foundations. (Learn more about the orgins of the AFA.)

She joined the Touring Section of the Performing Arts Branch, which occupied a space on the 11th floor of Edmonton's CN Tower, sharing space with the Music Section, Theatre and Dance section, administration, and the performing arts library. This was an arts resource owned by the ministry with a large collection of records, music scores, plays, and other lending materials. 

• The playscript library is now owned and operated by Theatre Alberta Society, and has since expanded to more than 23,000 titles!

While grants were an important part of what we did, equally important was the community programming and capacity building. This took the form of classes, conferences, live auditions, hands-on creation of support organizations, newsletters, etc.
~Barb Mah

The largest activity supported by Barb's section was the annual Alberta Showcase conference. Back then, it was a four-day affair where hundreds of presenters and artists were assembled to encourage bookings throughout Alberta. Performances were presented at the Citadel Theatre and the Library theatre in Edmonton. 

• Alberta Showcase is now operated by the Arts Touring Alliance of Alberta.

The AFA is born

In 1991, Barb was part of a four-person task force charged with creating a transition plan to support amalgamation to establish the AFA, and to create workable programs. There were huge changes associated with this transition, but Barb notes one significant move: 

One change we implemented was the introduction of outside adjudicators (our expert panels), based on a model that we had used with some granting on the government side prior to amalgamation – much of it based on the work done by the theatre, dance, and music sections of the former performing arts branch.

The Expert Panel model remains a cornerstone of AFA adjudication of project grants. Learn more about how the AFA adjudicates funding requests. Barb was also instrumental in the development of community support programs, which is now the Community Support Organziations operating funding program.

With the AFA throughout the years...

The Rotting Donkeys is the name of the fictional band that the grants section created (despite the fact that nobody played any instrument or could sing), and we created several albums (complete with artwork and song titles, but never any actual songs). The name of the band came from a grant extension request: a film client needed an extension, as his film included a literal dead rotting donkey in it... and the decay had not gone far enough by the time the reporting deadline hit. You take your inspiration where you can get it...

Barb has been with the AFA through all of its major milestones:

• the AFA's first website, and eventually the adoption of the GATE Front Office online application system
• the move from Beaver House to Capital Arts Building
• Alberta Art Days (now Alberta Culture Days)
• Alberta at the Smithsonian
• introduction of Aboriginal Organization and Alboriginal Traditional Arts grants (now Indigenous Arts Individual Project Funding)
• The AFA's 25th Anniversary and the AFA Art Collection's 50th Anniversary

... and more. We will miss her very much!

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.

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