CANMORE – artsPlace is ringing in the new year with a host of new programming and workshops for the winter season.
The Canmore-based community art centre is hosting its RISE emerging artist exhibition until Feb. 8, featuring Palimpsest by Chris Lukas Maier.
“We kicked off this year with a Calgary-based artist, a part of our Rise emerging artist program. It is a different kind of artwork in our gallery, but it is more of a commentary on urban, city kind of art,” said Katie Leaf, associate manager of child, youth and gallery programs with ArtsPlace.
“He focuses on human-made markings, both intentional and unintentional that we often overlook in our day-to-day lives. For example, graffiti or maybe building markings with spray paint, and how those are added and taken away over time and how that describes our story.”
Leaf explained part of the appeal of this gallery is presenting something often overlooked being taken out of an urban setting, and being observable in a gallery, encouraging viewers to more deeply consider their surroundings.
The ArtsPlace gallery is the first time Maier has been hosted as an individual showcase.
Leaf added as an additional aspect of Maier’s gallery, ArtsPlace is aiming to make the exhibit more accessible to the visually impaired.
This effort includes locator dots on the floor to indicate where pieces are and safe distances to stand, image descriptions on the wall for those with text readers, and tablets with headphones for those who prefer auditory input to describe the exhibit.
Maier has also allowed two pieces of his work to be touched by those coming in to experience the exhibit.
Among the classes and workshops hosted at ArtsPlace include a free intro to songwriting class for teens, which began Jan. 13.
“The youth arts collective intro to songwriting is four weeks. We also offer classes on Sundays for the youth arts collective in ceramics, and we have two separate classes going then – one at 10 a.m. and one at 1 p.m.,” said Leaf.
“[We] are currently working on adding some painting classes to the youth arts collective … when we are programming, we are looking at, who are we not programming for, or what can we add. Sometimes we target different age groups or different types of art.”
Tessa Mendoza, associate manager of adult programs for ArtsPlace, said classes through the facility are typically planned three to four months in advance before going on sale or starting.
Additionally, ArtsPlace works on average with between 50 and 60 different artists throughout a given year such as teaching workshops and classes.
Classes may range from individual sessions such as a social outing to up to 10-week programs for participants to develop deeper skills and understanding in a given medium.
More information regarding ArtsPlace programming is available through their website at www.artsplacecanmore.com.
The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada. The position covers Îyârhe (Stoney) Nakoda First Nation and Kananaskis Country.
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