by Scott Hayes
Some people keep diaries of their daily activities and thoughts while others like to take photographs and post them on Instagram.
Samantha Williams-Chapelsky took it upon herself to do what she does best: she painted. She created an entire exhibit featuring paintings on her day-to-day experiences over the course of a full year.
"I based it on documenting my everyday travels, whether that was in and around Alberta, back and forth in St. Albert, or whether that was walking or driving," she began to explain. "It was just to document what was going on, how I felt, what the changes of the seasons brought …"
Documenting is her second solo exhibition at the gallery but Williams-Chapelsky has proven herself to be one of the most prolific and ubiquitous painters on the scene.
She has been a part of several other group shows at the same location and has had made her name in and around St. Albert, Edmonton and the province. Being as busy as she is means a lot of time on the road.
"It's nice to show somewhere local, somewhere close to home," she pointed out.
The artist spent the last year changing up her game by creating this series of more than 80 pieces of her journeys here, there and all points in-between. Some are large and many are small but all of them are as fresh in their perspective and technique as ever.
"I love the challenge of painting a day but of course there are some days that you just don't want to or don't paint. That's OK too. It is like a visual diary of my travels. I do travel a lot throughout Alberta. I'm always in love with the landscape as you can tell by my normal series of paintings. This is a nice opportunity to do some little ones along the way and get a fresh feeling of what I was enjoying that day."
Documenting opens today and runs through until Sat., Oct. 31. There will be an opening reception tomorrow from 6 to 9 p.m. The artist will be in attendance.
VASA is located at 25 Sir Winston Churchill Ave. in the Hemingway Centre.
Call 780-460-5990 or visit www.vasa-art.com for more information.
The starkness of the season
Winter in Alberta is not what you would call the time of year with the most lush vegetation and brilliant colours throughout the landscape.
It's cold and white, not a leaf on the trees. There's snow and lots of it. Luckily for Bonnyville's Pierre Bataillard, this sort of desolation provides ample inspiration for his art.
His sketchy pencil and pastel abstractions comment on how the world as we know it is hidden only to have a new yet alien landscape revealed.
"In wintertime, there is less visual information," he remarked in a prepared statement. "The overwhelming presence of snow prevents some from seeing subtle beauty in of the wintery landscape, a beauty that is not obvious in the city."
The Winter That Was opens tomorrow and runs through until Sat., Oct. 31. There will be an opening reception tomorrow from 6 to 9 p.m. The artist will be in attendance.
The Art Gallery of St. Albert is located at 19 Perron St. Call 780-460-4310 or visit www.artgalleryofstalbert.ca for more information.
Smells – and looks – like Alberta Spirit
The Alberta Community Art Clubs Association has covered all its bases as it's all set to cover all of the walls and plinths of the Visual Arts Alberta Gallery.
The Alberta Spirit Show will feature a cornucopia of visual art from paintings to digital and sculptural works, all created by ACACA members from youths and beginners to elder, more experienced members. The juried works during three zone shows that were held this spring, as well as the Alberta-wide exhibit that took place at Red Deer College this summer.
The 30-plus award-winners from all four shows will have their works displayed during this exhibit's two-month run.
The Alberta Spirit Show opens tomorrow and will close on Sat., Nov. 28. An opening reception will take place tomorrow from 7 to 9:30 p.m. Artists will be in attendance.
The Visual Arts Alberta Gallery is located on the third floor at 10215 112 St. in Edmonton. For more information, call 780-421-1731 or visit www.visualartsalberta.com.
For more information about the Alberta Community Art Clubs Association, visit www.acaca.ab.ca.
Brushstrokes make ‘Brushstrokes'
Members of the Edmonton Art Club have worked together on a new show of selected recent works. Brushstrokes will have an opening reception on Friday from 7 to 9 p.m. at Jake's Gallery and Framing. Artists will be in attendance.
The show will run through Sat., Oct. 31. Jake's is located at 10441 123 St. in Edmonton. Visit www.edmontonartclub.com for more details.
