DETAILS
High Energy 26
Featuring work by art students from St. Albert high schools: Bellerose Composite High School, École Alexandre-Taché, École Secondaire, Paul Kane High School, Outreach High School, and St. Albert Catholic High School.
Virtual exhibition tours set to occur on the following dates and times:
- Friday, May 14 at 3 p.m.
- Saturday, May 15 at 11 a.m.
- Tuesday, May 18 at 12 p.m.
- Thursday, May 20 at 7 p.m.
Attendance is free. Click here to pre-register.
The Art Gallery of St. Albert is located at 19 Perron St.
*Please note: the gallery is closed due to the pandemic
Call 780-460-4310 for more information.
Even during a pandemic, you can't keep any artist – senior or teenager – from working hard to express themselves for the betterment of the world in terms of visual commentary on important social matters, or making images so filled with beauty your heart sings for all the joys still to be found on this planet made of dirt and turmoil.
That, coupled with the fact that high-school art class nurtures highly energetic creations from young and fearless art students, means the Art Gallery of St. Albert is practically electrified with its newest virtual exhibit.
Thank the stars High Energy is back for its 26th outing. Every year, city high-school art students (working with paint, pencil, print, collage, sculpture, and ceramics) put forth their most exuberant, challenging, and otherwise amazing works for art-lovers to enjoy.
“The works created for High Energy this year reflect the changes and challenges that have been faced by students over the last 14 months,” offered the gallery’s interim curator Emily Baker.
“In a turbulent and unpredictable year, art has been a shelter from the storm. We feel it is essential to showcase the accomplishments of St. Albert’s youth and share the students’ unique experiences of this unprecedented time.”
This year, students from Bellerose Composite High School, École Alexandre-Taché, École Secondaire, Paul Kane High School, Outreach High School, and St. Albert Catholic High School contributed to High Energy. Since the gallery is still closed, you can now enjoy the art from your home computer. Even better, it will be available online for the rest of the year. The gallery has planned a handful of virtual tours to enhance viewers’ experiences.
As for the artists, this show offers more than the magic of having their work seen by the public for the first time. It also represents their means of expression, their method of survival throughout trying times, and the prospects of their bright futures.
"I think throughout this very tough school year, our art students have fared a little better for having been in an art class. Artistic expression allows them to outline their thoughts and feelings. So, even if the imagery is not specifically about the pandemic, it is a reflection of their response to it," explained Paul Kane art instructor Colleen Hewitt.
"As an artist myself, I can also attest to the absolute invaluable opportunity to lose myself in my art. It is a good, quiet place that kids can go to when things get overwhelming ... and then they create this amazing stuff when they are there. How lucky am I to be working with them."
Historically, the art program at Outreach High School has focused on the healing aspects of creating art, said Outreach art instructor Cristin Raven.
"We ran art therapy groups and had a dedicated space for students to explore, process, and create. As a result of COVID, we had to pivot to online learning this year, and so did our art program. Our group therapy stopped, but what arose was one-on-one connection instead," she said.
"Students this year were given personal art directives to create from home, with support from our art teacher/art therapist. We lost a sense of community, but we had gained the opportunity for students to access a personal connection. As we navigate our art program through this pandemic, we have learned so much and intend on augmenting these lessons as we plan for next year – maintaining the benefits of one-on-one connection and hopefully blending our art-therapy groups in person or online," said Raven.
"Visual art is a powerful language for youth to use to understand themselves and the world around them. There has never been a more important time than right now, for our students to access this language. We look forward to supporting mental health through the Arts at our school and we are excited to continue next year in a new form."
Teresa Wallsten, art instructor at St. Albert High School, praised her students for their resiliency through the pandemic, along with the other turmoil of teenagerhood and secondary schooling. She couldn't be prouder of their successes.
"They have explored their emotions and displayed them in an artistic manner. Having the opportunity to teach face-to-face and online has been challenging for all. However, throughout these challenges, these students persevered, expressed themselves, acquired new skills, and gained confidence in their artistic abilities. Every year, this art community never ceases to amaze me. I am so pleased with what the (Art Gallery of St. Albert) does for the high schools every year. With this show, we become a community unit that proves that we can come together and show that we can create amazing things even through trying times," she said.
As for Marie Banville, art instructor at École Alexandre-Taché, she is thrilled for the community to get to witness High Energy, which she calls a wonderful showcase for the talents of St. Albert’s high-school art students.
"When students have an opportunity to display their art to the public, it affirms that they are part of the local arts community. As a teacher, I love seeing young people full of energy and creativity. They feel like real artists when they see their work on display and valued," she said.
As for the students themselves, Bellerose art instructor Lindsay Bracken did a quick survey of how the students felt about their artwork this year. One student felt more vulnerability. Another student found great inspiration from nature. Bracken said one student comment drove home the importance of art: "Art became my outlet.
