Planting My Roots
'Siikitso Aki' Tanya Loftus nee Scalplock
mixed media
2021

https://vimeo.com/533822740

Artist's Statement

The paramount belief is that all of creation is sacred, based on the relationships of Blackfoot people and the beliefs that everything is interconnected from human beings, plants and animals and all of the land to the cosmic universe.
If I am to survive, I must learn the ways and teachings of my ancestors, keeping them close to heart while keeping the balance in my life and my surroundings outside my community. Traditional Knowledge collides with the contemporary and/or mainstream world, and it is my purpose to connect both of these worlds to heal not only myself, but all others who call for healing.
Growing up in a world destitute of purpose and meaning meant struggling with my own identity. Without the Traditional Knowledge my ancestors set out for future generations, I found myself displaced in a society of mixed interpretations of our history. In order to ground myself and build a strong foundation, I needed to look into the history of my parents and grandparents, into the history of my ancestors and within myself. Western education has given me knowledge that similarly coincides with ancestral knowledge. Incorporating both ways of knowing and living takes root in most of my art pieces.

Working within the limitations of virtual art-sharing, I have tried to capture the process of my site-specific art installation. I photograph the site before, during, and after my landmark creation. The chosen site holds personal significance, as a birthplace of my family's history. In order to build a strong foundation I must first ground myself and balance the flow of energy from myself, the past history and the future of my family into the cosmic universe.

Intergenerational trauma fractured our connection to the land and the environment. Whether it be physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually, we must repair the break in order to heal ourselves, find the balance, and then pass this knowledge on to the future generations....this is my purpose
About Sikitso Aki Tanya Loftus nee Scalplock
Born is Bassano, Alberta in 1979, Calgary-based self-taught artist, 'Sikitso Aki' Tanya Loftus nee Scalplock, is a Blackfoot member of the Siksika Nation #147. Tanya embarked on a journey of self-realization and purpose in 2016. Connecting with her cultural heritage and roots have increased her vitality and unleashed a desire to acquire the traditional knowledge and teachings of her ancestors. Mental health and awareness being brought to the front lines of understanding addictions has increased her desire to incorporate holistic and cultural approaches to creating art pieces that reflect western and ancestral knowledge. Her first experience as an artist was in 2020 at the University of Lethbridge, where she enrolled in an Indigenous Art course. It was the recent passing of her eldest child, in the summer of 2018, that brought her to realize she wanted to pursue a career in the field that allows her to help the younger generations with their healing, and to be part of addiction prevention.

The Minotaur
2021
plasticine, aluminum, wire
Site: at-home, Lethbridge, AB.


Project Statement

My name is Francisco Luna, and I am passionate about Art and Ethics. In artmaking and in introspection alike, imagination and creativity are my core attitudes. Although I am yet to completing a dignified artwork, while in artmaking, I feel free, grounded and abundant. And while in introspection, I wonder about chaos and possibility. With my art, I aspire to encounter subtle ethical and aesthetic truths; ideas that perhaps could being fruition to today and abundance to a futurity yet to come.

Being sincere, I am a fan of the tale of minotaur, of what it has inspired, and of what it has been theoretically discussed about it in the academia. Throughout time, its mythical tale has been reinterpreted and reimagined without rest. In memory, the minotaur rests as the confined and isolated beast, the half divine and half aberration prince. This imaginary creature, in parallel to what is sound, and it is worth making sense, lacks a criterion for realizing a purpose, cause, or end. Worth mentioning, the minotaur has inhabited many of my intimate introspections, creating anew ideas, and facilitating me with the abstract grounding enabled for to questioning the order of things. For me, the minotaur is a paradigm, a sublime idea that simply overpasses in value and content the limits of the very whole that brought into being. For me the minotaur lives and inhabits in own introspection.

Artist Bibliography

Francisco Luna is a Mexican Canadian artist residing in Lethbridge, Alberta. Luna is interested about Ethics and Aesthetics. Luna's art practice is centered on giving a form to theoretical concepts and ideas. Luna's inspiration and discipline guide him to nurturing forms of meaningful innovation for these fields of inquiry. Luna's ongoing artistic practice is philosophical and aesthetic, it is concentrated solely on producing clear and concise representation of pivotal ideas pertinent for fruition and development.

For Someone Special
2021

oil paint, canvas, brushes, my fingers/sponge for blending
Site: Itsukushima Shrine, Hatsukaichi, Japan

Project statement 

For my project I wanted to do something meaningful and something with culture in it as well. This class really challenged me with the site-specific location aspect which I’m still working through but have now grasped. At first, I was going to do something with reflection on water near me, but there was snow on all the bodies of water, and it wasn’t really intriguing me as much as places I’ve been to in the past. It’s very hard to connect with the things near me because a significant portion of my life was spent traveling and any specific site I wanted to choose was far away.

I decided to make a work of art about this one vacation I took to Japan where a significant event in my life happened. In order to make the audience see the Japan side of it I added a whole cultural aspect to my piece to represent the site of my piece. I wish I could explain further so that my audience can see how meaningful this site and piece is to me, but they are events that I’m not comfortable expressing just yet. It is a big step for me to make art about these events because I’ve never talked about them. I chose to incorporate some Japanese cultural aspects like the fan and a tattoo, and some other things to represent the site of the painting. I attempted to do a Japanese tattoo on the girl’s back that one day I might actually get which has a deeper meaning but also represents Japanese culture in a way. To clarify, I am not Japanese, but I spent a lot of time there and fell in love with it and had many experiences there that I wish to express through art. I found a connection with Japan through the culture and land. My mom was working on getting me photos from the specific site because it’s on one of those old camera SD sticks, however she couldn’t find them. One of the interesting things I added in my piece is a Japanese fan which I actually got in Japan, an item I associate with memories from that trip. I was initially going to paint on the fan itself, but my parents asked me not too out of respect.

I have had a pretty fun path with this project. I started by experimenting with colors, doing hundreds of sketches on paper and on my iPad, then started penciling in on the canvas before beginning the final painting. The oil paint was interesting and pleasant to work with, and I enjoyed how everything came out. The only negative thing about oil paint is that it takes extra-long to dry, so I had to take long breaks in between layers and leave it outside to dry which made it a little more crispy then I wanted. I have pretty much turned my basement into a little art studio and I love it. I hope to one day take this piece to Japan if possible and put it somewhere! I would like to put it somewhere by the beautiful view of the Itsukushima Shrine. There’s one cafe we went to a lot so perhaps there, with permission of course.

I had a lot of fun in this course, and I think I might take art as a hobby because I am very happy with how my piece turned out. I might continue to work on it and add some gloss because, somehow, I have a matte looking finish. I’m going to pick up some varnish gloss from Michaels and do that soon!

 Artist biography 

I have lived in Calgary most of my life but travel a lot because my mom is a flight attendant and so my flights are free. I have grown a huge passion for flying and literally would rather be anywhere else but Calgary. I go to the University of Lethbridge and am in my 3rd year of kinesiology and plan to go to medical school or chiropractic school after. I’ve never taken art in university, but I did take it as an option in junior high and high school. I really loved working with clay and was hoping I'd be able to do that more, but since this art class is online, that wasn’t an option. I’ve never really been that creative or been confident enough to explore my creative side, I’ve always been scared that I’m not talented enough. I hope to challenge myself with this project no matter my ability. I’m happy I took this art class because I don’t think I’ll have many chances to explore my creative side in the rest of my schooling. I never really took in how much you can express through art, which I’m happy to finally realize and understand.

A Story Among Novels
2021
glass, paper, cardboard
Site: artist’s home

https://soundcloud.com/an-r-e-il-emire/sound-art

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GG9jI5KuzU

Project Statement:

A Story Among Novels is meaningful and personal to me by showcasing the sheer depth of the worlds I would like to fabricate through creative writing. The materials – glass panels, pages of each title represented on a cardboard panel, size differentiating due to the amount of work currently completed – were chosen because they allow the novel titles to speak for themselves and stand out against the simplicity and neutral tones. The site is the center of my home, which, if Googled, still does not appear on Google maps. The reason for the piece being installed at the home’s heart tells of the stories within my own heart. The panels with the novel titles expand upwards, almost in tandem with the way they want to escape my own mind to be written.

While the piece is viewed, my voice will be heard reading the prologue to Awakened Magic, the first novel I plan to get published. Although this isn’t necessarily the first novel I’ve written, it will be the first to introduce the remaining novels seen within the piece. The other novels and series will expand from this first one, some characters making appearances within other novels and series that don’t always fall within their own world.

The work falls under the course themes by representing not only myself, but also the site I chose. Like my home that isn’t on Google Maps but now exists in the physical sense, so my works will also follow suit. There is no finished product yet, but in time there will be. It also relates to the course through the meaning of place. As a creator of place through my novels and inventor of settings that do not exist within the physical sense, so does this piece exist within a similar region to an extent.

What surprised me the most throughout the work, was the sheer amount of paper that it took to print every novel title. Similarly, getting them sorted according to relevance to the next one was challenging. Viewers should feel a sense of inspiration, calm, and wonder – mostly due to the number of novels I want to write – but also intrigue, motivation, and imagination with the three-dimensional arrangement.


Book Titles Within the Piece:

Otherworld Novels

· Beauty So Beastly (A Faetale Novel) - Ancients

· Into the Night Series - Vampires and Werewolves

o Into the Night

o Shadows of the Night

o Beyond the Night

· Aruhvien Series - Magic/Aruhviens

o Awakened Magic

o Light Magic

o Shadow Magic

o Dark Magic

o Pure Magic

· Monarchy

o The Age of Aruhvien Kings and Queens

o Aeyn

o Emeris

· Hanayah

· Arsenal

· Hellyn Kells (A Faetale Novel)

· Sovereigns and Enchantors Series

o Sovereigns

o Enchantors

· Aeveri

· Hope’s Protector - Guardians and Enchantors

· Changing Shadows Series – Shapeshifters

o The Shadowchanger

o The Chaser

o The Tyrant

· The Corone Chronicles - All Races

o The Coronian Heir

o The Book of Everlast

o The Copper Room

o The Reddened Guild

o The Power of Knight

· The Cadhile Series – Centaurs

o The Tribe

o The Collective

o The Gathered

Innerworld Novels (Steampunk World)

· The Senseless Series

o The Senseless

o The Motivator

o The Pillar



Outerworld Novels (Sci-fi World)

· Book One

· Book Two

· Book Three



Overworld Novels (Superhero World)

· Book One

· Book Two

· Book Three

· Book Four

· Book Five



Navaworld Novels (Pirate World)

· Book One

· Book Two

· Book Three



Artist's Biography:

Andrée was born in Calgary, Alberta, and grew up in Lethbridge, Alberta. She attended the University of Lethbridge and received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in New Media in 2015. Following a couple of years, she decided to further her education at the Lethbridge College and completed an Interior Design Diploma. She graduated from the program in April 2019 and is currently attending the University of Lethbridge once again to complete a Bachelor of Science in Psychology. She will graduate from this program in 2021.

Her background includes behind the scenes features in the film and television industry, having worked in Art Departments and Prop Departments for a couple feature-length films, many short films, and a few episodes/scenes of CBC's Heartland.

Andrée’s further background includes a knowledgebase of design software such as the Adobe Suite (Premiere Pro, Photoshop, and Illustrator), Lumion, SketchUp, AutoCAD, and Revit. She is in the midst of learning other languages such as Italian, German, Swahili, Russian, and Romanian, and is already fluent in French and English.

Andrée’s passion is found within the art form of creative writing. She is currently completing a novel series and hopes to find a literary agent by the end of 2021. She plans on writing at least 40 novels and cannot wait to further this passion. An ultimate dream of hers would be to work on a film adaption of a book she wrote.

Lynnwood
2021
installation, project proposal
Site: Lynnwood, Calgary, Alberta


Artist Statement/Proposal:

My artistic practice tends to be within a framework of realistic drawings and paintings, with a focus on traditional portraiture and figure drawing. So, in choosing to take on this particular work it was initially quite an uncomfortable departure, but I think in order to break away from the constrains of my typical mode of art making I needed to take on a work that stretched me beyond the boundaries of my usual practice. For this site-specific installation, I approached it more from the realms of conceptualized thought rather than my more blatant realism.

My piece is exploring the often-unnoticed environmental impacts that oil refineries and development can have on our earth. From 1925-1975 the Imperial Oil company ran a refinery which was situated near the current site of the Lynnwood community. Issues with the soil first noticed in the 80s came to a head in 2001 when dangerously high levels of hydrocarbons and lead were found in the soil. The unsafe living conditions created a mass exodus of displaced individuals and families, as all but the 11 homes of the few who refused to leave were destroyed. The once developed up-and-coming residential area now stands with empty lots and tall wire fences. My piece is set on the site of one of these now empty lots within the community Lynnwood.

For my piece, I would set up a large 7’x11’sign that would be angled slightly forward giving an impression of an object that is at risk of tipping over. From the sign a black viscus ooze is seen dripping down its front, where the words “Welcome to Lynnwood” are slowly being overtaken by the ooze. As the ooze drips down the sign, it starts to join and form into the larger black ooze that has been placed at the base of the sign, this ooze will appear to be bubbling and pooling from the earth bellow. Having the sign at a slight forward tilt and standing at a height not much taller than the average adult would help to maximize the sense or feeling of unease and anxiety that I hope to invoke within the viewer or audience.

With the unconventional site of my pseudo welcome sign, my goal would be to prompt the viewer and or audience to get curious about what the work means, and feel compelled to do their own personal research into the site. I want this work to develop more conversations around our impact on the environment and how scary and long-lasting those impacts can be. Lead is extremely dangerous to ingest, and I find it scary and harrowing that people could be ingesting harmful chemicals and remain completely unaware of it for years. Our impacts on the earth may not have an obvious or immediate impact but, if communities like Lynwood show us anything, it is that even though we may not feel the consequences of our actions, future generations might.

Project Statement

My artistic practice tends to be within a framework of realistic drawings and paintings, with a focus on traditional portraiture and figure drawing. So, in choosing to take on this particular work it was initially quite an uncomfortable departure, but I think in order to break way from the constrains of my typical mode of art making I needed to take on a work that stretched me beyond the boundaries of my usual practice. For this site-specific installation, I approached it more from the realms of conceptualized thought rather than my more blatant realism. My piece is exploring the often-unnoticed environmental impacts that oil refineries and development can have on our earth. From 1925-1975 the Imperial Oil company ran a refinery which was situated near the current site of the Lynnwood community. Issues with the soil first noticed in the 80s came to a head in 2001 when dangerously high levels of hydrocarbons and lead were found in the soil. The unsafe living conditions created a mass exodus of displaced individuals and families, as all but the 11 homes of the few who refused to leave were destroyed. The once developed up-and-coming residential area now stands with empty lots and tall wire fences. My piece is set on the site of one of these now empty lots within the community Lynnwood. For my piece I would set up a large 7’x11’sign that would be angled slightly forward giving an impression of an object that is at risk of tipping over. From the sign a black viscus ooze would be seen dripping down its front where the words “Welcome to Lynnwood” are slowly being overtaken by the ooze. As the ooze drips down the sign, it starts to join and form into the larger black ooze that has been placed at the base of the sign, this ooze will appear to be bubbling and pooling from the earth bellow. Having the sign at a slight forward tilt and standing at a height not much taller than the average adults would help to maximize the sense or feeling of unease and anxiety that I hope to invoke within the viewer or audience. As well with the unconventional site of my pseudo welcome sign, my goal would be to prompt questions within the viewer and or audience, for them to get curious about what the work means and feel compelled to do their own personal research into the site. I want this work to develop more conversations around our impact on the environment and how scary and long lasting they can be. Lead is extremely dangerous to ingest, and I find it scary and harrowing that people could be ingesting harmful chemicals and remain completely unaware for years. Our impacts on the earth may not have an obvious or immediate impact but, if communities like Lynwood show us anything, it is that even though we may not feel the consequences of our actions the future generations might.


Artist Bio

Camille McDonald is an artist from Calgary, Alberta. She is currently working on her last semester of her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree through the University of Lethbridge. Camille’s artistic practice is based in the traditional methods of painting and drawing with a focus on realism within the portrait and the figure. To create her works, Camille uses graphite pencils and powder, charcoal, ink pens, water colour and gouache. Camille is drawn to this method of art making as she finds the technical process of skill building to be both exciting and rewarding. A key aspect of Camille’s skill development is her commitment to practicing and understanding the various fundamentals of art, such as line, shape, form, colour, space, texture and value. By understanding how these fundamentals work together, Camille is able to apply them to her work creating both dynamic and realistic compositions.

Camille draws her inspiration form a variety of areas including both historical and contemporary art as well as the desire to capture the world and faces around her. For Camille, the creation of a realistic portrait or figure requires active participation. In order to create a portrait with life and expression, Camille must carefully study and engage with an image or subject, which in turn creates a sense of intimacy within the work. Camille works to capture not only a person’s likeness but their personality and character as well. Camille more recently has also begun to explore a new avenue within her practice in the form of more sculptural/installation-based works. These new artistic avenues of exploration will continue to inspire Camille’s practice as she continues to develop as an artists and maker.

Story Skirt
2021

Project statement

My story skirt begins its journey with my employment at Kainai Children’s Services, from my first time I received teaching on Sweetgrass to having my face painted. Each of these experiences is sewn into the fabrics of this skirt. Thin layers of tulle are pleated around a deep blue broadcloth slip. Nine rows of ribbon wrap around the bottom of the skirt flow and ripple out towards the ground. Each ribbon is a specific color and width. Above the ribbon, faceted rhinestones float above the tulle creating lines and shapes that are familiar to the area and my story.
My skirt showcases four specific teachings and experiences with multicoloured rhinestones. The first teaching, picking sweetgrass is designed as two strands of sweetgrass, blades blowing in the southern prairie winds, directed towards the South. The second image, directed West, represents the mountains, massive, powerful, and full of story. The mountains have a strong presence within me and my time within the home I work in. Third, represents the Sundance, directed to the South West. I was given my Blackfoot name, Blue Ochre Cloth Woman, during the Sundance in 2018. This is significant to the range of blue shades in the skirt. This is also conveyed in the ribbon color gradient moving from green to blue. Lastly, the fourth is dedicated to my experience with horses which has opened up doors and paths towards a newfound career path in equine therapy, and learning with the youth I work with.
All of these experiences are a way of paying respect to my physical place of employment in a home located in the North side of Lethbridge. The house itself has been passed from another group home agency and has been providing a safe place for youth for decades. The home is well known in the neighbourhood and is compassionate towards the work we do within the walls. This home is the location where all my experiences originated. By standing in the middle of the home, facing East, the horseshoe shape, Directed East, sets the directions of all the other designs and their designated locations.
I found this project difficult to wrap up. I struggled to find the right way to design the images and fought with myself the entire finishing process. I found every material I chose did not give the effect I was looking for. Ultimately, I knew what I needed to do from the beginning and what to use. I just didn't want to use rhinestones due to a personal bias and how simple it was. Once I fought through the stubbornness, I was relieved and happy with the result. Lesson learned? Sometimes you just need to let go and see what happens.

About Emma

Emma Doerksen calls Northern Alberta home. The endless forests and wildlife call to her from the prairies of Southern Alberta where she currently resides. Growing up in a small rural community, Emma emersed herself in any sport, volunteer opportunity and association she could from a young age. This developed a passion for community involvement and the importance of volunteering. Emma is in constant flux with her employment and has yet to find her true “calling” but knows she gets closer every day. Currently, she works with Indigenous youth at a group home and with a women’s shelter while she works towards a degree at the University of Lethbridge. This is where she has been able to unleash and harness her inner artist. Emma has no preferred media type and finds meaning when collaborating with other artists and creating content for people.

Look Closer: A Maskepetoon Art Project
Emma Greatbatch (@freakofnaturephotography)
2021
oil pastel, water colour, pencil, sharpie, pencil crayons and digital photography/video
Site: Maskepetoon Park Red Deer, Alberta

https://youtu.be/AlBa9TkfoAc

Project Statement

I have created a series of images to celebrate and bring attention to the beauty of Maskepetoon for my final art project. As you walk around the park, you’ll see photographs, paintings and an oil pastel/ pencil crayon work placed near the original inspiration for the piece. My goal of this project is to capture the natural beauty of the park and bring more attention to it. Look at the images and then see the nature from your own perspective. Take time to really take in your surroundings and be mindful of the wonders of nature around you. Especially in these hard times, it is important to enjoy the little things in life and be grateful for what we can enjoy.

About Emma

I learned basic drawing and watercolor painting skills when I was seven. Then I started taking pictures when I was about eight. I later began to learn about using oil pastels when I was nine or ten in school. Got a Clearwater pencil crayon, watercolours and an oil pastels set when I was about 10 or 11 because I enjoyed using oil pastels and watercolours so much. I still use that set to this day for all my art projects. I got a Canon Rebel EOS when I was about 14 and did an official seasons photography side project when I was 15. After graduating high school, I had a long period of time where I did minimal photography/ art because I was either working or going to school for science.

I transferred to Uleth in 2019 from RDC and switched my degree major from biological sciences to neuroscience. During Fall 2019 one of my photographs was featured in The Meliorist. The COVID pandemic began in February 2020. During my time at home, I started taking pictures again around Lethbridge. In January 2021 my landscape art class began, my first art class I took in postsecondary starts. In January 2021 I discovered A+ Art Gallery in downtown Red Deer. In February 202 I got back into photography, I really enjoyed drawing and painting again, and I felt like it was improving my mental health as well. March 2021: I have completed my project now and I feel more confident about my art skills than I ever did. I even created my first art Instagram where I hope to share my photos and other art pieces online.

Vendetta del Selvaggio - Revenge of the Wilds

2021

Site: 1600 Block of Scenic Drive South, Lethbridge, Alberta

Project statement

1. I began thinking deeply about an occasion that occurred on a driving route that I often use in Lethbridge, AB. A deer had been wounded trying to cross a busy highway and lay wounded in the way of other traffic. The Police officer on the scene, instead of cordoning off the area to euthanize the wounded animal with a single gunshot (sad, but humane), decided to ram it to death with his police car. I cry. I still cry. I could hear the deer crying. I am horrified! This scene is cemented into my memory. A seeming indifference to wildlife. A grievous act, enacted repeatedly…the horror! Such a lack of Care. The Wilds were here long before we were. Respect for life…Please!

2. As a child of 4, I thought that I was privileged to be asked to go on a gopher shoot with my much older cousins. I was taught to see gophers as a pest. They carry disease, make holes that horses break their legs in, sadly (often resulting, in past times, of euthanization of the horse). On this particular occasion, which I will relate, many gophers were shot with 22 rifles. I did not like what my cousins were doing, but was told that it was a necessary thing, to control the population. What horrified me even at that tender age was that the boys began to spin the tires of the truck on the already dead gophers, acting like it was fun sport. It was horrific! I shrieked and wailed; I would not be consoled. I was horrified at the treatment of the dead gophers’ bodies. The boys could not console me, so disgusted that I had ruined their fun, they took me home. I have a very tender spot in my heart for nature, animals and the struggle they face in living near and with humans. Nothing prepared animals for our modern ways and attitudes. The lack of care is plainly visible. Some people are dispossessed of care for life. Desecration of bodies is awful, and shows such a disrespect of life. The tusks of dead elephants being so desirable for use in art pieces, piano keys and trinkets; it is morbid and tragic. The insatiable wants of humans, no matter the cost, and that cost being an innocent life, is horrific. Want, is not enough of a reason, or excuse to kill. The tusks wrapped in pink tulle symbolize this for me. Life is to be respected and cared for, protected.

3. I believe that we need to be at ONE with nature and this world. As humans we are capable of and are actively creating our own demise. Polluted habitat, loss of habitat, loss of species, polluted water, polluted soil, polluted oceans, polluted air. The other forms of life on this planet were never prepared nor can they ever be, for the horror we enslave them to. We make our lives harder and their lives impossible. We do not own the Earth, if anything, we are the caretakers, due to our consciousness of it, maybe we should be fired? We have the power to change. We are the beings with consciousness, it is up to us! Not only are we killing them (all creatures, our planet), we are killing ourselves ... While we continue to look around for who is to blame. We are only one part of nature. Respect is needed. Respect is required, it is a matter of caring, of being connected to all living beings, to all living things and to this planet that gives all life. This planet, in the way it is organized and the natural laws it follows, sustains all life.

4. I chose to do tusks of the regal, majestic elephant. Tusks are a vision of power and dominance. Humans, sadly, have been harvesting them from slaughtered elephants for centuries. I love elephants, and all creatures. Elephants are the largest mammal that walks the face of the earth today. They are a force, and such a beautiful, thinking, feeling creature. I took a course in History this last semester and had a hard time coping with all the death that I saw of the elephants, all that remained of their majestic lives, their tusks, resorted to a mountain of lifeless ivory. The evidence is horrific; vast caves filled to overflowing with majestic tusks. Animals’ lives sacrificed, killed for their body parts. The decimation of the population of the majestic buffalo has also been on my mind. So much slaughter, so much death. So much needless waste of life. All of this to sustain the unquenching, insatiable desire of human want; a tainted desire to see things dead and dying. An abuse of nature, using their slaughtered corpses for material gain. So devoid of Care. The mistreatment of living beings as if they do not have a right to life. I shudder! I cannot forget the attempts of the police officer to ‘get rid of’ the nuisance of the deer’s’ life, by ramming it to death. Such disrespect of life. I try to find hope that with the color dying of the tusks taking place in Africa at this time, that some of these magnificent creatures will be saved. We are in peril of losing our ‘Wilds’. Therefore, I draped my tusks in pink tulle, to signify my desire to protect, care and preserve the wilds. There seems to be so little CARE for the other living creatures that share this planet with us. We are all interdependent, this is the way of nature, these are the natural laws of this planet we all call home. Even Einstein wrote of the interconnectedness of this, our planet home. If the bees go, humans have 4 years left alive on this blue marble planet. I do wish that the Wilds could take revenge. That somehow humans, uncaring, would be forced to CARE.

About Alex

I was born in Edmonton, AB. My mother did not hold me. I stayed in an orphanage until I was 4 months old, because Doctors believed that I would go blind. Cataract birthmark.
I was adopted to a family, where I would be the caboose, the youngest of 8 children. I came to live in Southern Alberta where I lived off the shore of the Belly River. I watched beavers build their dens and dams. Took care of goslings whose mothers had been killed. Gave badger babies to wildlife conservationists and wounded eagles to the same. I ran always with a dog, usually some perky hyper attentive Blue heeler. My love of dogs has never ceased. They are my ever companions. I trust them more than people.
I have been deeply saddened to hear stories of people glorifying their kills. Like a distant relative of my adopted family, shooting a coyote off his porch in St. George, Utah, as the coyote desperately tried to chase a hare for food. He laughs at how high the coyote flew into the air at the direct shot that killed him, and I cry. All I can see is disrespect of nature and its processes. I just want humans to stop interfering, unless they are there to repair damage done. Stop the abuse.

I graduated from High School in Ft. Macleod, AB. Pushed by my parents, I went to University in Idaho, USA. Studied Theatre Arts mainly and received my 2-year Associates Degree in General Studies, after completing 3.5 years of mostly Theatre Arts classes. I clung to what I loved for as long as I could. I went to the University of Edmonton, due to the behest of my parents (again), to study nursing. They were not going to help me get a 'useless' degree in the Arts.

1988

I am currently enrolled in University to finish my bachelor’s degree, I used to have a minor in Biology, but have not investigated that being still valid. I came back to school because it has been impossible for me to pay for my treatment on minimum wage, working part time, due to my illness. I am on pain killers most of the time, due to the insistence of the disease and at the reluctance of the Doctors. I have Latent Lyme Disease. I have only survived this long because I am stubborn, tenacious as hell and a bit of a wild child rebel. Friends that know me, call me a 'Force'. I would love to make a statue (movable) of a huge Tick, to warn the public. I have suffered needlessly, for more than 4 decades of a curable disease, enough already! It is just ridiculous. Animals also suffer from this disease. Dogs and cats, if untreated will die in two years. Humans have made this climate perfect for this pathogen to thrive. We stand in the way of ourselves. This is why I did the Tusks. I have just had enough of the lack of respect for living things. The egotism of man (humans). To build something up it takes time, effort, planning, and care... destroying things is easy, building things is hard. It takes less than a second to kill a living thing. A baby Elephant is in utero for 2 years. The babies are close to their mothers and nurse for 2 or more years after birth. Humans kill these glorious creatures in seconds. Deplorably sad! Such a lack of respect for life. I desire for the human attitude to change. I desire for mutual respect of the living planet and all living things that this planet provides for. CARE. Respect of the Wilds: Revenge of the Wilds.
Vendetta del Selvaggio.

The Dock
202

Artist Bio

My childhood was spent growing up on an acreage west of Olds, AB, going to Olds High School I was given the opportunity to take stained glass, this is my main history working with art. The skill of stained class planted the seed for me to think more creatively and more like an artist which was the basis for my art project for this class and the primary inspiration for ‘The Dock’.
Taking an art class at a young age gave me to the ability to challenge my thinking and create the ‘unimaginable’. Currently I am living in Lethbridge and am a student at the University of Lethbridge in the second year of my Bachelor of Science in Ag. Biotechnology. This art class has challenged my creativity and made me think very much out of the box - for that I am very grateful, it has also greatly diversified my class schedule by making my brain work in different ways than usual as I am often working with numbers or some form of biology. Additionally, it has provided me a chance to work with different software such as Sketchup, which has been a very fascinating experience!

Project Statement

This project consists of a glass dock that is located on my family acreage west of Olds, AB. The land is quiet, being located very close to the mountains you can smell the crisp air and feel the nature around you when you are here. This is the main reason it is meaningful to me; this place is near and dear to my heart and holds many great memories for me, this dock is an example of a place to create future memories for me and my family. This dock is a creation of my favorite form of artwork, which is practical, outdoors and built to support the life around it rather than hinder it. My family and I work together to maintain the pond, this is done by maintaining the trees and other plants around the pond to keep the bank secure, the land plants around a pond surprisingly greatly impact the pond vegetation. Maintaining the water level is incredibly important and despite this being very difficult as the water level is a factor of the amount of rainfall, run off and the snow melt we maintain the pond by pumping out water on the surface (to ensure that organisms do not get sucked up as well) to keep the levels at a reasonable level and without the risk of the bank breaking down from too high of water levels.
For these reasons the dock is made out of glass, so the animals below are visible at all times, this gives an appreciation to the lifestyle of the animals below which allows for observation of the behaviors of the animals that commonly inhabit our pond. The types of creatures that call the pond home are salamanders, ducks, geese, muskrats, various birds and, of course, fish! The dock supports the wildlife by adding nutrients back to the pond like phosphorus and nitrogen. This is controlled by a nutrient monitor that covers the bottom of the dock where it makes contact with the water. Phosphorus is a favorable nutrient because it aids in the production of planktonic algae which are fed on my zooplankton which becomes food for pond fish. Planktonic algae are the base of the food chain in pond eco systems, so the benefits are great for the overall health of the pond. The nutrients are returned back to the pond when the levels are low to bring them back to the desired levels for the well-being of the flora and fauna. This pond has been on the land since the land was developed and therefore the animals continually return every spring as they know it is safe and is a great resource for food in the spring and summer months. The water in the pond is maintained through a filtration system that removes odors, colors, ammonia and other organic wastes from the water, this filtration system will be coupled with the positive nutrient feedback that the dock provides as well.
I want this art piece to be more than ‘just a dock’. It will look just like a plain dock that is make out of glass but that really is the ‘tip of the ice burgh’ this is because on the bottom of the dock there are sensors to monitor to the nutrient levels and it carries the ability to replenish the pond of these nutrients through gradual nutrient replenishment. The dock is a representation that we
should work with the land and living organisms that inhabit that territory rather than always making it work for us. It symbolizes the idea of being one with nature and giving back rather than always taking. This artwork demonstrates that we can reach a happy medium with nature because it meets the needs of both humans and non-humans: we get the dock and they get the nutrients from the dock with their habitat remaining neutral by not depleting the pond of nutrients or resources. The dock does not affect the waterways negatively at all. This is important due to the nature of society which is always taking away rather than giving back to nature in a positive way. As humans we do put a lot back into the water ways but most of this ‘stuff’ is toxic chemicals and nothing that improves the life of the animals living within these ecosystems, this is why ‘The Dock’ is so innovative because it is a practical piece that gives back.
This art piece relates to themes in the course as it is specifically built for the pond and is a work of art that creates deep meaning. Being that this artwork is not actually made, I will make some predictions on potential challenges that would occur: moving the art piece would be extremely difficult, having good weather to build it as it would be primarily built outside due to its size, making sure it is safe for humans to be on and the weight restrictions. Creating the dock to actually support the wildlife would be extremely difficult because it such a unique creation and does not have a template that I could recreate. When people see this artwork, I want them to be intrigued by the design and more specifically to have the thought that the more you learn about it and the meanings behind it that it just keeps getting better!

Serene Heavens
2021
acrylic paint, cotton, glue, paper
Site: Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada

https://youtu.be/QWPi-Rgcb5Q

Project statement:
My mural consists of contrasting materials, acrylic paint and lights on large white sheets. This project is a fairly big mural that takes up the ceiling of my site. The planning part of this project was a continual process, whether it was color/hue selection or finding ways to make the clouds pop off the paper. I used freehand grunge strokes, which is a smudge technique to paint the backdrop, then finished it with a clear satin varnish. I chose to paint it this way because I think grunge strokes express the figurative message I'm trying to convey with this mural. I think it's important to use methods that will express the feeling this site emits when one is present in it. I had the desire to create a piece of artwork that would directly illustrate the mood and sentiment of this area. This site has different auras throughout the day, which is why I decided to incorporate lights that display the sentiment of later hours at this site. While trying to create an artwork that displays emotions, I've encountered many bumps creating this project. Every aspect and material of this open sky concept has a meaning that contributes to my main idea. I've created a scale mural to give an idea of the main concept I envisioned before adding more aspects that display the room’s aurora.
For my site I chose the main living room in my house located in Lethbridge. I share this site with my three roommates. This room generally has a feeling of community, freedom and imagination. This room contributes to the feeling and emotions of everyone who shares the site. I think it was important for me to choose a site that had some personal importance to me and the people I see most. Having a place that contributes to my everyday life and relationships made it an ideal place for this piece of artwork. The site motivated me to create a piece of art that would represent and allow others to experience the ambience I experience at this site. Although this site may have unknown or no history, I made a piece of art that displays the history, culture and values of relationships, friends, gratitude and celebration that both myself and others are developing at this site.

About Isaac

Isaac Boateng was born and raised in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He moved to Alberta in high school and, pursuing a postsecondary education, he found himself attending the University of Lethbridge. Isaac has little to no experience with artistic practice or in the art community. He is currently a third-year biology student looking to expand his knowledge in the field of art. While Isaac has had few occurrences with the art community, through recent weeks of art exposure, he has learned a lot about art and the process that goes into creating it. Isaac has found murals to be the key spark in his recent fascination with art.

Give me Gains or Give me Death
2021
Site: Nicolas Sheeran park

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tr38-JPLhno

Give me Gains or Give me Death is a time-lapse video of our peaceful protest about the contradictory elements of past and current Covid gym restrictions. As avid gym goers, we were baffled by our government’s decisions to keep fitness facilities closed during our current pandemic given the effects that exercise has on improving one's physical and mental health. We and many thousands of others have been affected by the closures of our fitness facilities, and most have experienced some degree of mental health issue because of it. Like so many others we have been frustrated due to the many contradictory statements made by our leaders. We chose to highlight these contradictory elements through our entire video, but also to highlight the cycle we all have been experiencing from the lifting and adding of restrictions. In our video, we both played a particular role, Levi played the role of the government, and Raj played the role of the frustrated citizen. Our video symbolizes the government making statements and adding restrictions, and the frustrated citizen questioning their actions and removing restrictions.

The location we chose was the outdoor fitness facility located in Nicolas Sheran Park located in Lethbridge, Alberta. We chose this location due to its symbolic relationship to indoor fitness facilities, and also the symbolic relationship to the confusion felt due to these restrictions. The equipment that is at the park is very confusing as to what it is, and how it is used, and if we can even use it during these restrictions. This puzzlement of the gym equipment and if we have the ability to use it represents the perplexity of the current restrictions regarding the use of fitness facilities. As of March 1st, the government lifted restrictions in the gym but they are confusing. Although gyms are open, heavy weight lifting is not allowed, and high intensity training is not allowed. This is difficult to understand because, who determines what is heavy weight, and who determines what is high intensity? Because these guidelines are different for every individual, much like the gym equipment at the park, it doesn’t make much sense.

Throughout the video you can see the government making statements, then adding restrictions to the outdoor fitness facility. Next, you will see the frustrated citizen showing contradictory statements made by our government by removing the restrictions. The order in which the statements were made by the government, and the questioning of the frustrated citizen symbolizes the timeline of the pandemic, and the thoughts regarding fitness facility closers.

The statements we chose for this piece are from quotes made by our government in relation to guidelines to physical activity requirements, benefits of exercise, reasonings for restrictions, and beliefs about the physical activities impact of citizens. As stated above, the order in which the statements are made are meant to represent a timeline. We pulled these quotes and fitness recommendations from various press conferences, and government websites from health recommendations. Furthermore, our protest video is meant to be played on a loop, the reasoning being to represent the cycle we have experienced, from being free of restrictions, to a complete shutdown, to lifted restrictions, another shutdown, to being slightly lifted again. Because we have no way of knowing if we will go into another lockdown in the future, or we will continue to see the lifting of restrictions, we believe having the video in a constant loop will also create the sense of being stuck in a state of not knowing when it will end.

For the final part of our piece, we wanted to create something that can be used by the public in the location we chose. Because we believe that being physically active is important to not only our physical well-being, but our mental well-being, we created a workout routine that people that visit this park can follow. Additionally, because the equipment is confusing, we added pictures on how to use the equipment. We hope that people will be able to use or find easier to follow workout plan, to help improve visitor’s health. Below is a copy of the workout plan that is posted at our site, along with the signs we made for our video.

In closing, we hope everyone enjoys our piece, and we hope to inspire others to ask questions about our governments decisions and statements to hold our representatives accountable to their words.


About Raj

I’m from Calgary Alberta and am in my third year of a Kinesiology degree at the University of Lethbridge with the goal of becoming a physiotherapist in the future. For the majority of my life, I’ve never really been too interested in art, but in my grade 12 year in high school I started to take upon an interest and admiration towards people’s artwork. The way that every art piece is unique on its own inspired me to see if I could develop artwork. By no means am I a good artist but the interest of this project we have worked on showed me a way that art can be more than just a drawing, painting or a sculpture and this has inspired me to create my first artwork. This piece we created was dictated from the frustration of the lack of our voices being heard by the government, but, with this piece, I feel like this would lead to a greater impact for other people who also feel the frustration that we feel.

About Levi

I’m from Calgary, Alberta, and in my fourth year of Kinesiology at the University of Lethbridge. I have spent a majority of my life playing baseball and traveling around the US and Canada. I have recently retired and now I am focusing on finishing my degree. Once I am done with my degree, I am hoping to pursue a career as a structural firefighter. I do not have the strongest background in art, but recently my parents have inspired me to start expressing my artistic side. My mom has been a teacher and an addictions counsellor for many years and often uses art in her work. My father is a construction manager and he has built many buildings, but on his off time he likes to do woodworking and I tend to work with him. Through the influences of my parents, I have developed an interest in creating woodworks while adding something to them that is personal. The art that I like to make would be something functional, but paint it to make it more specific to me. Last summer my dad and I made bar stools for our cabin, then my mom and I painted them to represent each member of our family. I am still a very rookie artist, and do not have the strongest skills, but I have a decent imagination that is often impulsive so when I do art it is often something random that I just thought of off the top of my head.


Beginner Training Program

The purpose of this training program is for individuals who are beginners when it comes to working out or individuals who are just starting to train again due to the three-month layoff from the gym because of the COVID-19 restrictions implemented by the Alberta Government. During phase 1 of the training, working out was only allowed if you could afford a costly trainer. We set up this free training program so we can criticize the fact that you shouldn’t need to pay for a personal trainer just to work out and that beginners should be able to follow a guideline of wanting to become more physically active while not being overwhelmed by people at the gym.

In this program, we want to be working at a high-intensity level with around 45 seconds to a minute rest between each exercise.

Trials and Tribulations
2021
14”x8”
acrylic on African Native cloth
Site: Lagos, Nigeria
Project statement:

My family is of Nigerian descent. Before I was born, my oldest Aunt died in Lagos. I never met her, but I continuously heard stories about the great works she had done while I was growing up. Along with my father, she was consistently head loading and transporting food and supplies for her family. Nigeria is a country where times can get tough especially growing up in poverty. Most Western African countries lack the funds to help their citizens acquire some of life's most simple resources due to corrupt governments. My Aunt's goal from head-loading was always to gain. (Head loading is a way of food transportation in Africa that has been used for years. The food is usually placed on top of the head.) Unfortunately, one day she died on the streets of Lagos as she was hit by a bus trying to sell food for school fees. This story had great inspiration in my life. Sometimes hard work doesn't always end the way you want but the vision will always be there, as hard work will never be forgotten. This will forever motivate me to work hard! This course is based on site-specific artwork. This course is not just for artists, it's for people who are willing to learn and adapt. I am not the best artist in the world but I strive to do my best.

I decided to paint a picture of my Aunt. Rather than using basic supplies, I decided that I would paint a picture of her head loading on a road similar to the one where she was killed with a piece of metal. The pieces of metal signify the material of the bus when she was killed to translate the feelings. The location of my site-specific work is Lagos, Nigeria. Lagos is a very busy city filled with multiple people in the heart of Western Africa. It is one of the most populated African cities and is still growing at a very fast pace. Lagos is where the country completes most of its import transactions. Lagos then and Lagos now are still very similar. No major changes have been made to improve the economic struggle of the country and city occupants as the country has plenty of corruption. I have decided to name my work Trials and Tribulations.

I decided to start my artwork with African Native cloth. This is done to pay homage to my Aunt. This kind of cloth is something that she frequently wore like many other Africans. I chose acrylic paint for my artwork. If you paint or participate in artwork occasionally then you will know as I have just learned that acrylic paint is usually best for pieces like this. I wanted to add shading to my artwork so I decided to use spray paint. I implemented the use of green painter's tape to make sure colors didn't collide and distort the different shades. The pieces of metal were used to paint.

The size of my artwork is approximately 14”x8” After going through many trial phases in making many mistakes, I decided that this would be the best size for the completion of my project. It is a 2D-style painting that reflects very well on Lagos, Nigeria. The cloth and bright yellow acrylic paint made my project stand out the most! The contrast of colors is what allowed me to express my picture and make it intriguing to viewers. Painting with pieces of metal was very difficult. This is the reason why I made so many mistakes. I often cut the cloth as I aimed to paint too sharp and add incredibly fine details. This artwork has taken me 3 weeks to complete. I enjoyed every day working on this project. My patience increased and my finesse gained traction.

About Myself:

My name is Samuel Adelugba. My family ancestry is of Nigerian descent. I am currently 20 years old. Although my family is of Nigerian descent, I was never born there. Plenty of people find it surprising when I tell them I was born in Dublin, Ireland. My parents moved from Nigeria, in their 20’s and have been living in first-world countries ever since. I have been blessed enough to grow up in first-world countries with the help of my hard-working family members. My whole life I have been blessed to be surrounded by hard working parents. This has always inspired me to do great. My goal will always be to return the favor and take care of my parents the same way they took care of me. Coming from an African Heritage can be tough at times, you have to expect the unexpected. There are certain things you don't know about family members and the pain that they may go through daily.

After living in Ireland for 9 years of my life my family decided to immigrate to the United Kingdom. At the age of 14, my family then immigrated to Alberta, Canada. One experience that has shaped my creativity is my neck injury at age 14. I fractured my upper spinal cord. Thankfully, I made a full recovery and am better than ever. Unfortunately, this injury was a result of my foolishness. I was essentially given a second chance at life. People like Aunty worked hard, and their lives ended tragically. Being in a position where your life is close to ending can affect your mental health. The main thoughts in your head often relate to what you can do better. We only have one life.

Currently, my family lives in Airdrie, Alberta. However, I live in Lethbridge as I am attending the University of Lethbridge. I am currently in the Bachelor of Science of Kinesiology program. I am in my third year of study. My field of study suits who I am as a person. I try to consistently stay active as this helps me develop my physical literacy. My parents have inspired me to always involve myself with health care, so I hope to one day become a chiropractor or physical therapist.

Sunset love
2021
20”x24”
leaves, plastic knives, branches, acrylic paint, white canvas
Site: Nicholas Sheran Park

Project statement:

I find myself drawn to works from a variety of art styles and movements. I enjoy the notion of cubism, abstract expression, realism and colour theory. I enjoy experimenting and finding new ways in which I can create an image without using conventional materials and this is something I wish to further explore in the future. For this semester, I created a painting using the resources found in nature such as leaves, rocks, garbage, etc. I decided to take on this idea after looking at the works by Andy Goldsworthy and Alice Fox. They both incorporate elements found in nature into their art practice. For my test piece, I created a landscape that took approximately 4-5 hours to complete. I wasn't sure how this was going to turn out as this is my first time not only working with paint but with common materials.
As I was making the painting, I realized that bigger leaves were better for covering large areas of surface areas, but when it came to smaller detailing, I could not use them anymore. Instead, I angled the rocks to find a finer tip to use. One thing I would’ve changed in my process would have been to use plant stems/ branches or even bird feathers to help with fine detailing instead of rocks for it to look more “neat.” I enjoyed how the colours turned out in my landscape piece, this is something I plan to move forward with when I start my final painting. Another thing I enjoyed was playing around with different shades of colours and how they added depth to the piece. By using the method of natural materials, one can say that I am rejecting the notion that for you to create a painting, one needs to use a specific method of application in order to achieve a successful piece.
My site-specific location is Nicholas Sheran Park. The park was built in 1974 and named after one of the city's founders. Nicholas Sheran Park is the biggest park in west Lethbridge and also home to the longest disc golf course in Canada. It is an 18-hole course spread out over the park which is 100 acres. It is home to lots of wildlife in the spring and summer. You can even see some kayakers and boaters in its man-made lake. I chose to use Nicholas Sheran Park as my site-specific location because I realized I would have more materials to work with due to the park’s size. It is also in close proximity to my house and since I have lived in Lethbridge, I haven't explored it a lot, so I decided to step into an unfamiliar environment.
The steps I took in which to create this final piece was a journey worthwhile. Through the exploration of the materials, I have gained a better understanding of the relationship paint has to a canvas. I had fun mixing and applying each colour to the proper spots. I took the advice and help everybody suggested to me in the last class to improve my painting by taking away the black border which I had on my rough sketch, and instead worked on the process of shade and depth in my piece. One difficulty I had throughout this process was re-creating the same shade of colour before it ran out. This gave me the idea to just keep creating different shades of the different pigments as the painting progressed to add affect. This benefitted to my painting because it allowed me to have a familiar sense of gradation giving my painting a greater realistic appearance. My main focused on this piece was texture. I spent a lot of time re-stamping certain areas to make sure there were no visible white spots, also that the texture was prominent. My favourite part of making the piece was working on the sky. I had lots of fun mixing various shades of orange and yellow then later overlapping them to give that “sunset” approach which I think really elevated the work. Overall, this project was not only a great opportunity for me to further improve my skills in painting but was also gave me a chance to gain greater knowledge of my surroundings, while also coming up with unorthodox ideas to create an art piece. I hope to create more pieces like this in the near future!

About Thibaut

I was born in Cameroon and moved to Calgary, Alberta when I was 5 years old. I currently reside in Lethbridge, Alberta and attend the University of Lethbridge. I am in my third year of my Bachelor of Science degree, pursuing education in physiotherapy or chiropractic studies. I have never taken an art class before, but I have always wanted to develop my creative mind and learn not only about the art community but how to express myself through my own creations. My time in this course has given me a new appreciation for artists and their crafts. I did not realize how much time it took to create an artwork nor the effort involved in the process of creating something you are passionate about. I also did not realize how expensive art supplies were until I bought them. This course has made me eager to further continue with the practice of making something beautiful and that I am proud of.

A Pronghorns Home
2021
cardboard, spray paint
Site: University of Lethbridge student housing

Project Statement

The site I have chosen is my Lethbridge university house's bedroom; it is a small room that's 7' by 7' feet. I have my bed, dresser, nightstand, and a coffee table for my TV. Some basketball and hockey jerseys are hung up on the walls, but above my bed is an empty wall on which I decided to put my artwork. I take school seriously as it is meaningful to me and is the reason I am in Lethbridge. The artwork I have designed shows in a way how I have made it to this point in life through my own eyes with the pronghorn representing Myself and how the landscape of Lethbridge is what backs the person I am while I am here. I choose these materials because, in my Lethbridge home, there was an abundance of old cardboard when we moved here. I see the cardboard signifying how this Lethbridge house, this site, is part of the artwork. With stencils and spray paint being something I have always wanted to do throughout my life, I think it signifies how I am trying to do new things to create the space around me, helping me create a more solid, personal 'style/character.' Where my style has mostly been just pencil, pen, and acrylic paint of animated characters and now I’m trying new materials and different paint style being with stencils and spray paint.

This work considers the idea of a person's specific history in a site and creating artwork with that in mind beyond just using the general history of the site to create the art piece. My history of this site begins only because I am going to school in Lethbridge, leading me to meet my roommates and move to this certain room. Using materials found on the site helps solidify the artwork being a part of the site itself. The pronghorn is me representing that, in this site and artwork, Lethbridge is the pronghorn’s home and I am the pronghorn while Lethbridge is my home. This artwork was full of challenges, including where I should put it and how it can really bring out both my own history and the history of the site. I put a lot of thought into the colours that should be used in the artwork, whether it should be just black and white or add some colour into the piece. When someone is viewing this artwork, I want them to think about Lethbridge: while this is a landscape of the bridge in Lethbridge and a pronghorn which is a wild animal in abundance in Lethbridge, I want them to think of how this piece is in a bedroom and what the pronghorn might signify and why is this certain artwork is special to this site, along with what it might have to do with the artist’s history.


About Emmitt

I am from Calgary, Alberta, where I grew up and have spent my entire life. I have lived in Lethbridge for school over the past 3 years. I am a kinesiology and education student and want to become a PE teacher. I have always loved art; I mostly do pencil drawings, making comic strips, and enjoy drawing my favourite characters from my favourite shows including Naruto, Dragonball, Attack on Titan, and many more. Lately, I have been getting into painting with acrylics and now work with spray paint. Anime is the main reason I started drawing and has helped shape my creativity. Anime’s particular art style made me want to draw and has helped me create a certain style of drawing that I enjoy. This is my first art class since the 10th grade. I am attending the University of Lethbridge in my 3rd year of study, so it has been a while. Still, my love for Art has always been there and I have been enjoying getting back in touch with my artistic side!