A few days ago, some friends invited me along on a tour they were making of the studios of various artisans in the Duncan area. It was a delightful day meandering around the countryside, looking at some very interesting arts and crafts, and catching up with each other. I was presented with a lot of […]
On 118th Avenue in Edmonton is an abandoned movie theatre. It has been standing unused for at least eight years, when I moved to the area. It is on a large piece of real estate in an area that is central to the city, and I have always wondered why no-one has bought it to […]
“There’s no crying in Alberta. P.S. Get a job & give back. Thank you. Merci. Hyi Hyi. Gratious & such. Be blessed & a blessing. Much love & respect. Strawberry. Amen.” Discuss.
Just behind some shops on 82nd Avenue in Edmonton is an alley with some interesting murals. They are from several different artists and show a variety of styles, but they have one thing in common; courageous flair. I am always impressed by the confidence it takes to create artwork on such a massive scale, and […]
When I was visiting the Strathearn neighbourhood in Edmonton with my younger son last month, we stopped to enjoy a lovely little corner of the world. It is a parking area behind a strip mall, and a container garden, and a sculpture gallery all in one. I suspect the sculptures are the work of the […]
In Borden Park this morning, workers were preparing for an exhibition of animatronic dinosaurs which will be open to the public September 24-26. Today’s park visitors were drawn to watch the hive of activity from behind red metal fences. We peered through the spaces to watch dinosaurs, wrapped in plastic, being carefully manoeuvred into place […]
Today’s morning walk took me along the North Saskatchewan River from Louise McKinney Riverfront Park to Irene Parlby Park. I enjoyed seeing the play of light and shadow on the ground and through the leaves of the trees. I also enjoyed watching a group of about ten women learning to use Segways. When I first […]
It is easy to dismiss murals as graffiti or even as vandalism but over the years, and the last ten years in particular, they have flourished and have become widely accepted. What was once sometimes rude and crude is now often artful and valued. Wherever I go, I enjoy seeing mural art. Most cities encourage […]
In 1997 the former Canadian naval vessel HMCS Saskatchewan became an artificial reef east of Nanaimo. This mural on Front Street by artist Jeff King portrays that vessel in situ, continuing to be of service.
While visiting Nanaimo, British Columbia this week I spent a morning at Departure Bay. The bay and the neighbourhood surrounding it were incorporated into the city of Nanaimo in the 1970s. The Trans-Canada Highway on Vancouver Island terminates at Departure Bay where the BC Ferry Terminal is located. The ferry connects the island to the […]
Months ago, when I first read about the Imagine Van Gogh exhibition, I was keen to experience it. It was originally scheduled to be shown from March 27 to May 2, and I bought tickets for the family. Then, it was postponed for three weeks because of Covid-19 restrictions. Our tickets were transferred to the […]
Today I saw some new murals at Kingsway Mall in Edmonton. The first is called Nimihitowin and the artist is Nelson “Dedos” Garcia. The work is a tribute to two Nehiyaw (Cree) artists: iskocês (lunacee) and mitêw kisêynô (creeasian). (Kingsway Mural Project) The artist has said: “It is a celebration of the positive work that […]
In a recent blog post entitled “Look,” were photos of a wall mural that included some versions of dreamcatchers. Because of the size of the wall and the limitations of the camera used at the time, not all of the objects could be easily seen. As a consequence, today I returned to that wall with […]
Near Delton School in Edmonton, on 121 Avenue, is an interesting mural. It is on the side of a building that was once a retail outlet or perhaps a restaurant, but is now residential. The wall faces a small park. The art work is three-dimensional and made up of a combination of artifacts and bundled […]
Snowbird of Paradise 