When anyone mentions Carol Watamaniuk, usually people think of politician or administrator. Arts enthusiast was always in the background of those careers.
Things have changed. Watamaniuk now calls herself a jewelry designer and the proof will be on display at Gemport. Starting tomorrow, the public at large will get its first taste of the Atrevida joyeria única! collection.
"It's really not so much that I need more jewelry – because I sure don't," she exclaimed with a laugh, "It's that I love designing! I love creating things and making things, restructuring things and repurposing things into making new objects. I've been that way all my life."
Watamaniuk, as it happens, is an avid collector of found objects and old jewelry.
"I put them together into a whole new, usually much bolder way."
It's that boldness that even earned the collection its name. The artist asked a Spanish-speaking friend of hers what she thought of the work. That person responded in her mother tongue. 'Atrevida joyeria única' means 'bold, unique jewelry.'
She brought in the raw materials and the designs and, with the help of Emilie Baron, Gemport's fabricator, the jewelry line was born.
The Atrevida joyeria única! collection will be on display at the store for the month of September starting tomorrow for the last ArtWalk of the summer season. For tomorrow's event, there will be models walking around the store showing off the collection in action. Local painter Memory Roth will also have several fine selections of her recent works on the wall. Sangria will be served.
Watamaniuk herself will have a very dramatic bronze and copper necklace featuring Chinese coins and an octagonal medallion as the centrepiece.
Gemport is located at 11B St. Anne Street. Call 780-458-7499 or visit www.gemport.net for more information.
Art Battle
Nataliya Bukhanova is preparing for battle but no one is meant to get hurt in the ordeal.
Now in its fifth year of showing painters across the country how to rock a canvas like a champ, Art Battle 64 is finally coming to Edmonton. It is a live competitive painting challenge for "art, cash and glory," according to the event's Facebook page.
"A lot of artists get together and paint – they are given the topic – and then the public decides who is the winner."
Twelve painters including Bukhanova will have 20 minutes to create each painting. The audience moves around as the painters are hard at work, allowing the spectators a close-up view of the creative process in action.
Afterward, the audience members vote for their favourite paintings. There will also be a silent auction sale of the works.
The winning painter will earn her or his spot in the 2014 Art Battle National Championship.
The event takes place starting at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 14. More information – including the event's as-yet undisclosed location – can be found at www.artbattle.com.
