The results are in and they are spectacular. There are 210 individual pieces of artwork, each sized 10-cm by 12-cm, in the new Imago Mundi book called Oh West Canada! Of those, nearly 10 per cent – come from artists from St. Albert.
"St. Albert got a big, big boost in the book," enthused Laura Watmough, the main local contact for Jennifer Karch, the curator of the project. Watmough was also one of the 20 who were accepted for the publication.
And gracing the cover is August on the Prairies by Doris Charest. The artist was delighted with the news, especially since it meant that she would also be part of a big exhibit in Italy.
"I was surprised and happy. I had originally thought it was more of a donation to a cause activity, then I found out the painting would be showing at the Venice biennale."
There are more artworks available online than made the cut for the print version. Joining Charest are artists Cindy Revell, Miles Constable, Denise Lefebvre, Tom Steele, Wenda Pfeifer, Sharon Merryweather, Gerhard Frost, Shairl Honey, Elizabeth Tessier, Madeleine Arnett, Peg McPherson, Judy Leila Schafers, Pearl Der, Michele Sawatzky, Sharon Moore-Foster, Patricia Trudeau, Samantha Williams-Chapelsky, Sandy Dewar, Laura Watmough, Sylvie Fergusson, Betty Dupuis, Peter Gegolick, Julie Kaldenhoven, Bernie Neumann, Cathy Friesen, Linda Aleksa, Rick Rogers and Bev Bunker.
The works were commissioned by Luciano Benetton, the owner of the Benetton Colors chain of department stores. He created the Imago Mundi movement to collect art from many different sectors of the globe.
Now that this book has been published, a special exhibit called the New Frontiers of Art is being scheduled for public viewing. It will feature hundreds upon hundreds of individual artists including those included in Oh West Canada!. There will be 10,000 pieces and 71 countries represented in total. The exhibition will be held next summer in Venice, Italy.
"I'm pretty excited," Watmough continued, adding an onomatopoeic exclamative. "Everybody is all 'hoo-oooo'!"
More information can be found online at www.imagomundiart.com/collections/oh-west-canada. The book is available for purchase on the site for €29.
New public art install finally complete
The second piece of public art assigned to the St. Albert Seniors Association's new home at Red Willow Place was finally installed above the door two weeks ago, a month after the first.
Sturgeon River Roundel completes the two large ceramic works by the Red Deer artist team of Dawn Detarando and Brian McArthur. It joins Quilter's Garden inside the foyer of the recently reopened centre.
Awards abound
The St. Albert Painters' Guild held its annual fall show and sale two weekends ago at St. Albert Place. Artist Olga Duk received the coveted red ribbon for the People's Choice Award for her painting of a seated woman with flowers in her hair and holding a lute. This is the second year in a row that she has been given the prize.
Susan Berwald's monotype print called Seasonal Colours won first place in the Beginners category at the Open Competition held by the Allied Arts Council of Spruce Grove. That exhibit ended Oct. 1.
