Doris Charest has pretty pics, babe, and she shows them in the lobby starting tonight.
With apologies to Bobby Darin, the local artist has some of her works on display in the lobby of a well-known play. The Walterdale Theatre is opening The Threepenny Opera tonight, Bertolt Brecht’s musical about beggars in London. In the lobby you will find three of Charest’s mixed media collages that look like scrapbooks of dreams and memories.
“It should be a good show,” she predicted. It wasn’t clear, however, if she was referring to the works on the stage or in the gallery.
She got this opportunity after she responded to a call out for submissions followed by a juried selection process. She and four others were chosen to submit their works.
That gift comes with a proviso, however. There is a small loss of artistic freedom in exchange for a guideline on subject matter. The works should be relevant to the story of the play, whether it be with the theme, characters or just an abstract element.
Charest, like many artists, finds this a refreshing challenge to stimulate her creativity.
“It's kind of a fun challenge because you try and use your style and at the same time incorporate something that you've never done before and be inspired by the music or the images. I listened to the music and that's what inspired me.”
The finished works have a central figure involved in certain scenes.
"It's like a thinking back to what's happening in the story.”
Having this kind of profile for a prominent stage production can provide critical exposure to a unique audience. Showing your work in a gallery often means getting the same crowd over and over again. Theatre people don't always make a point of hanging out at exhibits.
The Walterdale Theatre is a unique venue in that it regularly offers exhibition space to talented local artists. Look on any listing of galleries and you won't see it but it should be there. Even the theatre’s website has a link straight to the Gallery @ Walterdale.
The Alberta Society of Artists (ASA) is currently programming six two-week exhibitions at the venue for the upcoming 2011/12 season starting in the fall. It also notes that there is space for about 20 pieces, a security system is in place and no artist fees will be paid, but a 20 per cent commission on all sales will be divided between the theatre and the ASA.
