Hidden Talent's annual Christmas art show might not have a theme as it usually would but that isn't hindering the 40 or so art students from giving the show a reason to stand out. In fact, it seems like they've thrown out all the stops.
"We are all the way from cheetahs to grapes to doorways to florals," explained owner/instructor Laura Watmough of the show coming to the Spotlight Gallery.
She said that the quality of the work continues to improve, something that impresses her to no end.
"It is getting better every year. It's amazing! It makes me feel good!"
She considers this a mark of success for her students, some of whom have made the studio their second home for upwards of a decade.
The 'blink-and-you'll-miss-it' show takes place tomorrow only from 1 to 3 p.m. Many artists will be in attendance.
Hidden Talent is located at #107, 25 Chisholm Ave. Call 780-419-2055 or visit www.hiddentalentartschool.com for more information.
Violet Owen at VAAA
One of Alberta's premiere figurative artists is making her premiere at the Visual Arts Alberta's gallery next week.
This is only Violet Owen's fourth show since 2000 and it's only one of a dozen or so solo shows that she has had in her extensive career. It is sure to be a major highlight on this year's cultural events calendar.
She has spent decades in her career as a painter and sculptor, and Chris Carson, the director at the Visual Arts Alberta Association as well as one of the two co-curators of the show, calls her not just one of Edmonton's revered senior artists but also a major draw because of the length of her career and the subject matter of her paintings.
"She graduated from the Ontario College of Art and Design in 1953 and she's been working on figurative paintings, drawings and sculptures ever since," he said. "We're very excited by this show."
Her primary focus is on the female nude, declaring the figure to be the most challenging subject to paint. During an interview with Alberta Culture back in the early 1970s, she regarded her oeuvre as the accomplishment of someone who worked without fear, something she attributed to the longevity of her practice.
"As you get older, you get more aggressive," she stated. "Sometimes you're afraid to do certain things but the older I get the less afraid I am … what the hell!"
In his curator statement, Carson related his reaction to seeing her work for the first time in the mid-1980s.
"My first impression upon confronting Violet Owen's work was one of shock. I was shocked by the spontaneity and restless energy in Owen's work," he wrote. "[It] spoke of an artist clearly following her own path rather than following the group esthetic so prevalent in the Edmonton scene. She seemed comfortable with female sexuality and comfortable in her own skin."
Modern Woman featuring works by Violet Owen opens on Dec. 11 with an opening reception from 7 to 9:30 p.m. The artist will be in attendance.
The exhibit runs until Jan. 31, 2015. It was curated by VAAA director Chris Carson and Shane Golby, art educator and curator with the Art Gallery of Alberta.
The Visual Arts Alberta gallery is located on the third floor of Harcourt House, 10215 112 Street in Edmonton. Call 780-421-1731 or visit www.visualartsalberta.com for more information.
