These are dry times. Summer slips away faster than you can catch it – a dime down the drain. The sky hangs damp and icy today. Across the globe, powerful little men toy with the world’s future like it’s a game of chicken. Hurricanes have ravaged large parts of our earth. Families will suffer the effects for years to come. Terrorists won’t let London sleep.
This planet can get so ugly. So broken. So disordered. So many of our mirrors are shattered.
There is order in beauty. A divine order, I believe, but whatever your theology you can feel it. The affirmation of disparate parts falling into place.
Jennifer Berkenbosch’s Cultivar matters because the world needs beauty today. We need to be reminded that there is goodness. There is a solid bed beneath this wild river.
Cynthia Hamar is an Edmonton area singer-songwriter who released her third album, The Son and I, just this weekend
You have something to say–why not say it here? Email your blog post idea to dave@bleedingheartart.space and let's chat.
Today I want to shine the spotlight on you. Or us. Since we began this journey called Website Wednesdays, many of you have jumped in and launched your own artist website. Many of you have been using Squarespace to do this. Like me. I want to show our sites off
You have something to say–why not say it here? Email your blog post idea to dave@bleedingheartart.space and let's chat.
This week, rave about the artists you love in Edmonton. I look forward to making new discoveries with you.
You have something to say–why not say it here? Email your blog post idea to dave@bleedingheartart.space and let's chat.
As we have a Call in the wild these days, we're waiting to see what Edmonton artists have to say to their city. We're not the first to find #YEG inspiring. There are many artists out there making work about Edmonton already, and here are just a few to check out. Perhaps they'll inspire you to make your own Edmonton art and submit to Bridge Songs: Dear Edmonton,?
Stephanie, an old friend of The Bleeding Heart, has been making lino-block printed art cards for the past few years featuring a fusion of Edmonton maps and iconic Edmonton landmarks. The concept and the aesthetic work well together, and have also spawned some unique woven bags. Check out Stephanie's 'I heart Edmonton' work at http://iheartedmonton.ca/
Stephanie also offers workshops in lino-block printing, which you can find through her website at http://iheartedmonton.ca/workshops/
Sara French is the current artist-in-residence at Harcourt House, and one of her projects is the making of an Edmonton Arts Newspaper, produced by scouring Edmonton's publications of any trace of arts coverage. This is Edmonton art about Edmonton art. About as 'meta' as it gets?
Read about the project on the Edmonton Examiner website at http://www.edmontonexaminer.com/2014/01/29/harcourt-houses-artist-in-residence-sara-french-hopes-to-spend-her-tenure-making-a-paper-covering-the-arts-in-edmonton
Visit Sara French's own website at sarafrench.net
I'm a big fan of retro illustration, and a big fan of Edmonton, so discovering Jason Blower's work was a bit of a dream. Jason has been busy illustrating everything from magazine articles to the entrance of the Southgate Mall LuLu Lemon. I have a (small) print in my home, and there are many more I'd like to have.
Discover Jason Blower's whimsical paintings of Edmonton, and other fun things like Star Wars figures on Christmas morning, at http://www.jasonblower.com
And now for some writing on that most defining of Edmonton experiences - winter. 40 Below came out late last year, and explores the dark chilly months of Edmonton through over 70 written works by 50 Edmonton and area writers. View the trailer for the book below, and get your copy at http://www.40belowproject.ca.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6lhBM81Pgo#t=243
Wenda SalomonsWe mentioned Wenda's photo-a-day Instagram project recently, but I think it paints a beautiful picture of an unseen, unassuming Edmonton, and is thus worth sharing again.
http://instagram.com/woowoowenda
You can find Wenda's fine art website at http://wendasalomons.com
Another Edmonton illustrator, Jaime Calayo has undertaken a massive project to design a unique crest, or logo, for every community of Edmonton. The process, which began with Oliver, involved some research and input from the various 'hoods. It is now complete in the form of a glorious poster that you can order from the 'Where We Are From' project website, http://www.wherewearefrom.com.
Read coverage of the project in Metro News at http://metronews.ca/news/edmonton/881780/artist-creates-distinct-logos-for-124-edmonton-neighbourhoods/
Visit Jaime Calayo's site at http://jaimecalayo.com
Turning from illustration to indie-literature, I love the idea behind Not At The Mall - a local zine I picked up at The Carrot. Could there possibly be a better Edmonton zine title than 'Not At The Mall'? I think not.
http://wearenotatthemall.tumblr.com/post/61468221762/zine-not-at-the-mall-phase-1
OK. One more illustrator for the list. Raymond Biesinger has an amazingly intricate print of an early 80's Edmonton in black and white. You can get your copy at http://www.fifteen.ca, or discover more about the project in an Avenue Magazine piece at http://www.avenueedmonton.com/articles/retro-city.
Edmonton is a city of murals, and many of those murals were painted by local artist Kris Friesen. Many of them reflect on the communities they beautify, or on Edmonton's larger-than-life personalities. Discover just how much of Friesen's work you already know at http://www.krisfriesen.com.
A couple of years ago local filmmaker Jaimie Clements documented the arts-driven transformation of the Alberta Avenue neighbourhood in The Avenue Movie. If you haven't seen it yet, it provides a snapshot into a time of great momentum on The Ave, and is well worth the watch. We've supported Jaimie Clements and this project by building and hosting her film's website at http://www.theavenuemovie.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tiFPmrHfkVc
So who have I missed? I know they're out there - those musicians, poets and photographers – those short film directors and playwrights making work reflecting us back at ourselves.
Let us know of any you know in the comments below.
You have something to say–why not say it here? Email your blog post idea to dave@bleedingheartart.space and let's chat.
