Canmore’s Elevation Gallery was a hive of creativity and celebration on Saturday (July 11) for its 15th year anniversary celebration exhibit.
The gallery started celebrations two weeks ago by introducing four new artists being represented by the gallery. Shane Norrie, Cedar Mueller of Canmore, Jason Poturica of Winnipeg and Glen Wallis of Cherry Valley, Ont. had pieces displayed for the exhibit.
“The fold is growing and this anniversary show is showcasing some of our longtime artists, including Tony Bloom, Pascale Ouellet, Ian Sheldon and Michael Cameron,” said Elevation Gallery’s Phil Guy. “It feels wonderful; I’ve only been with the gallery for five years and Cheryl (Baxter) has had the gallery 15 years and I’m really happy to be a part of the celebration. Cheryl has been a wonderful boss and a great advocate for the arts.”
Fifteen core artists were displayed for the show, with Guy estimating at least 100 new pieces added to the gallery.
Represented artist Ouellet was in attendance for the exhibit, which showcased several of her latest works. “Cheryl and I are always thanking of each other and if I have a chance I always mention how lucky I am that she accepted to represent me 11 years ago and changed my life,” Ouellet said.
Ouellet’s latest work deals with the glorification of animals and her relationship with livestock and the unease of consuming them.
“Yes I do eat meat and feel my body needs it, but I feel the whole condition of the animal life, I’m not really happy with what’s going on. I feel now I have a duty being an artist because my time is so precious when I make art that I don’t just want to make something pretty – I want to say something,” Ouellet said.
In her latest artistic statement, Ouellet lays out the direction she is taking toward her artistic output: “My work focuses on our largely unintentional relationships with livestock. This interest came into focus after moving to Alberta in 2002, when I found myself surrounded by the agricultural scenes that grace the Alberta landscape.
“My relationship with livestock has long been one of unease. I recognize that livestock are marked with traces of human manipulation from the creation of breeds to the control of every element of their life cycle – including the time and manner of their deaths. As sources of food, clothing and other consumer goods, we rely heavily on these animals in our daily lives. Yet, the average consumer generally gives little heed to their existence, or the conditions under which they live. In response, my work seeks to glorify farm animals with the aim of raising their lot (and our awareness) within our consumer-based society.”
As part of the 15th anniversary celebration, Elevation Gallery is kicking off the One White Wall project. An amazing opportunity for artists to curate their own salon-style show. This is a non-profit exhibition, and a great way for artists to explore other avenues without the usual constraints. There will be a new show opening every two weeks. Starting with Canmore’s very own Ouellet. A reception and artist’s talk will be held from 4-6 p.m. Saturday (July 18).
“We’re inviting artists to curate their own show, so whether it’s their own work or something they want to experiment with to just get it out there for people to see, or collaborations with people – we’ve left it entirely up to the artists to curate themselves,” Guy said.
