VIEW OUR REPRESENTED ARTISTS AND THEIR WORK

CURRENT EVENTS.

Hats off to the highlife!

May 2024 - November 2024

Well folks, let me tell ya about this here art. It’s like a tumbleweed blowin’ through the gallery of life, pickin’ up bits of pop art culture, rock ‘n roll rhythm, a whole lotta sass and a ton of glue. I’m wrangling together a visual rodeo that features vibrant western cowpoke paired with unconventional backdrops. I don’t just push boundaries, I stick ’em on all four sides of my canvas and ride off into the sunset of imagination. Fancy artist statements? They’re like tryin’ to lasso a wild mustang on a moonlit night—sounds good, but who knows what it really means? So, let’s just sit back, raise your hat, and let the art do the talkin’.

RINGO'S MY UNCLE

Meet Bryan Craig, a fellow who’s been brewing creativity since he could hold a crayon without eating it. He fancies himself as just a regular guy with a penchant for art, music, and gallivanting around the globe. Despite being born in Edmonton, he’s sworn allegiance to Calgary for a whopping quarter- century. Art degree? Nah, he’s got a diploma in Environmental Graphic Design, a relic from the ancient era of the 1990s that kicked off his two-decade-long stint in the graphics jungle. But then, one fateful day, he had an epiphany: enough with the clicks, time to embrace the strokes! And thus, the emergence of Ringo’s My Uncle artwork was unleashed to the unsuspecting world!
When it comes to inspiration, our friend here is a self-proclaimed aficionado of all things retro. His masterpieces are started by orchestrating both torn newsprint and meticulously hand-cut images into mind-bending collages that extend to all four sides of the canvas, like a controlled explosion of artistic brilliance. And within these collages—more mini collages? It’s like a treasure hunt for your eyeballs, with surprises lurking in every nook and cranny! Western vibes, vintage anything, and rock ‘n roll rhythms all contribute to the texture lurking beneath the painted cowboys and cowgirls – nifty ain’t it? As a burgeoning artist, he is exploring various techniques like silkscreening, stenciling, and geli pad printing, with the aspiration of incorporating them into his repertoire. His foray into abstract asemic art, a sophisticated term for his captivating scribbles and doodles, further demonstrates his artistic curiosity. Amidst this exploration, one element remains steadfast: the unmistakable flair of Ringo’s My Uncle artwork. So buckle up folks, because this artistic journey is just getting started!

HOT CAST WORK.

Looking to the future from the present reflection of the past

Alana Biffert

January 2024 - June 2024

Art making for me is about significant moments of introspection. Imparting those observations as an offering; the ubiquity of art, honoured within the material’s language. I have dedicated my education and growth to being just that, an Artist. It is my job to discover the hidden beauty in the unfamiliar. Glass has the capability of assuming any form in an immaculate way. It is a technically demanding material that takes time and dedication to be mastered. It is not harmonious with everything. Glass has a sympathetic relationship with light that arouses a traditional connection. This is what draws me to glass as a material.
 
I believe that art gives us a voice, an opportunity to be heard. My work consists of large-scale mixed media installations that fall under the conceptual umbrella of consumerism and the authentic consequences of time. There is a dynamic relationship between glass and wood that I have chosen to venture. The resolution of these contradicting materials passing through one another are objects that hold the permanent print of an exchange, much like the conversation about the industrialization of our environment. This mirrors the depreciation of one material in exchange for another. A frozen timeline, like a catalogue of memories offering us an opportunity to examine our impact on the environment.
 
These discoveries embodied through the destruction of the wood take on a particular form that make each individual glass casting authentic, enunciating the understated beauty of a moment. As two materials revel, the dichotomy is extracted and mimicked, accentuating the indelible qualities of glass and its ability to achieve unfamiliar forms while preserving continuity with light.

This grouping of work is a contemporary study representing this investigation. The variables that stay the same throughout the process represent the pulse of our industrial growth. One could not be without the creation of the prior. The vertebras of mother nature versus the binding notions of cultural consumerism, displayed is the depletion of our environment in exchange for industry. The wood, though not present in physical form, is still evident.  Through the process of hot casting, it is reduced to nothing but ash. This speaks to the impact left on mother nature. The glass embodied through its destruction represents “Industry” and the corrosion caused by consumerism.

I am a concept driven, large-scale installation Artist. The foundation of my work surrounds the permanent impressions left and deterioration of what once was. Often my attention is driven by details absorbed through nature’s discourse. Whether it’s the natural attrition in social situations or a wider exploration into the pursuit of inflicted and observed reactions, these are the ideas that fuel my body of work.  

Each casting is an opportunity to pause and reflect on what once was and now is no longer. Burning away layer by layer, freezing up each ring of time. Preserving the memory, a photograph in glass. The wood manipulates and leaves the glass with a permanent photograph of its entity embedded and integrated into the glass. Knowing the wood will submit itself to the glass plays a large part in the pairing of these two materials. The wood has no choice, it will succumb to the heat of the glass. It will deteriorate. In a metaphorical sense, this is an investigation into the preservation of our environment and our irrevocable eminence left behind. Each piece of glass was hot poured into the crevasse of a found log. This process was repeated until the wood could no longer hold the glass. The permanent print of an exchange.

ALANA BIFFERT.

WhirlClassGlass

Alana Biffert’s profound dedication to the artistry of glass is a reflection of her unwavering commitment and deep-rooted passion for the arts. Her formative years were spent immersed in the glass culture of Malta, a Mediterranean island, where her childhood dreams revolved around the art of glassblowing.

In 2008, Biffert earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Glass from Alberta University of the Arts, setting the stage for her remarkable journey. A pivotal turning point came when she secured a transformative position as a Glass Technician at Red Deer College through local volunteer work. This opportunity opened doors to collaborations with renowned local artists, ultimately propelling her into the realm of professional glass artistry.

Biffert’s artistic focus is centered on crafting concept-driven, large-scale installations. She believes that art provides her with a unique voice, a means to express herself authentically. Her installations are rooted in the conceptual exploration of consumerism and the profound impacts of the passage of time. To Biffert, art represents significant moments of introspection, which she generously shares as a gift to the world, encapsulated within the eloquent language of her chosen material.

PAST exhibitions and OUR artists!

Mike Maciaszek - Bridgeland

“Being an artist, I believe, is both a privilege and a mission to make the world a better place.”

DAVE BOHATI

For Dave, art is not just a medium of expression but a way of life. He firmly believes that art is all around us, waiting to be discovered and appreciated. As he puts it, “There is literally art everywhere you look; you just need to pay attention and feel it.”

SARAH LAMOUREUX

Sarah Lamoureux is an information designer, public joy creator and artist who resides in Mohkinstsis (Calgary).

MCKENNA PRATHER

McKenna Prather is an acrylic and textile focused artist creating work surrounding plants, animals, landscapes and portraits. McKenna is a freelance artist based in Calgary, Canada.

LESLEY BERGEN

Lesley Bergen is a multi-disciplinary artist focusing on animals and nature scenes. Her mediums include drawing, painting, sculpting, stitching and carving.

CONTACT US

Bridgeland

1st Street