Month: May 2022 (Page 1 of 2)

Artist Spotlight: Kelsey Baker

May 31, 2022 / Conal

Kelsey Baker is an Edmonton-based artist, junior high teacher, mother of two kids (and three dogs), and a tea lover.

I enjoyed our conversation because of all the sensible insights she had into art as well as her outlook on what art actually is to her — the way the world makes the most sense.

If you haven’t had a chance to see her shadow box creations (one of them is the featured image), you’re missing out. She does some clever things using LED lighting.

Regardless, enjoy our conversation.

[Featured Artwork by Kelsey Baker. Untitled. Assorted media on shadow box with LED.]

The Spelling Bee

May 28, 2022 / Conal

“How do you spell that?” I asked my artist wife.

Her response was a facepalm followed by a slightly annoyed look.

Minutes earlier, I had drawn her into a conversation about her favorite historical artists. We were sitting at our kitchen table following dinner one spring evening. The sun was setting outside the window at the end of the table.

As it continued to descend, she didn’t seem too keen on my interest, especially since she knows how much I “enjoyed” my university Art History course. Hint: Not. One. Bit.

Artist Spotlight: Phil Alain

May 24, 2022 / Conal

If you’ve read some of my Saturday Morning Stories, you know I’m very sports focused. So, I was glad to learn Phil Alain is a former hockey player who I could talk hockey with.

Despite his love of hockey, Phil spends a lot of his time promoting art; not just his either. He is often promoting others’ art or finding ways to include other artists in large projects. He is well-known for his St. Albert-based annual event called Night of Artists, which celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2022, and for being one of the artist partners behind Mural Mosaic.

We chatted about that and many other things related to art, event planning, and a potpourri of topics. I hope you enjoy our conversation and learning about him.

[Featured Artwork by Phil Alain.]

The Gas Mask

May 21, 2022 / Conal

It was an early spring morning. The sun had risen two hours earlier. The birds were chirping in the 10-foot conifer outside our bedroom window. And the sky was crystal clear over our lazy crescent in our western Canadian Prairie suburb.

I was peacefully lying awake in bed, enjoying its body-hugging comfort early that morning. Our son was playing video games in the basement family room while our daughter was at the kitchen table creating yet another pencil drawing to add to my growing collection of “daughter art.”

Artist Spotlight: Jani Galarneau

May 17, 2022 / Conal

It was a hoot chatting with Edmonton-based artist Jani Galarneau. She was 100 per cent correct about her third interesting fact about herself.

She has so much energy and is incredibly positive. It’s hard not to have a perpetual smile on your face while you’re chatting with her. Plus, as a bonus, she’s a talented artist.

I hope you enjoy reading our chat as much as I did asking her the questions.

[Featured Artwork by Jani Galarneau.]