Find Arts Commons' newest exhibition outside of our walls and into the creative process. The next time you find yourself staring at your phone at the 1st Street C-train station downtown Calgary - look up. That collection of six video screens is TELUS’ Art While You Wait, a digital exhibition visualizing the creative processes and stories of Arts Commons Connects artists, lining the outside of the Len Werry building. These vibrant videos will take you behind-the-scenes of local artists working in mediums like glass blowing, pottery, filmmaking, painting, and more. Keep watching - it's worth the wait.
Michelle Ku
I’m currently exploring the mind-body-spirit connection through my paintings. I want people to know they’re not alone with struggles around mental health, complex trauma, and chronic illness. I want to create the cultural and gender representation my younger self needed. I’m not always so good with words, but through painting I’m able to get across more nuanced and complex messages.
I like to balance serious subject matter with cute characters and fun colours. Through painting, I’m able to more easily connect with all the different parts of myself — especially my inner child. As I learn about and heal these different parts of myself, this journey is reflected in my art and the energy I share with others. Painting, for me, requires a balance of conscious reflection and trusting my intuition. Balance is a key word for me in general, as I’ve struggled with moderation my entire life. Through balancing my composition and colours, I’m reminded to balance my life in all areas.
Over the years I’ve learned to be looser with my brushstrokes and colours, and in turn - less hard on myself in other areas of life too. Painting is an area where I can actively practice speaking kindly to my critical and perfectionistic parts. I can focus more on expressing my truth rather than having each line or shape be a ‘perfect’ which does not exist. This is part of how I bring out my inner child too - the one who felt free to just go for it and have fun in the moment, without overanalyzing and overworking.
Ultimately for me, the magic of art is that it can turn negative and difficult experiences and emotions into something positive and beautiful. I see art as a kind of alchemy!
Produced by Foreignerz
Brendon Many Bears
Brendon Many Bears is a Blackfoot artist from Siksika, Alberta. He specializes in graphic design and digital art, and works as a freelance artist. In the last year he has created and taught digital artforms for IndigeSTEAM and Blackfoot Crossing Historical Park. He also runs his own Etsy shop, where he sells his artwork as stickers and prints. He would like to become a tattoo artist someday and open his own shop back home in Siksika.
Brendon participated in the digital documentation of Old Sun back in 2020, with Old Sun College and the University of Calgary. With the data collected, they were able to create 3D models of Old Sun. Brendon strongly believes in the importance of the artwork as a learning tool. He wanted to provide the history and information of residential schools to others who may not know, or are unaware of the affects of these institutions.
Produced by Foreignerz
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