A wide variety of works will be displayed to showcase the breadth of Central Alberta art during the Encore Art Sale and Celebration this month at the Lacombe Memorial Centre.
Featured artist Marg Metcalf will bring her scenes of tranquil beauty to the show, which will be complemented by some vibrant, catching pieces submitted by other artists.
Maureen MacKenzie of the City of Lacombe said that this year, there are more student artists than ever before and that the variety of all the art is sure to have something to please everyone. Admission for April 17th is $5 per person until 5 p.m., when ‘Date Night’ begins for $10 admission. April 18th admission is $5 per person.
“I’m really excited because we have 15 new artists, and that’s huge! There are a lot of multi-media artists, artists who do very bright, vibrant, kind of ‘now’ pieces, so I’m very excited about that. We have a new jewellery artist who does really cool stuff, Candice Meyer. Shelby Willis is from Edmonton and does really bright, vibrant pieces. Christine Karron is out of Red Deer, and I actually met her through an Art Battle in January. Her art is just amazing. Those are just a few of the new artists that are coming,” MacKenzie said.
“We have 51 student artists competing in the student portion, with 74 pieces of student art being shown, and we are so stoked about that because it’s the most we’ve ever had. And I will say that some of that work is absolutely gallery quality – it just blows me away.”
The Encore show is meant to be a celebration of all of the various kinds of art produced in Central Alberta, from paint on canvas to multi-media and multi-medium art, as well as jewellery and quilts.
In addition to the art sale, students from around the Wolf Creek Public School Division are competing to win the Jan Holoboff Junior High Art Award, the Charlie Donald Memorial Senior High Art Award or the Dustin Peers Memorial Drawing Award. Each of these awards is made possible by the funds collected through Lacombe Arts Endowment Fund fundraising events such as the Encore celebration.
“Friday night is date night, so admission is $10 and we will be serving wine and beer and appetizers. Typically, the funds from those all go to the Endowment Fund. On Saturday, we’re having a Sip & Shop, with music and beverages where people can continue shopping. Lots of times people go to art shows and think, ‘That’s really cool,’ but they need time to decide if they want to buy. They can do that, come back on Saturday afternoon and enjoy some more time shopping with us,” MacKenzie said.
Rocks have been hidden throughout Lacombe, Red Deer, Blackfalds and Sylvan Lake that will grant a person two for one admission to the event. The rocks are emblazoned with small decorative hearts to set them apart. Lacombians are encouraged to walk the City and try to pick up a rock for the show.
Marg Metcalf, the show’s feature artist, has been preparing herself for the past year and building up her pieces to be displayed. She said that she is excited to showcase some bigger pieces than she usually produces, and hopes that people will take a piece of tranquillity home with them.
“I love being in quiet, undisturbed places where there isn’t a lot of people activity. Capturing those places is a big challenge. It’s exciting, but a big challenge. I found out a year ago that I was going to be the feature artist, so I’ve really been working this to get ready. I’ve hit all the seasons with my art,” she said.
“There is a certain freedom to being able to work big. You get to use big brushes, make big strokes and bring it together. I’ve really enjoyed it, and I’ll probably have more large canvases in this show than I usually would.”
Metcalf is inspired by the tranquillity and peace of undisturbed natural areas and she hopes to bring joy to people with how she has captured those images.
Metcalf’s art will be showcased alongside a number of other Central Alberta artists. In-house jazz and blues music and light refreshments will accompany the art sale.
kmendonsa@lacombeexpress.com