Do you want a personal invite to my solo exhibition entitled The Quiet Rebuild at Harcourt House Gallery and Artist Run Centre? I’d love to have you there! Please email me your address and wait by the mailbox! The countdown is on. Only two months till The Quiet Rebuild opens.
Summer? What summer? Oh, do you mean the heat wave that is passing through my art studio in the Harcourt House Annex? Ah, that summer. Yes, it’s true. I’ve been spending countless hours at work, despite the nice weather, as my solo exhibition in Harcourt’s main space is quickly approaching. It’s just over two months away. TWO months! I can hardly believe it.
It seems like only yesterday that I walked into the white walled space and set down roots in the gallery community. Now, I am completely out of wall space. I feel like my work has taken on a life of its own and has grown in depth and breadth. It’s a good time.
I am finishing sculptures, paintings, mixed media 2D work, no wait 3D work… it can’t decide what it is! I am presently embarking on a photographic component to my work as well, incorporating images of our local Edmonton construction that we all love so much. Plus photographs of people will also begin in just two days! (A huge thank you to all my lovely volunteers who have opened up about their struggles and what it has taken for them to rebuild their life.)
All the artwork speaks to this one large message: the human heart can endure much and rebuild itself after hardship. Side note, the rebuild process is never easy and always creates something altogether new. I call my work, “The Quiet Rebuild.”
After you enjoy Harcourt House’s members exhibition, Kinetic, and gobble up a delicious burger on the lawn in front of the gallery, come find me in the Annex building for the Artist in Residence meet and greet. I will be giving a poetry reading and doing a woodworking demo.
One of my wood sculptures that incorporates Jenga and pieces of wood I cut into a whimsical structure.
See you tonight!
Click here for the address and more details.
New Work, Residency and the Groove
March in the Studio, AIR Update
Artist in Residence interview on Shaw TV
This Thursday night I will be opening my art studio in the Harcourt Annex for visitors. I will also be giving a poetry reading and doing a demo of my woodworking techniques. This coincides with Harcourt’s annual member’s exhibition; this year the theme is Kinetic. It’s going to be a great night! Also in store: a complementary BBQ on the grass in front of the gallery (YUM!) and a free life drawing workshop.
I truly love what I am working on in my studio at Harcourt House. My art is full of color and shape. Come Thursday, June 20th and see for yourself.
For me, the hardship was losing my second child to a cardiac tumor in 2010. Since then I have been slowly (sometimes extremely slowly) and quietly rebuilding my life. I have found that art became and remains an important tool and expression of my grief and search for hope. Everyone will find meaning in this artwork.
I am working with a lot of wood, both natural and manufactured in “The Quiet Rebuild.” Other materials I am using include yarn, Jenga blocks, paper, and acrylic paint. Oh and photography as well. I feel such an amazing connection with my art and am looking forward to sharing it with our local community within my studio, where all the magic happens!
The poem I will be reading speaks to the time I lost my son, whom we named Zachary. I am currently working on branding (burning) the poem onto wood panels. I will share more about the meaning of the poem and my wood burning technique at the demo.
Click here for specific info about the Kinetic exhibition and Artist in Residence meet and greet. Hope to see you there!!
This is a fish-eye photo of my poem I am branding onto wood panels. Come to the Artist in Residence meet and greet to hear a reading of the poem and see my wood burning techniques first hand.
The Harcourt House Art Market was a huge success! Plus, my wonderful assistant Kaila sold her first painting for me. I will miss “New Land 3” but it has found a good home with John & Anne. They emailed to tell me that they hung the painting on the west wall of their sitting/family room which opens to their kitchen so they are able to look at it and enjoy it often.
“New Land 3” comes from a series of three mixed media paintings which I created while living and working as a fashion and wedding photographer in New Zealand. The artwork contains acrylic paint, plastic, photographic imagery, sand and sea shells. The collection is vivid and bold.
John Elliot & Anne Macdonald, proud owners of “New Land 3” Artwork by Alexis Marie Chute
If you are looking for art, “New Land 1” and “New Land 2” are still available. Contact me if you are interested. They too are looking for happy homes. (They work splendidly as a diptych…)
How do media people do it? Shaw TV filmed me working in my art studio at Harcourt House and out in nature taking photographs for two hours and they made an amazing artist interview boiled down into three minutes. But what amazing three minutes they are!
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dn0uhGDvr5U&w=600&rel=0]
The 25th anniversary of Harcourt House Gallery and Artist Run Centre in Edmonton will be celebrated with another stellar event, the annual Member’s Exhibition. As a part of the Works Art and Design Festival, the theme and title of the show is Kinetic.
This event doubles as a fundraiser for the gallery and I encourage all to come out and lend support to an amazing local organization. I will be selling my new (never before seen) work to support Harcourt and their impressive list of programs.
As the Artist in Residence at Harcourt House, I will be opening my studio, giving a poetry reading and demonstrating the woodworking techniques I have developed in my current body of work entitled, “The Quiet Rebuild.” It is going to be an exciting opening and exhibition!
Save the date! Here are the details:
Need a reason to get out of the house today? Come from your house to ours! I’ve got just the thing for you: The Art Market in ‘da House. Harcourt House Gallery and Artist Run Centre. One of my favorite artists will be there: yours truly of course!
The Harcourt House Art Market is unique as it takes place right in the gallery and each artist’s booth acts as a mini exhibition. This is an event you don’t want to miss if you are an art lover in Edmonton. Come support the gallery and purchase original art from local emerging and established artists. There will be something for everyone, traditional art to experimental works. Even craft and design!
I will also be selling my new favorite goodies: sweet smelling candles and creative cards.
Come out for a great Saturday event! Here are the details:
Art Market
An art and design show and sale
Saturday, May 25th, 2013
1:00 – 7:00pm
Harcourt House Gallery
10215-112 Street
Entry by donation
It will be a great day as my work shares the gallery walls with these amazing artists:
I cannot tell you how much I love my wonderful art patrons. You buy my work, attend my openings and generally cheer me on. Thank you!
This Saturday I will be exhibiting some never before seen artwork I created while I lived in New Zealand. I’ve got paintings made with the very sand and sea shells of the Eastern Beach where my hubby and I took up residence for two years. The work is colorful, textural and ready to be adopted into good homes.
I’m also offering some newer works and even showing a sneak peak piece from my upcoming solo exhibition entitled “The Quiet Rebuild” which will adorn the main gallery of Harcourt in a solo exhibition in October of this year.
For some art is a hobby. As a professional artist, the boundary between hobby and work often overlap and blur. But that’s fine with me. One of my newest hobbies, candle making, will debut at the Harcourt Art Market and I’m thrilled. If you are looking for a handmade gift with a creative twist, these candles are for you! Vintage meets chic style – but that’s all I will say for now. Come and see for yourself.
Art Market
An art and design show and sale
Saturday, May 25th, 2013
1:00 – 7:00pm
Harcourt House Gallery
10215-112 Street
Entry by donation
Last Saturday saw conceptual clothing, or art-ware, walk the runway at Fashion for Freedom, an event that raised money and support for the A21 Campaign. The event was a smashing success bringing in around $7000. Poiema Productions did a fabulous job and are such a wonderful group of ladies! I look forward to future collaborations with them.
A21, which stands for abolishing injustice in the 21st Century, aims to shift the negative tides of human trafficking – a very real problem even in our day and age, even in Canada. Jessica Corbeil shared her experience working with A21 and the importance of the issue . For more info about the campaign, visit: www.thea21campaign.org
With over 20 designers, an amazing dance performance Entrelacement Dance of the Edmonton School of Ballet and a musical number written specially for A21 performed by Jeremy Blackwood– the event was a creative smash up of amazing talent. (If you missed Fashion for Freedom this year, attend in 2014! Poiema Productions is gearing it up to be an annual fundraiser.)
Two of my dresses walked the runway. One is made out of party confetti – over 16,000 pieces of it! The other dress is constructed of shower curtain and shower curtain rings. I want to thank my amazing model, Whitney Allen! It was a pleasure!
To learn more about Fashion for Freedom and to get involved in the 2014 event, please visit: www.fashionforfreedom.ca
Here are some photos of the event.
Entrelacement Dance of the Edmonton School of Ballet
Entrelacement Dance of the Edmonton School of Ballet
Party confetti dress by Alexis Marie Chute
Party confetti dress by Alexis Marie Chute
Mylar dress by Christa Joy Hoefling
End of Avant guard runway show
Shower curtain dress by Alexis Marie Chute
Shower curtain dress by Alexis Marie Chute
Shower curtain dress by Alexis Marie Chute
Plastic wrap dress by Andrew Doerksen
Grocery bag dress by Katie Foisy
End of the Couture runway show
Musical performance by Jeremy Blackwood
Musical performance by Jeremy Blackwood
