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March in the Studio, Artist in Residence Update

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Artwork and photograph copyright Alexis Marie Chute

Artwork and photograph copyright Alexis Marie Chute

Being the Artist in Residence at Harcourt House has allowed me to find my footing within my current body of art and take off running. The time and space they have provided me to develop my creative work is one of the greatest gifts an artist can receive. The people who work at Harcourt House are pretty amazing too!

Truly the time has flown by and with the close of March I tick off my fifth month at the gallery. Five months! On one hand I feel like, ‘Where has the time gone?’ but on the other I am amazed at the gift of time itself.

Art and photography copyright Alexis Marie Chute

Art and photography copyright Alexis Marie Chute

What exactly do I spend my time on you ask? Answer: lots of hard work and creative play.

I approach my artwork through experimentation with my chosen materials (wood, glue, yarn, acrylic paint…) while holding my concept loosely in my head (and my heart) to see where it all takes me.

For those of you new to my blog, the greater meaning behind my work is the idea of rebuilding ones life after hardship. My method is very akin to my materials and process themselves; I am experimenting using art to heal.

Art and photograph copyright Alexis Marie Chute

Art and photograph copyright Alexis Marie Chute

The images in this post are some of my very recent work. I began using Jenga pieces in some of my compositions and found this consumerist approach a fun twist while drawing on the concept of the game itself; build as high as you can until your structure falls over. When it does, which is always the case, you laugh and build again learning from your mistakes and constructing your tower even higher the next time.

I love a comment from Brand on my last Harcourt House Residency update. He said my work reminded him of photographic pixels. That notion blows me a way – I LOVE IT! It totally jives with the photographer in me. I am percolating ideas of how to incorporate that concept into my work and am excited about it.

As always, I LOVE company at my studio so please come for a visit! I purposefully have lots of seating so come talk art, life or whatever is on your mind. Contact me to find a time that works.

Amazing Race Canada

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Amazing Race. Amazing life. For me, they are one and the same, yet my husband and I couldn’t resist applying for Amazing Race Canada when we heard that the Emmy winning reality series was heading above the American boarder.

Watch our application video to see what we are all about!

I’m not sure how much of a thrill-seeker I am; my natural instinct is self preservation, not jumping out of a plane for example (massive fear of heights). My motivations for running the race runs deep in my heart despite the potential for terrifying challenges.

Aaron and I are running the race for our son Zachary who passed away in my arms minutes after he was born from a cardiac tumor. My motivation for putting myself out there on Amazing Race Canada is living life to the fullest for Zachary. My boy will never have the chance to experience this truly amazing life and thus I want to do so for him, in memory of my son.

Aaron and I and our children were recently featured in the Edmonton Journal for our “Amazing Inspiration,” by Elizabeth Withey.

Art Donation for YESS Edmonton

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It was my pleasure to donate a piece of my artwork for Rock ‘n’ Robes, a fundraiser for YESS Edmonton. YESS, Youth Empowerment and Support Services, is a quintessential not-for-profit in Edmonton which is “unconditionally devoted to helping youth facing difficult realities.”

I had the pleasure of interacting with Katie Clackson who is one of the fundraiser organizers. She sold me on the event describing it as: Rock ‘n’ Robes is a battle of the bands event in which a number of musically talented lawyers and judges will be performing for their colleagues and other members of the Edmonton community.

How fun is that! What a creative idea to bring people together to raise funds for a great cause!

YESS is a great cause, but over the years they have experienced significant difficulty reaching their funding goals. I have tweeted often in support for YESS, circulating a request for help letter they put out to the media and community not long ago.

Please visit the YESS website to learn about donating, or if you are able please get involved.

Our community can be strong and healthy when we commit ourselves to do good.

Last Chance to Vote for Emerging Photographer Competition

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Today is the final day to cast your vote in the Exposure Photography Festival, VISTEK Emerging Photographer Showcase!

Please do not delay! Vote today!

If you enjoy my work, please vote for me. (Thank you in advance!)

The winner will be announced at the festival closing party at Endeavor Art Gallery from 7:00-9:00pm Thursday, February 28th in Calgary (Suite 200, 1209 First Street SW). All are welcome!

 

The Artist Lens Exhibition

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The Alberta Society of Artists is mounting their first photographic exhibition and I am proud to be a part of it! I will be showing three fine art photographs at the show in Calgary, Alberta.

Here are the details:

The Artist Lens

February 1 – March 2, 2013

Artpoint Galleries and Studios

1139-11 Street SE, Calgary

Opening Reception: February 8, 2013 at 5-9pm

Artists in the show include: Barbara Amos, Carole Bondaroff, Ross Bradley, Alexis Marie Chute, Linda Craddock, Sean Esopenko, David Harrison, Royce Howland, Carol Huggler, Marianne Hunt, Kevin Jordan, Michele King, Malissa Lea, Dawn LeBlanc, Deborah Lougheed Sinclair, Roberta Murray, E. Boyd Nave, Karin Richter, and Aynsley Stelfox.

I hope to see you at the opening!

Writing Update

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3 Day Novel Contest and NaNoWriMo

 

I spent the September long weekend locked in my office (with my newborn) writing a novel during the 3 Day Novel Contest. While others were outdoors enjoying the end of summer I worked three long days typing a full first draft of my debut novel. It’s a romance in essence but, as all good stories, is full of twists on the standard love story.

I loved the 3 Day Novel Contest so much that I have signed up for NaNoWriMo which stands for the National Novel Writing Month which begins today! November 1st! This time I am trying my hand at fantasy and am raring to go. My characters are coming to life in my mind and I am thrilled to tell their story. Stay up to date with my progress on twitter (@_Alexis_Marie). Stay up to date with my NaNoWriMo progress here on my Alexis Marie blog and on my Artist Reborn blog (where you can find my posts about my 3 Day Novel Experience).

 

 

I’ve Been Busy! Let me catch you up!

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It has been a busy summer and fall is continuing this trend with lots of artistic goodies! Let me catch you up on the action!

 

My printer winning bicycle image of Bride Christina.

Photography Update: Photolife Magazine

 

Photolife printed one of my photographs in their August/September issue as a part of their Showtime theme: trees. In the same issue I was chosen as an “Emerging Photographer” for 2012. This is a huge honor! I was one in 15 Canadians selected for this distinction (and the only photographer selected from Alberta).

Then, in the October/November issue of Photolife Magazine I was the winner of the Showtime theme: Bicycles. The award: an Epson Artisan 837 printer.

 

This is one of the winning tree images selected by Photolife Magazine. This photograph was taken on a mountain in New Zealand.

Writing Update: Walk to Remember

 

On September 29, 2012 I was the keynote speaker at the Walk to Remember to a crowd of nearly 2,000 people who gathered to celebrate their dearly loved children lost due to miscarriage, stillbirth, early infant loss or SIDS. It was an emotional day as I was remembering my own sweet Zachary who died shortly after birth two years ago. The event organizers asked me to speak after reading my blog Wanted Chosen Planned. You can read my speech in my post: “Walk to Remember Speech by Alexis Marie Chute.”

 

With this fine art photograph I was named an Emerging Canadian Photographer by Photolife Magazine.

Writing Update: 3 Day Novel Contest and NaNoWriMo

 

I spent the September long weekend locked in my office (with my newborn) writing a novel during the 3 Day Novel Contest. While others were outdoors enjoying the end of summer I worked three long days typing a full first draft of my debut novel. It’s a romance in essence but, as all good stories, is full of twists on the standard love story.

I loved the 3 Day Novel Contest so much that I have signed up for NaNoWriMo which stands for the National Novel Writing Month which begins today! November 1st! This time I am trying my hand at fantasy and am raring to go. My characters are coming to life in my mind and I am thrilled to tell their story. Stay up to date with my progress on twitter (@_Alexis_Marie). Stay up to date with my NaNoWriMo progress here on my Alexis Marie blog and on my Artist Reborn blog (where you can find my posts about my 3 Day Novel Experience).

 

This is an example of my wood sculpture that I will be developing while Artist in Residence at Harcourt House.

Art Update: Harcourt house & Kiwanis Gallery

 

As of today, November 1st, I am the 2012/2013 Artist in Residence at Harcourt House artist run center here in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. This is a wonderful position for an artist as the gallery will support my artistic endeavors for a whole year. What does that mean in practical terms? I will have a private studio at Harcourt House while I develop my body of artwork, give me opportunity to teach and at the end of the year the gallery will host a solo exhibition of my work. My show will be installed next October and I will give an artist talk at the opening reception. Please contact me if you want an invite to the opening.

I recently got word from the Kiwanis Art Gallery in Red Deer, Alberta that they will be mounting a solo exhibition of my fine art photographs in their 2014-2015 line-up. The exhibition will feature images I took leading up to and following the death of my son Zachary. The images document the life of my family as we spend almost two months at the hospital trying to save my son and the devastation that follows his death. It is an emotional collection of photographs but one that speaks to the heart and the resilience of the heart. You can read about my experience at Wanted Chosen Planned and how I found art to be a tool for healing at Artist Reborn.

Never Give Up

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The saying goes:

“If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.” – Anonymous

My version, and you can quote me on this:

“If at first you don’t succeed, try, try, try, try, try again a thousand times. If then, you still have not succeeded, try again a thousand times more.” – Alexis. Marie Chute

Tolstoy on the Role of Art

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“Art is a microscope which the artist fixes on the secrets of his soul,

and shows to people these secrets which are common to all.”

– LEO TOLSTOY, Diary

Drawing Hearts for my Son – The Art of Struggle

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Artwork: “Wanted, Chosen, Planned” Mixed Media, September 2010 © Alexis Marie Chute

I was well over halfway to my due date when doctors discovered that my unborn child had a large tumor around his heart. This news began a month and a half of daily testing to determine if there was anything that could be done. There wasn’t and my son Zachary passed away shortly after he was born.

During the month and a half before Zachary’s birthday and death day, I made art. I made art based on the news we were given and the new world of medical technology and imaging that was opened up to me. I was so overwhelmed on a daily basis that art became my therapy. It was a means for me to think about our situation in an effort to make sense of it all. I now know I will never understand the “why” of this tragedy but that creating art in that time was a helpful means to cope.

As the main issue with my son’s condition was the tumor around his heart, I began to draw anatomical hearts using black pen. I made three copies of my favorite drawing using a laser printer and painted three backdrops in flowing reds and blues, two colours associated with blood flow that I watched in real time on the monitor during many fetal echocardiograms of my son’s heart.

I did gel transfers to apply the hearts to the paintings, the abstracted reds and blues of the painted backgrounds showing through the images. I applied a sheer aqua fabric to the areas surrounding the hearts, sewing it on with red thread which I let hang loosely in certain places. The blue, water like effect, references the fact that a heart that is not beating properly, as in the case of my son, causes fluid to build up in a person’s body.

Black bars along the bottom of the compositions anchor the three pieces together and reveal the words that constantly ran through my brain as I struggled in the helplessness of trying to save my son. Wanted. Chosen. Planned. These three concepts became my mantra, my prayer during that dark time.

 

Have you used art to help work through a struggle? Please share your experience.