artist talk – Alexis Marie Chute

February is an exciting month – and even more so now as the much-enjoyed Exposure Photography Festival spreads across the province for the first time. Up to 2015, Exposure was only celebrated in Calgary, Banff and Canmore – but no longer!

Personally, I am thrilled that all of Alberta, particularly our capital region of Edmonton, will have the chance to host exhibitions, artist talks and other programming about photography.

Along with my tireless partner, Aaron Chute, I am curating an exhibit called InFocus. The show will feature Edmonton and area photographers under one roof in the drawing room at Harcourt House. We have such a creative community and this is a fabulous opportunity to show it off!

Not only am I working away at InFocus, but I also have a solo exhibition of my own work, entitled The Quiet Rebuild: New Portraits. These images feature volunteer models from across Canada who have endured struggle and tragedy and yet embody an incredible amount of resiliency. It is truly a pleasure to share the stories of others and be a part of their journey.

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.”