Friday 30 July 2010

Redpoll Center Highlighting Local Artist

















As a new Culture Coordinator at the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, I had the pleasure of reviewing the first solo show of local artist Uzma Nadeem. Uzma’s work is being showcased as part of the ongoing art opportunity offered by the Redpoll Centre downtown Fort McMurray. There will be a series of artists work shown in this location throughout the year with each show on display for three months. Uzma is the second artist to kick off the calendar of shows.

Uzma’s works showcase a variety of mediums, and stylistic choices. There are ten works displayed in the conference room. Some of the pieces lack the depth I was looking for but do contain feelings of play and experimentation. I feel like it is the beginning of new and exciting pieces to come from Uzma..

The show features Uzma’s most recent works, all of which have been created within the last year. Her subject matter ranges from landscapes to abstractions. Uzma’s art demonstrates an experimental approach to a variety of acrylic medium techniques such as glazing, as well as a mixed media approach to certain works.

Uzma has a skill for linking titles to her work. As I viewed the Abduction series, I envisioned candles flickering in the dull evening night, ever so slightly moving in a whispering breeze. I asked Uzma what her favorite medium was to use? She said “The plywood pieces thrilled me I loved working with the grains of the wood.” Uzma spent up to 12 hours on each one of the Abduction series, which were the plywood pieces.

In each of her plywood works the use of the materials natural blemishes, grains and knots, enhance the movement and the flow of each composition. The only unnatural blemish I saw with this series was the material used to outline the figures. I would have liked to have seen something more natural and blended.

Uzma’s love of color and metallic’s are apparent in most of her pieces. The colors are vibrant and her pallet choices are bold and playful. In an interview Uzma said, “I like playing with colors and I am fascinated by them.” In particular, her masonite piece titled The Right Path showcases an experimentation with perspective and a step in the right direction for achieving depth. Uzma has captured the sense of walking down an untraveled path. While I viewed this work in particular, I felt as though I wanted to follow wherever it would take me.

It is wonderful that the Redpoll Center is offering an opportunity for the public to come view local works and I highly recommend going to see Uzma Nadeem’s her work.

To the Artist,
Impressive work Uzma! I look forward to seeing your upcoming pieces.

Cheers,

Shauna Gale-Colbert

The 2010 interPLAY Festival is in its 20th year!


· Only with the generous support of various corporations, organizations and businesses in the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, are we able to produce such dynamic events.

· The Festival takes place Friday Aug 6 to Sunday Aug 8 in the heart of downtown on Franklin Avenue.

Some of the attractions that we will offer include:

Entertaining theatrical indoor shows for children and adults


World class street acts and performers

A vibrant vendor marketplace


An exciting food court and beer garden

An enormous children’s play area with free entertainment

Talented local musical groups like Amy Heffernan and major headliners including: The Lost Fingers, The Nylons and Spirit of the West all performing on the Mainstage.

The Homegrown Talent Search with a $2,500 prize


Kickin’ Karaoke Contest

The Amazing artRace at Peter Pond Shopping Centre


For more Festival information or to register for The Homegrown Talent Search or The Amazing artRace please visit our website at www.eventswoodbuffalo.com or call the office at 780-791-1600.

interPLAY 2010 involvement oppourtunity
One judge needed to critique the Amazing artRace on Sunday August 8th at 4:00pm in Peter Pond Shopping Centre.

Contestants are given 1 canvas, 1 theme and 3 hours to create their masterpiece.

There are 3 age categories with 3 top winners in each category.

The ideal judge would have a keen eye for visual art and creativity. (Training in the Arts an asset, but not a necessity.)

Interested candidates may contact Misty Oakes at Events Wood Buffalo by email,

partnerships@eventswoodbuffalo.
celebrate life - celebrate culture - celebrate Wood Buffalo

Thursday 29 July 2010

Interested in a New Dance Opportunity!!

The Syncrude Urban Boot Camp for Youth
August 16 - 21, 2010

*A co-presentation of the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo and Keyano College Theatre & Arts Centre

Renowned educational dance troupe Concrete Roots is coming to Fort McMurray! This week long camp for youth ages 11-17 will feature multiple dance styles including Hip-Hop, B-boy/B-girl, Popping & House, as well as lessons in MC, urban artwork, and spoken word!

Urban Boot Camp in Fort McMurray

Are you between the ages of 11-17? Are you a fan of show such as So You Think You Can Dance? Then Urban Boot Camp is YOUR chance to learn from world class b-boy and b-girl dance instructors in a week long classroom and dance studio setting. Classes will run from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. from Monday, August 16 to Friday, August 21 at Keyano College Theatre & Arts Centre.

The week will end with a show at Keyano Theatre on Saturday evening. Students will perform routines they learned for an audience of parents, friends and community members, followed by globally established dancers and class instructors battling in an epic b-boy & b-girl showdown! Registration is only $372 (taxes and fees included!) and includes a t-shirt, sweatband, two tickets to the finale dance show, & catered lunches daily throughout the week!

To register, visit www.woodbuffalo.ab.ca/urbanbootcamp today!

For general inquiries, contact Recreation Coordinator, Steven Bowers: Steven.bowers@woodbuffalo.ab.ca

Monday 26 July 2010

RMWB Programs Facebook Page


Municipal programmers have started to use Facebook and their site is full of great info and images (like those seen in this post) from their events. If you'd like to learn more please visit their facebooks site.

There is a link below, or when your on facebook search:
Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo-Recreation and Culture Programs

Link: RMWB Facebook Page

Thursday 15 July 2010

Art Exhibition Down Town

Local artist, Uzma Nadeen is showing her first solo show art exhibition in downtown Fort McMurray. You may have seen Uzma's work earlier this year in the library, where she participated in a group show with two other local artists.

The Exhibition is located in the large conference room of the Redpoll Centre. Showcasing her creativity and experimental practice, Uzma has created an eclectic collection of over ten acrylic originals on both canvas and wood grounds.

The exhibition opened on July 6 and will be available for viewing until October 6, 2010.

For a sneak peak at the works in this show please visit Uzma's website: http://uzmanadeem.com/home.html

I look forward to reviewing this exhibition.

To the Artist,
Well done Uzma!

Monday 12 July 2010

First Pakistani Exhibition and Sales Event of its Kind in Fort McMurray!


NISA COLLECTION PRESENTS!

First Pakistani Exhibition and Sales Event of its Kind in Fort McMurray! Local clothing designer Uzma Syed, is presenting her latest line in a public exhibition/sales event.

Pakistani Clothes, Tunics, Jewellery, Pashminas, Home Décor, Children’s Clothes and much more!

Shalwar Kameez with latest threads/embroidery, jewellery-work, featuring banarsi, organza and satin designs, Lehengaz, Kurtis, Sandals and Chooriyan.


When: Saturday, July 17, 2010 – noon to 6.00pm FREE ADMISSIOIN
Where: Golden Years Society – 10111 Main Street at Manning Ave.



Call: Uzma Syed at 780-880-8855 or email: nisacollection@live.ca

Thursday 8 July 2010

Local Caricature Artist Needed


Above images: Art work by, Brian Vasilik, an artist from Asheville, NC, United States - see his blog for more info: http://brianvasilik.blogspot.com/2009/05/pet-caricatures.html

Municipal Programmers are looking to hire local artist/s who are skilled/experienced at creating caricature sketches. Programming staff will be hosting a community event, at which they would like to have a caricature artist creating sketches of dog owners with their pets (see the above images as examples).

This community event is called Pets in the Park and will be held on Sunday July 18, 2010, 1PM-6PM. The event will be taking place at the St. Gabriel’s Off-Leash Dog Park in Thickwood and will include a doggie fashion show, dog owner look-a-like contest, milk-bone guessing contest, children’s face painting and prizes.

This is a great opportunity for the Municipality to showcase our local art community in a fun and family oriented way. We are hoping to find local artist/s to hire for this event so that we do not have to bring someone in from Edmonton J

If you have an interest in creating the caricatures, have any questions, or know of another artist who you think should be considered for this opportunity, please email your contact information and examples of previous caricature work you have done, to municipal programmer, Lukasz at: Lukasz_Rajzer@woodbuffalo.ab.ca or to me at Connor_buchanan@woodbuffalo.ab.ca

Cheers,

Connor Buchanan

Community Arts in InterPLAY Update:

Unfortunately I have not received enough support from community members to continue work on the Art/Cultural area for this years InterPLAY.

To date there are not enough interested volunteers to cover the minimum requirements, or to complete the necessary planning/organizing, as a result we have cancelled the Community Arts Component for this year’s event. There will still be roving performers, the amazing art race, and other arts/cultural components that we have seen in previous years, it is only this new initiative that is being cancelled.

Thank you to those who expressed an interested in this opportunity, I am saddened that this community initiative will not be able to take place.

Cheers,

Connor Buchanan, Culture Coordinator
connor.buchanan@woodbuffalo.ab.ca