On Tuesday the call to local
emerging artists for the 2016 Wood Buffalo Artist in Residency program was
released. The call invites local artists aged sixteen years and older to apply to two
mentorship programs:
Program 1: May 30, 2016-July 8,
2016
Program 2: July 18, 2016-August 26, 2016
Up to six applicants will be
accepted into each of the two six week programs. Local applicants have a choice
as to which program they would like to apply for or they can apply to both.
Successful applicants will receive: Access to studio space at the Keyano
Theatre and Arts Centre, full mentorship opportunities, a modest budget set
forth by the Municipality for art supplies, and their work publically exhibited
at the MacDonald Island Community Gallery presented by the Kirschner Family
Corporation. The call will end on April 29, for more information please visit www.rmwb.ca/air.
Meet the Mentoring Artists
Kritsana Naowakhun
The first mentorship program will
be instructed by Kritsana Naowakhun. Born
and raised in Bangkok Thailand, Kritsana’s first impressions about art came
from his grandfather, a painter for Buddhist temples in mainland China. From a
young age Kritsana always enjoyed painting, drawing and sculpting, and had big
dreams of being an artist. Being accepted into the most prestigious fine art
university in Thailand, Silpakorn University, Kritsana studied all different
forms of media but chose to focus on sculpture. During that time, he was
involved in many group shows all over Thailand and was accepted in the 52nd
National Exhibition for his sculpture thesis project. Upon graduation Kritsana
continued to create works, but his main profession was creating intricate
window designs for high-end fashion designers all over Thailand. Since arriving
in Canada in 2011, Kritsana has dedicated himself fulltime to purse his dreams
of creating and inspiring others through visual art. He has had many group and
solo exhibitions in Ontario and now here in Fort McMurray at MacDonald Island
Community Art Gallery and Keyano Art Gallery. Kritsana is currently teaching
art classes for children, youth and adults at the Suncor Centre for the
Performing Arts and offering special workshops for adults at MacDonald Island
Park. He is truly grateful for the opportunity to spread his knowledge and
skills with this community.
Alma Louise Visscher
The second mentorship program will be instructed by Alma
Louise Visscher. Alma is an artist based in Edmonton, working in textiles,
installation and video whose actions and built environments are inserted into
the landscape. Her work is influenced by sail and kite making, medieval
philosophies, architecture and cloud formations. Most recently, her research
has centered around intermediary spaces, surface architecture and archaic
forms/structures. After receiving her MFA from the University of Alberta in
2011 she has exhibited in malls, closets, abandoned schools and city parks. In
2012 she was commissioned by the Edmonton Arts Council to create a temporary
public art installation in Whitemud Park. Other recent projects include a
residency at the Icelandic Textile Center (funded by the Edmonton Artist
Council), a solo show at the Art Gallery of Alberta in the RBC New Works
Gallery, and an installation for the 2015 Alberta Biennial of Contemporary Art.
