Art in Public Places: Thank you The Arts Initiative

These photos of artwork were not taken in a gallery…

They were actually taken in a mall.

Alexis Marie Chute Chicago Mall Art balloons The Art Initiative

When I visited Chicago recently to speak at The Compassionate Friends of America National Conference (presenting on Healing through Visual Art) I visited the Art Institute of Chicago and the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago – but I also spent an hour at the outlet mall in the hotel district near the airport. What I found there were colourful and stimulating creative sculptures and 2D artwork at every turn.

Alexis Marie Chute Chicago Mall Art fashion The Art Initiative

First of all, I love that a commercial space invited such unique and eye catching art. Well done Fashion Outlets of Chicago.

 Secondly, this just goes to prove that you never know where you’ll find inspiration.

Alexis Marie Chute Chicago Mall Art escalator The Art Initiative

It turns out the mall has paired up with The Arts Initiative (Twitter: @artsinitiative1), a collective “dedicated to placing highly interactive visual art in public spaces.” The Work on show was curated by Miami-based Primary Projects Gallery. The mall features the work of many contemporary artists such as Daniel Arsham, Jim Drain, Friends With You, Bert Rodriguez and Jen Stark for example.

Alexis Marie Chute Chicago Mall Art rainbow The Art Initiative

Personally, I look for inspiration everywhere. That’s just who I am. Yet, I loved being totally surprised when I walked into the Fashion Outlets of Chicago. Fashion inspires me in its own right, but the mall truly was like walking through a place of cultural fusion. And I like that.

More about The Arts Initiative in the Fashion Outlets of Chicago

Alexis Marie Chute Chicago Mall Art food court The Art Initiative

 

What you see is not always what you get at the Art Institute Chicago

I recently visited Chicago to speak at a conference about the healing properties of visual art. Of course spending hours in the renowned Art Institute of Chicago was top on my list once the conference was over. I will write more about my visit to the Art Institute in next week’s post, but for now I want to share a fun moment I had while perusing the different galleries within the museum.

This one particular artwork caught my eye. It was brightly coloured and stood out because of its texture. It looked like used chewing gum stuck together on a surface and the overall effect had a pixilated appearance. My first reaction was to walk up to it so my nose was a foot away and inspect.

“What is that? I don’t think its gum but what… Hmm…” I said to my husband.

I took a step back. And another step. Then my eyes grew wide.

Alexis Marie Chute Art Institute Chicago 02 Art Blog

“There’s a face in there!” I said loudly in the joy of discovery. Some other art patrons leaned back as well and then nodded.

It turns out the artwork is called, “Woman with Halo and Sceptre,” (1972) and the strange textural effect is created through acrylic, cotton and Rhoplex on canvas. Rhoplex is an acrylic emulsion for sealing the work.

What I find so interesting with this piece is that the material choice beckoned me closer and closer, to become intimate with the shapes and textures. At the same time, while standing so close the image of the woman was impossible to decipher, thus allowing for the aha moment later on.

I love aha moments.

Surprises are good in art; they keep the viewer from getting lazy, maintain a visual dialogue and stimulate creative logic.

What you see is not always what you get – sometimes it’s more.

Alexis Marie Chute Art Institute Chicago 01 Art Blog

Once I stepped back from the artwork and saw the woman, I could no longer approach the piece without seeing her. My mind had assimilated the colorful acrylic cotton balls and made sense of it. Still, I loved the early observations where my eyes searched for meaning. And it was wildly satisfying when I found it.

Alexis Marie Chute Art Institute Chicago 03 Art Blog

 

Find out more about this artwork by Joe Zucker.

 

 

Kids in Art Galleries

I’ve encountered some pretty frustrating situations when visiting art galleries with my kids. I’ve been stalked by security guards who glare at my children, been hassled because of my stroller (it’s small, I promise), and been booted out over a lollipop.

Seriously people, our children need to be in art galleries from a young age. It is so important.

I have always brought my kids into art settings. They are loud and run around but they feel comfortable there. We stop and look at artwork for twenty seconds before moving onto a new piece. The attention span is short but their memories will be long.

My four year old daughter has actually made many observant comments about the artwork she sees. And she is not afraid to speak her mind and tell me when she thinks something is ugly. I love this. Sometimes we adults get stuck in trying to be polite or thinking art must be viewed and understood a certain way. Kids don’t get stuck in these sticky issues.

My kids are always laughing, smiling and having a great time in art galleries; I think they are fueled by the colours, images, shapes and open space. Of course they want to touch everything, heck so do I, but I’ve taught them to be respectful and if they misbehave they know they’ll be carried or put in the stroller.

As a mom I love it when art galleries have areas for kids. Our regulars, the Art Gallery of Alberta and the Phoenix Art Museum, have child friendly and interactive areas. The Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston, another favorite of mine, does something brilliant. When my husband and I visited there with our kids last summer, they gave my kids a pencil and a little stack of paper taped together like a book. My kids felt honoured. My daughter in particular was sketching the entire visit.

I believe art is such an integral component of a healthy culture – and family. It’s tougher to make an art lover out of a resistant adult, but a child – they are wide open, curious and creative. I encourage art galleries to welcome children with open arms. If you are scared kids will break something, put the work on higher plinths – but do not discourage children from visiting and please do not make parents feel anxious with their kids in your space. And parents; please expose your children to as much art as possible, it is one of the greatest teaching opportunities you can give them.

Here are some photos from my family’s recent visit to the Art Gallery of Alberta.

Art Gallery of Alberta

Art Gallery of Alberta

My daughter watching a floating wig in ANDREW FROSST: Instinctive Break on exhibit March 29–June 8, 2014 at the Art Gallery of Alberta

My daughter watching a floating wig in ANDREW FROSST: Instinctive Break on exhibit March 29–June 8, 2014 at the Art Gallery of Alberta

My hubby, Aaron Chute and I in front of Jill Stanton: Strange Dream, March 5–December 31, 2014 at the Art Gallery of Alberta

My hubby, Aaron Chute and I in front of Jill Stanton: Strange Dream, March 5–December 31, 2014 at the Art Gallery of Alberta

Art Gallery of Alberta

Art Gallery of Alberta

Kids love to touch and experience art.

Kids love to touch and experience art.

Family time visiting Lyndal Osborne: Bowerbird, Life as Art, February 1–April 27, 2014 at the Art Gallery of Alberta

Family time visiting Lyndal Osborne: Bowerbird, Life as Art, February 1–April 27, 2014 at the Art Gallery of Alberta

The children's room was a little creepy for me but the kids didn't seem to mind. BMO World of Creativity: Cabinets of Curiosity, July 1–June 30, 2014

The children’s room was a little creepy for me but the kids didn’t seem to mind. BMO World of Creativity: Cabinets of Curiosity, July 1–June 30, 2014

Alexis Marie Chute Artist Art Gallery of Alberta kids 03 blog

International Call for volunteers for The Quiet Rebuild Portraits

Have you experienced tragedy, hardship, struggle? Are you rebuilding your life after this event?

The Quiet Rebuild Portraits feature individuals, couples, families and support groups that have been through many types of life challenges but continue to pressing on. I find these people wildly inspiring. I wish to give them a voice and put a face to the often unspoken sorrow and resiliency of the human experience.

Please get in touch if you would like to participate. Being photographed for The Quiet Rebuild can be a healing step in itself and many of the models have told me it was a milestone and moment of pride for them along a challenging road.

The photographs in this body of work are already being exhibited internationally and will, in the not too distant future, be made into a book. This is a great opportunity to be a part of something truly profound.

In 2014 I will be traveling to the following locations and am looking for volunteers in these cities. (If you are from elsewhere, anywhere in the world, please still contact me – I’d love to photograph you. I will soon be booking other locations, specifically based on interest.)

 

CANADA

Toronto, Ontario

Edmonton, Alberta

Calgary, Alberta

 

USA

Cambridge, Massachusetts

Boston, Massachusetts

Chicago, Illinois

San Antonio, Texas

Phoenix, Arizona

Scottsdale, Arizona

 

European locations TBD 

 

Please contact me by email (info@alexismariechute.com) for more information.

 

Welcome to the new AMC Art Portfolio site & Blog

With so many great things happening with my artwork and in my life as an artist I knew it was time for my art portfolio to receive a needed makeover. Welcome to my new site and blog! The look is a little different, mod with oodles of delicious white space. It feels like a breath of fresh air. I am so excited to share with you all my latest work as it unfolds, my artsy fartsy inspirations, exhibitions, happenings; the works!

Please subscribe to this blog by entering your email address in the ‘subscribe’ box on the right. I will be posting once a week and my subscribers will receive these post in a handy email. Also, please like my Facebook page and follow me on Twitter. There are lots of ways to connect!

Thank you to all my readers and I look forward to meeting you here.

Artists of Many Mediums

I am a multi-medium artist. For this I have no apology.

Recently I found the framed article that I was given when I was named a “Sizzling Twenty Under 30” by Edmontonians Magazine. In rereading the article, one line popped out at me:

“She is noted for her unique way of mixing different art and media forms… deftly combining photography, painting, drawing and even adding pieces with her sewing machine.”

 

Some things never change. My mixed media compulsion is a part of who I am, inseparable from my artistic practice and unrelenting to the critics that exhort, “Pick one medium and stick with it.”

 

Yes, it’s true that if one spreads themselves too thin, the whole can suffer. Yet, if that someone can excel in different areas, I believe they should carry on. Even if they fail, so what? They tried. Freedom to experiment and think outside the box are values I cherish in my work and I encourage others to embrace as well. Honestly, it’s a reflection of our times. What job out there is singular in its focus? Not many I wager. People are expected to multitask whether they like it or not. (I happen to like it.)

I love the variety of my artistic approaches. When a concept calls to me, I respond by creating artwork that makes sense – which may be wood sculpture, painting, photography, writing or a combination of them all. I am not suggesting every artist juggle all these mediums, but it’s my style – and I chose to believe in myself and understand that not everyone will appreciate my work (though I am immensely grateful for those that do).

My current exhibition at Harcourt House Gallery and Artist Run Centre (on until November 29, 2013 before it travels to Calgary in February 2014) reflects my style to a tee. Many artistic mediums interconnect to form “The Quiet Rebuild,” a visual (and literary) picture of the resilience of the human spirit in the face of hardship.

The issue of being ‘mixed-medium’ was referenced in the latest issue of Vanity Fair (December 2013) in the article, “Paint by Numbers,” by Mark Stevens. The article asked the question, “Who is the greatest living artist?” The survey of top individuals in the field resulted with a list of some of the most incredible and visionary artists of our time. The top six included:

 

  1. Gerhard Richter

  2. Jasper Johns

  3. Richard Serra

  4. Bruce Nauman

  5. Cindy Sherman

  6. Ellsworth Kelly

 

I was wildly encouraged by Stevens’ article as he commented on some of the artists that made the top of the list. Gerhard Richter is commended for being a “chameleon” of artistic styles within his painting and that his shift between approaches in his work does not diminish any of it. Stevens wrote, of Richter’s varied artistic style: “He contains contraries, as if no single net can capture the whole truth.”

 

"Paint by Numbers" Vanity Fair article by Mark Stevens

“Paint by Numbers” Vanity Fair article by Mark Stevens, Dec 2013

Stevens’ article also discussed the multi-faceted approach of Bruce Nauman. Stevens’ wrote: “[Nauman] is not confined to any medium, but adapts his methods to his meanings, shifting easily among performance, video and installations.”

 

"Paint by Numbers" Vanity Fair article by Mark Stevens

“Paint by Numbers” Vanity Fair article by Mark Stevens, Dec 2013

I hope to one day be included on a list like the one in Vanity Fair, but for now it gives me solace that many of the great living art icons do not limit themselves to one medium. They have branched out, experimented, and rebuked any notion of solidarity of approach. These artists encourage me to stay the course and believe in my work.

Click here to see Vanity Fair’s image gallery of the top 6 artists.

Click here to see who else made the list in the top living artist poll.

Fabulous Media Coverage for The Quiet Rebuild

The opening of The Quiet Rebuild at Harcourt House gallery was a huge success. As I began my artist talk I looked at the large crowd that gathered, over 75 people, and was overcome with emotion. It will always be a very special moment for me.

One of the strengths of my artwork is that it not only has meaning but that meaning says something that matters. My work communicates with viewers that no matter what life may bring their way they will survive and thrive. It’s a message of hope.

I am very thankful to all the staff at Harcourt House, to my family (specifically my husband Aaron and our awesome kids), to my friends, art supporters… The list goes on and on. It is so humbling to hear from individuals that have a strong connection to my work. It means the world to me.

I am also very thankful for all the awesome media coverage I’ve received.

Here are some articles about The Quiet Rebuild:

“Local artist Alexis Marie Chute in her own words: 20 questions” Edmonton Examiner

“Edmonton artist Alexis Marie Chute’s latest exhibit was an act of recovery after a very formative year” Edmonton Examiner

“The Quiet Rebuild looks at human resilience in healing after tragedy” The Gateway

“Prevue: The Quiet Rebuild” Vue Weekly

“The Quiet Rebuild” PhotoLife Magazine

“11th Annual Artist in Residence Exhibition, Opening Reception: Alexis Marie Chute” Galleries West

Video Links:

“The Quiet Rebuild” Alberta Primetime Teaser

Open Art Studio, Open Heart

It’s time for the Artist in Residence meet and greet at Harcourt House!

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.

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.

The body of art I am creating during my residency is called “The Quiet Rebuild” and is a visual picture of healing and rebuilding one’s life after hardship.

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.

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.

Artist Interview on Shaw TV

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]

 

 

March in the Studio, Artist in Residence Update

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.