Last Chance to enter your Photography in InFocus YEG

Tomorrow – Sunday, November 30, 2014 – is your last chance to enter Infocus Edmonton!

It’s scramble time, people!

Find your best photographs and enter them here.

For more information about InFocus Edmonton, read, “Hot off the Photographic Presses: The InFocus Edmonton Call for Submissions!

To learn why you should enter for a chance to participate in the exhibition, check out: “15 Reasons Why You Need to Submit

Visit the InFocus YEG call for submissions and image entry page here.

If you (a) live in Edmonton or in a surrounding area, (b) are a photographer and (c) want to share your work – now is the time! Enter InFocus YEG for a chance to participate in this exciting exhibition.

Finishing Strong NaNoWriMo 2014

 

When I signed up for NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) this year, I underestimated how busy my life can get. I am a full time writer, artist and mother – and I always strive to give 100% to everything I do. I know, I know, my math does not add up. Who has 300% to give? Logically, it does not make sense, but on a more abstract level it does.

What I have discovered is that when I work at my passions, the joy I derive from them (and especially from my children) simultaneously deposits energy and happiness in my life while I withdraw from my reserve of time and effort. It’s a helpful equation.

This is how I am going to finish strong this NaNoWriMo. Unfortunately I am terribly behind, but I don’t mind working hard and late into the evening to jack up my word count to make the 50k goal. As I write my story, I turn off the editing and critical side of my brain and click away at my computer. Its rhythm is peaceful for me and I find the very act of writing deposits much back into me as a writer.

By letting go of perfectionism and focusing on the joy of writing and the love of the story, any writer may finish strong on November 30th or on any other day with whatever project that needs completion.

As the NaNoWriMo deadline approaches, write what fuels you and deposits back into your creative reserve. Let this balance roll forward and energize your each and every word.

Good luck!

 

“The Quiet Rebuild” New Portraits at Exposure Photography Festival

Along with the exciting new group exhibition InFocus Edmonton, I am preparing another body of artwork to be exhibited during Exposure Photography Festival in February 2015. The first debut of my large black and white portraits was in my Artist-in-Residence exhibition, “The Quiet Rebuild,” at Harcourt House Artist Run Centre in Edmonton, Alberta in October 2013 – and the artwork has been seen in many galleries and public spaces since. Coming up, I will reveal brand new portraits in “The Quiet Rebuild” series during the Exposure festival.

These photographs are in keeping with the theme of resiliency in the wake and aftermath of hardship and are beautiful, subtle visual stories of my models. All models responded to an open call and volunteered. The show will feature Albertan and Ontario residents.

The Quiet Rebuild – New Portraits

February 28 – March 1, 2015

Annex Gallery at Harcourt House

10215-112 Street, Edmonton, AB

Saturday, February 28: 10am to 10pm, 6:30pm Artist Talk, 7pm reception with live music

Sunday, March 1: 10am to 5pm

To see many of the portraits in “The Quiet Rebuild” please click here.

To volunteer for “The Quiet Rebuild,” please email Alexis Marie: info@alexismariechute.com

 

Only 10 More Days to Submit to InFocus Edmonton

We have received so many fabulous submissions already for InFocus Edmonton, but there is still time to add your creative voice to this inaugural group exhibition. The call for submissions is live for ten (10!) more days as we search for the best of images of Edmonton and area photographers.

Share your photography with all of Alberta during Exposure Photography Festival 2015!

Click here for the call for submissions.

Click here to submit.

Other posts about InFocus YEG:

15 Days into our Call for Submissions and 15 Reasons Why You Need to Submit

Q&A To Help Prepare Your InFocus Edmonton Photography Submission

Hot off the Photographic Presses: The InFocus Edmonton Call for Submissions

Exposure Photography Festival Broadens its Scope to include all of Alberta

Happy Halloween: Submit your Photography to InFocus Yeg

 

 

Art at Kit & Ace Edmonton

I am so proud to be one of the first artists featured in the brand new Kit & Ace clothing store on Whyte Avenue in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. My image, “Walk to Remember” was handpicked by Kit & Ace and greeted customers as the store officially opened its doors early this November. Rumor has it there is already in an interested buyer.

Kit & Ace are not only about clothing; they actually seek out and spur on community involvement, especially among the artsy. Kudos to them!

My fine art photograph featured at Kit & Ace comes from the series, “Unfulfilled Precognition,” which is an artistic documentary on personal hardship and resiliency. Click here to see more images from “Unfulfilled Precognition.”

“Walk to Remember” will live in the store until early 2015. If you visit Kit & Ace, snap a selfie with my art and I’ll share it on Twitter (@_Alexis_Marie) and Facebook.

 

Visit Kit & Ace:

Whyte Ave Studio – Edmonton

10428 82 Avenue, Edmonton AB, Canada T6E 2A2

Hours

Monday to Wednesday  11am – 7pm

Thursay to Saturday  11am – 8pm

Sunday  12pm – 5pm

I currently have a large exhibition of “Unfulfilled Precognition.” Read here for details.

The RBC Painting Competition 2014 – The Results According to my Four Year Old

A big congrats to Tiziana La Melia of Vancouver, British Columbia for winning the 2014 RBC Painting Competition with her art, “Hanging on to the Part,” (oil on panel, 42×25 inches)!

I loved receiving a copy of all the finalists in the competition catalogue. We are a seriously creative and talented country here in Canada! I had my favorites and my daughter, Hannah, had her own. That’s the beauty of art, right? The eye of the beholder…

Before the winner was announced, I flipped through the catalogue of finalists with Hannah, who is a buoyant and outspoken four-year-old. I asked her to give me her first response to each piece. I asked her, “Do you like it?” – And she was candid and insightful with her own preferences. One thing was sure, my mini-me knew exactly what she liked and had a strong reaction to the paintings.

I share my daughter’s reactions here not to upset anyone or poke fun, but as the honest and often humorous reactions as a child. Sometimes the art world can be so stuffy and we all need to chill out and enjoy the craziness of it all every once and a while.

I am not including the pictures of each artist’s work out of respect, but please visit the RBC Painting Competition website so you can follow along with the images as Hannah makes her declarations.

 

Here is what Hannah said:

Of 2013 national winner, Colleen Heslin’s “Almost Young, Wild and Free”

Hannah said: “I don’t like these parts,” as she gestures to the whole thing.

Of 2013 honourable mention winner, Neil Harrison’s “Knowledge”

Hannah said: “I like it. It looks like something a cowboy wears.”

2012 honourable mention winner, Colin Dorward, painted, “Labyrinthineon”

Hannah said: “It looks cool!”

 

From this year’s cream of the crop:

Ashleigh Bartlett of Calgary AB, “Ballet Duo”

Hannah said: “It looks cool.”

Carly Butler, Halifax NS, “Hurricane”

Hannah said: “I like it. It looks like a canyon. It looks like a piece of paper.”

Jennifer Carvalho, Toronto ON, “Landscape (pink)”

Hannah said: “I like it because it looks like outside.”

Wallis Cheung, Toronto ON, “Cut Corners”

Hannah said: “I don’t like it.” (Me: “Why don’t you like it?”) “Because I don’t like it.”

Teto Elsiddique, Halifax NS, “7 of 6”

Hannah said: “I like pink. I don’t like that colour,” she pointed to the rest of the image.

Karine Frechette, Montreal QC, “Cyclone”

Hannah said, “Yes, I like it! She made it, Mom,” she said excitedly as she pointed to the picture of Karine. “It looks cool.”

James Gardner, Toronto ON, “Fixed Rock”

Hannah said: “I like it because it has cool colouring.”

Ufuk Gueray, Winnipeg MB, “Market” – 2014 HONOURABLE MENTION

Hannah said: “Yes, I like it because that side looks cool,” as she pointed to the circle of colour.

Tiziana La Melia, Vancouver BC, “Hanging on to the part” – 2014 WINNER!

Hannah said: “I don’t like it because it looks upside down.”

Nicholas Lachance, Montreal QC, “index no. 3 The book of Empathy” – 2014 HONOURABLE MENTION

Hannah said: “No, I don’t like it because it looks dark, it’s just two colours.”

Gavin Lynch, Ottawa ON, “Before the Fire (2014 version)”

Hannah said: “I don’t like it because the trees have owies because they cut them down. The trees are poor because they got cut down.”

Megan McCabe, Toronto ON, “Wading”

Hannah said: “I like it because it looks like it has water skies.”

Laura Piasta, Vancouver BC, “Bog Breath”

Hannah said: “I don’t like it because I don’t like it.”

Robert Taite, Winnipeg MB, “Untitled Work from Always Somewhere Else”

Hannah said: “I like it. Yes, because it looks kinda funny, it makes me laugh, funny pictures.”

Elysanne Tremblay, Montreal QC, “Salut bonhomme, salut bonhomme”

Hannah said: “I don’t like it because it doesn’t look cool.”

 

There you go! The RBC Painting Competition finalists according to a four-year-old!