Mini Galleries

Title: Grizzly

Location: 6021 Madigan Dr NE

Year: 2022

Artist: Michelle Atkinson

Bio: Michele Atkinson is an internationally awarded multidisciplinary artist and designer creating contemporary artwork based on her own evolving relationship with the land which she stewards. She is inspired by the stunning beauty of our natural vistas but also how humankind has altered the landscape and the consequential ripple effect of our actions. She strives to better her own carbon footprint by optimizing her art process and utilizing recycled materials whenever possible. The result being multiple levels of meaning through the work for those who wish to analyze not only the visual manifestation of the work, but also the process behind it.

Title: Mor - Life

Location: 110 Martin Crossing Park NE

Year: 2022

Artist: Anmol Basra

Bio: Anmol Basra is a Canadian-Punjabi with deep roots in the Calgary NE. Anmol is an accounting student aspiring to get her CPA with an immense passion for the Arts especially paintings on a canvas. Anmol’s work is inspired by her Punjabi heritage,She uses different elements from her culture to create her work. Anmol creates multi-medium paintings and likes to use bold and vibrant colors which are reminiscent of her culture. Anmol aspires to share her work with everyone as an effort to stay connected to her roots. 

Mor-life. Mor is a Punjabi/ Hindi word for peacock. Peacock is a symbol of enlightenment, peace, royalty and beauty and can be found throughout South- Asia in different art forms such as paintings, sculptures, dances, murals and engravings. 

Title: A New Day

Location: 95 Falshire Dr NE

Year: 2022

Artist: Clerie Eugene

Bio: Clerie Eugene is a Northeast based Calgary artist. Growing up in the Northeast area introduced her to a diverse world full of vibrancy and life, which is reflected in her digital portraiture and figure work, with bold colours and diverse features. A self-taught artist, Clerie aims to uplift women whose features are not often depicted in media and the visual arts, along with exploring themes of mental health and identity. Clerie Eugene is currently working on an exhibit exploring the different forms of emotion.

Title: Alberta winter: featuring chinook winds, dark days and cozy company

Location: 5600 Centre St N

Year: 2020

Artist: Mary Haasdyk Vooys

Bio: Mary Haasdyk Vooys is a Calgary-based illustrator, working in editorial, publishing and public art. She brings a fresh perspective with her emotive and playful illustrations, and enjoys the challenge of finding unexpected visual solutions. Clients include New York Times, Washington Post and Canadian Geographic.

Title: Interwoven Stories

Location: 55 Bedridge Way NE

Year: 2022

Artist: Alisha Ingbrigtson

Bio: Alisha Ingbrigtson is a public high school art teacher, who enjoys making artwork in a variety of mediums.  Recently, she has been involved in projects with both the Crossroads Community Association and the City of Calgary. In 2021, she designed the mural located on the 8th Avenue flyover bridge as part of Unite the Heights Initiative; at that time this was the second largest community mural in Calgary. This is her second public artwork, titled Interwoven Stories and was made specifically for the City of Calgary's Northeast Mini Gallery Exhibition.

Title: Hunza Valley (Northern Pakistan)

Location: 2409 50 St NE

Year: 2022

Artist: Afshan Khan

Bio: I am a visual artist from Alberta. It's a beautiful province with lovely landscapes and breathtaking mountainous views, which keeps me motivated. I am inspired by nature and imagination. I like creating colourful textured work based on impressionism and abstract. My medium of choice are oil and acrylics. I am especially inspired by Vincent Van Gogh, and Claude Monet's works.  

I am very enthusiastic to share my passion of art with others and hope that it can spark curiosity and inspiration for the observer.

Title: The Bridges & Tom Campbell's Hill

Location: 520 27 Ave NE

Year: 2023

Artist: Andrea Lau

Bio: I graduated from OCAD University in 2006 with a print major. The time I spent in the studio provided a framework for my current growth, perspective and creation of artwork. Inspiration for my current artwork is based on memory, nature, flux of natural environments and relationships. 

Title: A Glimpse

Location: 735 Matador Crescent NE

Year: 2022

Artist: Angela McNeil

Bio: NA

Title: Come Over to My House

Location: 1248 Livingston Way NE

Year: 2022/2023

Artist: Leah Petrucci

Bio: Leah is a glass artist with a focus on sculptural work. Born and raised in Calgary, she earned a BFA in Glass from the Alberta University of Arts and continues to practice in her home city. She works mainly in hot glass, however, enjoys the diversity and challenge of working with other material processes as well.

Leah cites “Home” as an important influence throughout her life and work. A strong sense of family has influenced her art practice, with a particular emphasis on the literal and abstract concept of childhood memories. Play, pattern and colour are embedded into her work to evoke memories of toys, games, and a childlike sense of fun. Her work often seeks the balance between youthful whimsy and the deep roots of family and place. 

Moving forward, Leah is enthusiastic about exploring strategies that carry messages and embody experiences to create a more interactive experience between the work and audience. She hopes that new relationships emerge with this fusion of interactivity and art, where the audience is “doing” rather than just “admiring.” Leah’s goal is to provide an opportunity for people to come together, interact with the art, feel a sense of place and “home,” and enjoy a moment of fun and youthful play during the day.

Title: Wings of Hope

Location: 167 Templegreen Rd NE

Year: 2023

Artist: Estefania Saldarriaga

Bio: I am a multidisciplinary artist born and raised in Colombia and living in Canada for the last 15 years.

Title: The Seamstress

Location: 800 Macleod Trail SE

Year: 2023

Artist: Zanjeel Anees

Bio: My name is Zanjeel and I am a current communications and design student at University of Calgary. I have recently completed an apparel technology diploma at Olds College and aspire to work in design in the near future. I currently design/construct garments and models for both professional and personal use. Most of my work tries to combine my South Asian roots with sustainable approaches.

Title: open skies, wild spaces

Location: 1248 Livingston Way NE

Year: 2023

Artist: Jem Arcueno

Bio: I am a digital designer and illustrator based out of Calgary, Alberta, Canada but have been lucky to live out of the Philippines and Singapore on my journey towards the True North. I have been drawing on walls since 3 years old, moved to drawing with pastel as a medium from ages 4 to 15, digital from 16 to present. I do full time digital graphic design/UX work as a career and draw big bold illustrations on the side as a passion. I am also a wife and a mom to two little ones!

Title: Stormy Deep

Location: 520 27 Ave NE

Year: 2023

Artist: Brittany Baccari (Ivy Voltage) 

Bio: Ivy Voltage is an Italian Metis, Calgary-based, multi-dexterous artist. She built her skills for her career path in animation and media production by dipping her fingers in many medias. Book binding, performance art, leather work, sculpting, event production, furniture restoration, painting and jewellery making. Art was used since childhood as a coping mechanism and snowballed into an obsession to learn new skills, and is an everyday way of life. 

Title: Smile - we will be okay

Location: 735 Matador Cres NE

Year: 2023

Artist: Yiting Hui

Bio: Yiting Hui, born in Hong Kong, now resides in Calgary. She is an artist deeply inspired by both the majesty and the delicacy of nature, and a storyteller with a passion to reveal the magic of the beautiful ordinary. Yiting obtained her master's degree in Architecture from McGill University and has been practicing as an Architectural Designer. Combining her sensitivity to design and her passion for art and illustration, she has been commissioned for various mural works, and selected for several public art projects in Alberta. With the Japanese amine and Hong Kong comic influence, her works have whimsical qualities and illustrative style to them. The quiet competency and the tranquil power of nature is Yiting's biggest motto. Through her practice, she is interested in investigating the power of visual storytelling. She strives to create works, like nature, that would silently tell a story directly to one’s heart. Yiting’s most used mediums are watercolour and acrylic, however ceramics and wood model making are other ways she loves to use to express herself.

Title: Unnoticed Series 2/6” 

Location: 5600 Centre St N

Year: 2013

Artist: Yirang Kim 

Bio: Yirang Kim was born in Seoul, South-Korea, and has spent half of her life in Korea and the other half in Calgary, Canada. She started her artistic life when she was very little. She couldn’t talk until she was 4, and she wasn’t much interested in learning about the new world she was born into, only interested in drawing and painting all day. She realized that imagery is the best form of language for sharing and documenting her thoughts, and that art is the only way to freely express her inner world.

Title: Too White for the Reds, Too Red for the Whites

Location: 95 Falshire Dr NE

Year: 2022

Artist: Joshua McDougall 

Bio: My name is Joshua McDougall, also known as The Chief Called Saint. My artist journey began when I was a young child. I was never a popular kid and there was a sizable age gap between my brothers and I. Furthermore, with being one of the only kids of Indigenous descent in my schools growing up I always felt isolated and alone. As such I turned to drawing my favorite cartoons and making up my own stories. Ever since then I  have always turned to art to escape to my own little worlds. I did everything from doodling in the margins of my notebooks to entire days spent dedicated to achieving the perfect blend of colors, shading and composition so I could put the image in my head onto paper, canvas or screen.  I have worked in a variety of mediums, including drawing, watercolor and acrylic painting, mixed media, charcoal, digital painting and I have even made some music. Not everything has been perfect and I’ve only really been good at some of the mediums I’ve worked in, but the important thing to me and the reason I do what I do is just creating and exploring new ways to outdo myself through constant improvement as well as having some kind of message to communicate through my compositions. A lot of my work, like most people’s, focuses on my own internalized feelings as well as reflections of my struggles and experiences. As such, my artworks are often reflections of what it felt like growing up as an Indigenous kid in the city. Far from home and family and too young to hang out with my brothers while my parents were constantly working, I often felt very isolated and found a solid escape through my art. I have always loved to just throw on a record or put my headphones in and lose myself for hours in a piece. It’s almost a spiritual experience to me to take something from just being a thought in my head all the way to a fully completed composition and knowing it came from my mind. While I have talked a lot about how art has been an escape, it’s become more than that. It’s a habit and a coping mechanism. It’s something I can do to calm myself down when my anxieties are getting the best of me. It’s my greatest form of communication and lets me say what I want to say. Whether it’s something I’ve written, be it a story or rap or poetry or something in the visual medium, art has truly opened up doors for me and helped me connect to people in a way I was never able to when I was growing up. This was just a little bit about me and what art and being an artist means to me.

Peace. 

Title: n/a

Location: 167 Templegreen Rd NE

Year: 2021

Artist: Ralynne Mercredi 

Bio: My name is Ralynne Mercredi, and I am a bookkeeper by trade. Art, in all it's many forms has always held an interest for me. Occasionally, I also do photography, but painting mandalas has given a sense of peace and satisfaction that photos do not.

Title: Telemark Troll

Location: 6021 Madigan Dr NE

Year: 2020

Artist: Arden Neustaedter

Bio: I am very involved in my Norwegian culture. I teach our traditional folk dancing to adults and children and I have taken my folkdance group to Norway several times competing in this tradition. I also do several of our traditional cultural arts. I do perlbroideri, (which is beading that we use on our costumes), hardanger embroidery (which is a precise type of embroidery that when you are complete, you cut fabric out to make a lace), I knit and make sami bracelets (bracelets made of reindeer leather, reindeer antler and tinn thread). I also do our traditional painting which began back in the 1800s to decorate the home. At that time the fireplace was central in the home and the soot from the fire darkened the inside walls. They used the painting to lighten and brighten the interior of the home. This is the work that I am submitting to share with people in the neighbourhood. It is called rosemaling or rose painting in English. There are traditions of this in every valley as some are symmetrical, some are free flowing and of course the colours used are made from the flora and fauna available in that valley. This tradition has evolved over time and now can be done in either oil or acrylic. This particular piece was done in acrylic and includes a piece of our folklore which is the troll. Trolls can have more than one head, can have more than one eye or no eyes at all, but one thing for sure is that they all have a tail. Trolls live in the mountains and only come out at night. If they are caught out in the daylight they turn to stone. Trolls are not particularly smart and many of them have been caught by the daylight. This is why Norway is so mountainous! I have done rosemaling for many years and I have taught this art at the Scandinavian Centre. I often bring in artists from the US where they compete to be Vesterheim gold medalists. These people compete annually with their painting and must win several times to become a gold medalist. We have brought them to Calgary to share the art, their talent and to learn from the best!

Title: Weekly Hangout in North East

Location: 800 Macleod Trail SE

Year: 2022

Artist: Zoong Nguyên 

Bio: Zoong was trained as a Graphic Designer. After her move to Calgary in 2005,  she traded the computer mouse and the computer screen for the paintbrush and canvases and never looked back. What attracts her to painting is all the colors that the human eye can absorb and enjoy. The switch from digital art to traditional painting is the tactile medium.  It’s something about how the natural light lands on the subject and then it dances there till the sun goes down to rest. She is easily mesmerized with the every day world. No matter how mundane it may seem, she can make it sing on a flat surface with paint. The practical acrylic paints help record each emotion or a mix of emotions she feels at a moment in time and at a particular space. Its quick-drying property allows her to move and mix paints impatiently without a wait. Zoong paints many subjects: still life, animals, florals, landscapes and figures in mostly impressionist style. Beauty is everywhere. It’s appealingly calling her name to capture the image on canvas. In 2017, she was awarded a grant from the Calgary Arts Development to do a series of Curvy Figures, a political theme that is not often addressed. She wanted to be contrarian to the images of skinny models shown in magazines and to paint the images of real women: beautiful, curvy, loving and resilient. Zoong has exhibited in Calgary and Edmonton. In summer 2019, The City of Calgary awarded Zoong with her group of multicultural and multidisciplinary artists a public art project, a sculpture titled Dance. The statue of a jovial couple dancing represents the happy moments of the area’s multiethnic citizens living in harmony. Located in the heart of Forest Lawn on the International Avenue, the sculpture is the welcome symbol. Currently Zoong is working on a series about her beloved city of Calgary. She finds landmarks in and around the city to paint in large formats in addition to the beauty of our natural wonders of the Rocky Mountains. Zoong’s works are collected in US, Canada, Singapore and HongKong.

Title: Thinking About Ukraine

Location: 110 Martin Crossing Park NE

Year: 2022

Artist: Allan Niilo

Bio: In grade school, Allan was the kid who could draw. Allan studied some art: sculpture and animation. Studied more art: this time graphic arts. Allan was awarded the Canada Council “B” Grant. Allan worked in advertising, branding and corporate communications, and is currently working in sculpture, painting and ceramics.

Title: Metanoia

Location: 800 Macleod Trail SE

Year: 2020

Artist: Eks Rei

Bio: As a self-taught artist, EKS.REI draws on multiple media to interrogate the undercurrents and patterns that inform his view of the world. Working primarily with sumi ink, acrylic and charcoal, his investigations predominantly take shape in paintings, drawing and sculptural objects. His style is often informed by calligraphy, animation and technical drawing, playing with motifs in these practices to find vivid expression for his interest in psychology and metaphysics. The interplay of light and dark, east and west, negative and positive space take on greater thematic weight as he attempts to balance out dualities he sees within culture, identity and psyche throughout his work.

Title: Say Hello in Indian - Selected Illustrations

Location: 55 Bedrigde Way NE

Year: 2017

Artist: Aysha Samrin 

Bio: Aysha is an illustrator and designer with a flair for creating captivating visuals and exciting digital experiences. Aysha draws inspiration from her upbringing in Abu Dhabi, UAE, and her connections to India and the UK, infusing her work with a global perspective. In addition to her artistic pursuits, Aysha has a passion for creating user-centric digital experiences and sharing her knowledge of art and design to other passionate individuals. With a background in children's book illustration, brand building and marketing campaign strategy, Aysha brings a unique perspective to her work. Her signature style blends traditional illustration techniques with digital tools, resulting in artwork that is both timeless and modern. The illustrations showcased in this mini gallery are part of a series called Say Hello in Indian, which aims to showcase the linguistic and cultural diversity of India beyond the commonly known Hindi language. Each illustration features a different Indian woman, dressed in traditional attire, accompanied by a greeting in her native language. These illustrations are a tribute to the resilience and strength of Indian women, who have played a significant role in shaping India's rich cultural heritage.

Title: Break from the grind

Location: 2409 50 St NE

Year: 2022

Artist: Kat Turner 

Bio: A part-time, self taught representational landscape painter living in Calgary with her partner, daughter, niece and nephew. Pulling her inspiration from nature around her home and city she creates realistic paintings of different landscapes. Kat works mostly with gouache and watercolors but has recently started her journey into acrylics. Her goal is to become a more established artist in the art world, she wishes to share her work with everyone in hopes that it brings them the same joy and feeling of ease that it brings to her. 

Title: "remembrance duty"

Location: Thorncliffe Community Association

Year: 2023

Artist: Yutaka Asmara

Bio: Yutaka Shobir Isa Asmara is an Indonesian-Canadian high schooler with a passion for the arts. Asmara loves working traditionally with graphite and pencil crayon, including some recent forays into acrylic painting. Asmara tends to explore themes of reflection and intimacy, inspired by artists like Anthony Cudahy and Jenny Holzer. This work, titled Remembrance Duty, is a layered, multimedia piece of built-up pencil crayon and acrylic washes, and was made specifically for the City of Calgary's Northeast Mini Gallery Exhibition.

Title: "Dragonfly- A rebirth“

Location: Falconridge

Year: 2019

Artist: Jamie Benjamin

Bio: Jamie Benjamin is a multi-media artist and resident of Falconridge for over 20 years. Formerly trained in graphic design, Jamie has worked heavily with textile art for over 10 years, acrylic paints for 25 years, and enjoys incorporating other mediums such as clay, driftwood and beads into her art. Nature is her favorite muse and she enjoys walks in Calgary’s many parks and hikes in the mountains nearby. In her Dragonfly - A rebirth, Jamie emphasizes "dragonflies are reminders that we are light and can reflect light in powerful ways if we choose to do so." More of her work can be viewed on Instagram: @fiery_wings_creative

Title: "All of us are Stardust"

Location: Municipal building atrium

Year: 2022

Artist: Dell Conagher

Bio: My name is Dell and I am a 21-year-old trans artist utilizing mainly digital mediums to create and portray a wide variety of emotions.

Title: "All My Relations"

Location: Winston Heights Mountview Community Association

Year: June 2023

Artist: Michelle Dinunzio

Bio: Michelle is a self-taught glass artist, painter, craftsperson, cake decorator and mother. Born and raised in Calgary by her Cree father and Scottish mother, Michelle says the mixing of cultures is often an integral influence in her work. Michelle's father was a professional Indigenous wood and stone carver as well as a painter and she recalls her father's home being filled with artists collaborating on different projects. Michelle was further influenced by her parents taking her to many art galleries and live performances in and around Calgary. Growing up in a creative environment inspired Michelle to become a hobby illustrator at a young age, preferring pencil and ink and occasionally oil pastels. Currently Michelle works as a part-time as a social media manager and serves as one of the board members of the CIF Reconciliation Society, an Indigenous led non-profit organization, dedicated to honouring the children of the past, the present & future generations.

Title: “The Women”

Location: Rundle

Year: 2022

Artist: Veronica Funk

Bio:  Veronica Funk was raised in northern Manitoba, studied Art & Design at Red Deer College and is currently working towards a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Literature. Funk is a juried Member of the Alberta Society of Artists, the recipient of the Federation of Canadian Artists Tinyan Chan Award, Fortis Alberta Professional Artist Award, AAW Vitreous Amazing Cultural Ambassador Award, and has been recognized for her contributions to arts and culture in Alberta through the Lieutenant Governor of Alberta Distinguished Artist and Soul of Airdrie nominations. With the backdrop of her home studio nestled in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, Funk draws inspiration from the urban and natural environments around her, as well as cherished memories of her youth, to craft a compelling visual narrative. Using a vibrant palette, symbols, and imagery, she weaves together her tales, employing a variety of techniques to create multilayered stories that aim to elicit emotions and encourage conversation. Funk's artistic focus has shifted toward storytelling, with a particular emphasis on celebrating the lives and stories as well as highlighting the challenges and accomplishments of women through portraiture. 

Title: "Red Head in Canmore, Tourist, Senior in the neighbourhood"

Location:  Martindale

Year: 2010 - 2013

Artist: Richard Grzela

Bio: Richard is a lifelong artist well-known in pop culture circles with a focus on comic, animation groups and sketch clubs. Richard's last major exhibition was at Happy Harbour Comics in Edmonton, for the Gilbert Bouchard Memorial art show named "Visions of Comics." Locally Richard's art has been seen in the Martindale Matters community association newsletter as well as in flyers for major retailers. 

Title: "Prairie Winds & Mosque"

Location: Municipal building atrium

Year: 2022

Artist: Randy Herr 

Bio: Randy Herr is a professional portrait and landscape photographer working out of the Northeast community of Temple. he is a second-generation Calgarian and has lived in the Northeast sector of the City with his family for 39 years. Herr has a background in electronics working for several companies including IBM and AT&T. Herr says leaving these organizations allowed him to pursue a lifelong passion for art with photography as his current business.

Title: "Pineapples in the morning, Pineapples late at night, pineapples all day!

Location: Crossroads Community Association

Year: August 2023

Artist: Karen Ho Fatt Lee

Bio: Karen Ho Fatt is a Canadian visual artist. She is a graduate of the Faculty of Architecture, University of Manitoba and most recently graduated from the Alberta University of the Arts. She has a number of public-art projects in various jurisdictions in Alberta including Edmonton, St Albert Leduc, Red Deer, Calgary as well as in Ontario. Karen knew art was her calling when she painted her first Paint by Number painting at the age of eight and made her first stone sculpture. Karen lives in the beautiful foothills near the Rocky Mountains, which serve as a constant source of inspiration.

Title: "Cougar"

Location: Municipal building atrium

Year: 2022

Artist: Julien Lee

Bio: Julian Lee is a Calgary visual artist who creates sculptures in styrofoam, clay, stone, wood and ice. In 2004 Julian began building large sculptures by competing at international competitions including Ice Magic in Lake Louise and Ice on Whyte in Edmonton. His largest sculpture was 11 feet tall, and weighed almost 2 tons. Julian was invited twice to partake in the Invitational-only Magnificent Seven All-Out ice-carving competition in Houston, Texas, competing alongside some of the best sculptors in the United States. Julian has been commissioned to create ice sculptures for the Grey Cup, Calgary Zoo-lights Festival, Spruce Meadows, Calgary’s Olympic Park, Lake Louise and Banff winter festivals, Heritage Park, and many other local community events. He has been featured in local newspapers and television specials frequently. Julian appeared on a Travel Alberta commercial. Julian’s last presentation was for Lougheed House with a sculpture named Amending the Flat Earth. This is a piece that calls on us to re-examine what we assumed as facts about what is happening all around us.

Title: “Mini NE”

Location: Falconridge

Year: 2023

Artist: Shruti Sharma

Bio: My name is Shruti Sharma, and I am currently studying Visual Studies. Since I was little, I have always had an interest in art, especially abstract art. I found abstract art appealing because there are no restrictions on colour or design. I am also inspired by the conversation with people around what they see in abstract artwork. I believe that memories are not only built on people and places but also on the emotions and thoughts we feel at that moment. These emotions are what I aim to capture in my paintings using the abstract style. All my pieces are the part of me I wish to convey to the people around me and the world without judgment. I hope that others can connect with my art and express their own imagination, emotions and thoughts in turn. Alongside my work as an artist, I have volunteered at galleries such as the Contemporary Calgary Art Gallery, and was a finalist in the Color International Juried Art Competition.

Title: "Unveiled Traditions"

Location: Beddington Community Association

Year: 2023

Artist: Lili Yas Tayefi

Bio: Lili Yas Tayefi is an Iranian-born, Mohkinsis/Calgary-based interdisciplinary artist. Her artistic practice, LYT Studio, combines contemporary ceramic arts and clay 3D printing with painting, printmaking, filmmaking and photography. Having immigrated to Canada at a young age, Lili's experiences within the diaspora are central to her work. The northern quadrants of Calgary are where she grew up and found her true sense of belonging through shared culture and experiences of immigration. 

Her recent short film, featured at the Calgary International Film Festival (CIFF), encompasses a hand-printed textile, the translucent chador, adorned with cultural symbols and memories, is reminiscent of Iranian traditions, art and architectural history, as a reclamation of voice. In the film the mask of the chador, a traditional covering garment presented as an object of political compliance, becomes commonplace and devoid of meaning behind closed doors.

Click the following link to watch the film.

Instagram: @lyt.studio

Title: "Undersea Floor, On the beach and Red Canyon"

Location: Marlborough Park

Year: 2022

Artist: Kasha Tomczyk 

Bio: Kasha Tomczyk is a traveler and hiker who lives in Calgary. Inspired by her travels and the beauty of nature, she began making Unreal Terrariums in 2016. Every Unreal Terrarium contains rocks collected from her hikes around the world combined with precious stones, moss and assorted florals. Unreal Terrariums are artificial and can thrive in all environments with no maintenance required. Using her imagination, Kasha creates uplifting natural scenes to enhance indoor living spaces. Each Unreal Terrarium is unique, hand made and nature-inspired. 

Title: “Summer in Taradale”

Location: Livingston Community Association

Year: 2023

Artist: Daniel Volante

Bio:  My name is Daniel Volante and I am a multi-disciplinary artist based in Calgary with a current focus on experimental animation. Themes in my work include nostalgia, identity, and connection, and I enjoy abstracting past life experiences as a tool to enrich and personalize my art. I am heavily inspired by magical realism and unconventional visual textures, as well as retro video games and the music, aesthetics, and storytelling that stem from those themes. My main artistic aspiration is to push the boundaries of animation by creating intense and personal animated works that reflect my life as a Filipino individual. I hope that my work will comfort those still figuring themselves out, especially fellow young queer people of colour, and to inspire them to freely create and live authentically. Other than visual art, I have experimented with music, theatre, poetry, and mural art, and hope to one day revisit these fields and incorporate them into my current practice.