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Faces of Significance – Lethbridge Artists Club
80th Anniversary Portrait Competition
Schedule of events:
January 16–February 20: Faces of Significance public viewing, Casa
February 20: Judging determined for top 10 portraits
August 11: Awards reception, 7–9 p.m., Galt Museum & Archives
Exhibition tour:
February 22–March 10: Claresholm Public Library
March 10–March 28: Pincher Creek, Lebel Mansion
March 28–April 14: Cardston, Remington Carriage Museum
April 14–May 2: Coaldale Public Library
May 7–October 3: Lethbridge, Galt Museum & Archives
People’s Choice Award voting closes August 1.
Web: lethbridgeartistsclub.wordpress.com
She explains that it’s the club’s welcoming and accessible approach
to the arts that has ensured its longevity. While some may find art
challenging or hard to understand, the Lethbridge Artists Club is
focused on giving easy entry points to art. “I find we’re very accessible
because we’re focused on community-level art,” Sue says. “Our education
programs are often directed towards beginners and we understand the
need for people of all ages to still be able to train as artists–from teenagers
to seniors.”
Through the ’50s and ’60s the club grew and found itself a home in the
Bowman Arts Centre, and with the proliferation of new gallery spaces–
such as the Southern Alberta Art Gallery, University of Lethbridge Art
Gallery, and many commercial venues–it continued to flourish. Flash
forward to 2013 and a new home within the Casa community arts
centre–it was time for the club to take on a new challenge.
“In the fall of 2013, they were looking for members for their executive
committee and they would not accept no for an answer,” explains Linda
Richards. “I became the Exhibition Chair, which meant I had the
responsibility [of ] hanging all the shows.”
Moving from an average of two show and sales per year to a total of
nine hangings in 2014 meant a lot of extra time and effort for the club.
“When I began, I was disappointed in sales,” says Linda. “Exhibitions
are a lot of work and sales were not good enough. So if the problem was
getting people in the door, then go where the people are instead.”
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Linda began the process of finding new places for the club to exhibit
its artists, which resulted in shows at the Helen Schuler Nature Centre
and several different venues in Waterton. “Mounting shows in Waterton
meant I was loading paintings into my truck and all the stands in my
horse trailer,” Linda explains. “It’s all been really fun to hit the road and
put up the shows.”
A similar project in Winnipeg was what inspired the club to initiate its
current Faces of Significance portrait competition, part of the club’s 80th
anniversary celebration, whic