The Alberta Society of Artists
Since 1931, The Alberta Society of Artists has stimulated growth, inspiration and passion for excellence in the visual arts in Alberta. The organization can count many important historical figures among its members, including A.C. Leighton and H. G. Glyde (ASA’s first two presidents), Marion Nicoll, Maxwell Bates, Illingworth Kerr, Stan Perrott, and Janet Mitchell
The ASA is a province-wide, non-profit, registered charity. With a Full Membership of artists juried in by their peers, the Society also offers Supporting and Student Memberships. Through exhibitions, scholarships, and educational programs, the ASA works to increase public awareness and appreciation of the visual arts in Alberta provincially, nationally, and internationally. The Society also coordinates the Southwest region of the AFA Provincial Traveling Exhibition Program (TREX). Website: www.albertasocietyofartists.com
Ross Bradley, A.O.C.A., B.A., A.S.A.
A graduate of the Ontario College of Art and the University of Guelph, Ross Bradley has exhibited his work nationally and internationally for over 35 years. His work is represented in corporate and private collections, including the Alberta Foundation for the Arts and the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies. An active, Life Member of Harcourt House since its inception, he volunteers with the organization of the centre’s figure-drawing classes. A Life Member of the Alberta Society of Artists, Mr. Bradley also exhibits his figure-based work regularly in solo and group exhibitions across Alberta.
For the past 20 years, his studio practice has been divided between drawing, sculpture and photography. The common threads through all of his work are the study of the human form and the attempt to explore the variations and individuality of the figure, and the attempt to capture how the human form occupies and moves through space. Website: www.eross.ca
Christa Chapman
Christa Chapman is an Edmonton based artist and art educator who received a Bachelor of Fine Arts (with distinction) and a Bachelor of Education (with distinction) from the University of Lethbridge in 2002. Her artwork touches on themes that include the media, societal stereotypes, labels, and modern/historical constructs to define human identity in various mundane, everyday contexts. Through various approaches to the acrylic medium, information and data that have been gathered—particular to how society defines populations and people—are stenciled and hand-printed using silhouettes. These silhouettes are developed from self-portraits and photographs of environments that surround her on a daily basis.
Christa’s paintings communicate themes of human identification through sociological constructs such as social status, gender, consumerism, societal roles, even though some people’s identities are hard to define. Her paintings evoke powerful messages pertaining to specific elements of society including memories/past acts. They convey the passing of time.
Ruth-Anne French
Ruth-Anne is a practicing artist working in ceramics. She follows the studio pottery tradition to produce series of architectural sculptures, vessels and public interventions. She is interested in architecture, design and the social and semiotic aspects of the built environment. Ruth-Anne has shown her work in group shows across Canada and has ongoing collaborations and exhibits: Add + Subtract (2014), Engagements (2013) and A Perfect State of Happiness (2009) with photographer Candace Makowichuk. Ruth Anne was born in Windsor, Ontario and raised in Edmonton. She earned a BFA Transfer Degree from Red Deer College (1998-2000), a BFA from Emily Carr University of Art + Design (2000–2002), and an MFA from the University of Regina (2002-2004). She is currently a Fine Art Program Coordinator for the City Arts Centre, City of Edmonton and an Instructor (pottery) at the Art Gallery of St. Albert. Website: http://www.ruthannefrench.com/
Edmund Haakonson
Edmund Haakonson is a painter and sculptor whose work is focused on the human figure as subject matter, specifically images of the male nude in both sculpture and painting. He works in a high realism style reflective of the Old Masters and the classical period of ancient Greece. He has exhibited across the country and has work in collections in Canada, the United States, across Europe and in Australia. Among other exhibitions, the bronze sculpture Slapshotolus was shown at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics as part of the Pride House. Edmund has recently stepped down as President of the Board of Directors of Harcourt House Artist Run Centre after filling that role for fourteen years. He continues to serve on the Board as Past-President. Website: http://www.eahaakonson.com
Betty Lawlor
Betty Lawlor is a Leduc, Alberta artist who sees, draws and paints the essence or energy of her chosen subjects. She uses shapes, vibrant colours and lines to unite her composition and move the eyes of viewers about her pictures. Using her expressionistic style, Betty’s subjects vary from figurative to landscape to still life leaving her subject matter present in her work.
Betty studied at the U of A Department of Extension, Red Deer College and graduated from Sutton Art School. Betty also apprenticed to Eileen Raucher Sutton for over 25 years. The two artists have travelled extensively and often bring others with them to teach art lessons to locals around the world. Betty loves to create “en plein air” and has been known to pack canvasses with acrylic paints over clothes. She never goes anywhere with out a drawing book, watercolours and ink.
She has received an honourable mention by the Alberta Community Art Clubs Association (ACACA), and has been featured twice in the Leduc Representative Newspaper. She has exhibited work at the Harcourt House Naked Show, The Works Art and Design Festival, Leduc and Strathcona Art Shows and Sutton Art shows. Betty’s work is in numerous private collections in North America, Australia and Europe.