Eclectic, eye-catching art inspired by ordinary objects is showing in the Out of the Cupboard exhibit at the Kiwanis Gallery.
The 24 paintings, ceramics, fabric art and jewelry pieces created by members of the Red Deer Arts Council were all sparked by treasured items from the artists’ own households.
“There are some pretty cool, inspired pieces,” said Diana Anderson, executive-director of the Red Deer Arts Council of the juried show and sale in the lower level of the Red Deer Public Art Gallery.
Margriet Hogue’s richly organic mixed-media painting Algae Bloom has similar autumnal colours and patterns as a silk scarf she loves.
A raku-fired vessel by Sharon Grinde sports the yellow-brown tones of a tiger’s-eye rock the artist brought back from British Columbia.
And Lorene Runham created an Andy Warhol-like pop-art portrait based on an old black-and-white photograph of her father called Dad & Andy.
Anderson said she was surprised by the wide array of interpretations of the show’s theme: to create art based on cherished objects.
Shirley Flinn and Sheila Wright, respectively, painted representational still lifes of ceramic bowls and a jar of pickled carrots. Wright wrote in her artist’s statement that she once loved eating her grandma’s pickled carrots and now enjoys making the same for her own grandson.
Other artists “went outside the box to see what they could do,” said Anderson.
Charity Beasley created a fabric art doll called Glubs who’s wearing boxing gloves and has athletic tape wrapped around his feet — which is what Beasley wears when she takes kick-boxing lessons.
Wendy Meeres created a new art necklace from old beaded jewelry that was passed down in her family.
“We like to challenge our artists,” said Anderson — and she believes visual art members of the Red Deer Arts Council surpassed expectations with the diverse works in the exhibit.
She hopes viewers will appreciate the broad spectrum of art that will be shown and sold through the gallery until April 24.
Whether the artists are emerging or professional, “compared to other shows in different places, I think our artists stack up pretty well.”
lmichelin@www.reddeeradvocate.com