The annual Encore Art Sale is right around the corner, and this year’s featured artist is thrilled to participate in the two-day event.
Red Deer-based Marlene Kallstrom-Barritt will not only be showcasing her remarkable paintings, but she will also have an opportunity to discuss her works during the sale, which runs April 26-27 at the Lacombe Memorial Centre.
Kallstrom-Barritt’s passion for creativity extends back to her childhood days.
According to her artist statement, she has always been interested in, “patterns and details such as the fine lines in a flower petal, the serrated edges of a tree leaf, the colours in a piece of granite, or how the frost makes lovely patterns on window glass.
“I (also) find that when the big world becomes overwhelming, I can take a break by refocusing on the smaller things around me such as a leaf that makes up a tree, a petal that is part of the flower, the whiskers on a pet, or patterns that show up unexpectedly. I hope to create art that may offer viewers a refuge where they can find beauty, joy, or peace.”
Looking back, she also recalled how she, as a youngster, was always building things, too.
“I grew up in the country, in northwestern Ontario. My brother had built me a playhouse once, and it had an upstairs — and a porch, believe it or not,” she recalled with a laugh.
She would envision all kinds of different uses for the playhouse, and the sky was the limit in terms of her early expression.
“I was always ‘creating’.
As to her style as a painter, she describes her approach as being that of abstract realism. There is a delicacy and a sense of comfort to her warmly-rendered, intricate works.
Interestingly, she didn’t even have her sights set on this medium for quite some time.
“I never really knew that I could do art until a neighbour who was quite artsy suggested we paint together.
“I said I didn’t know how — that I didn’t have paints or even a brush,” she said.
“She said she would lend me some. So I finished one, and it was quite good! We both looked at each other wondering, where did that come from?
“I guess it had always been there, but it had been channeled into other things, like home design or gardening,” she explained.
“I think if you have some creativity in you it comes out in one way or another.”
Her initial career aspirations were to pursue home design or architecture, but she ultimately chose nursing.
But her creative fervour never faded, with projects popping up over the years.
Later on, during her son’s graduation ceremony at Red Deer Polytechnic (Red Deer College at the time), she noticed information about the school’s various arts programs.
“When I had finished my nursing career, I had wondered what I was supposed to do with myself as I was still relatively young. I kept looking for something.
“So at my son’s graduation, I was sitting in the audience looking at the program, and my eye fell on the bachelor of fine arts program. I knew right there and then it was what I was supposed to do.
“That was in June, and by that September, I was enrolled in the college visual arts program, which I did complete. I loved it. I discovered that I could draw, and I discovered things that I didn’t know I could do.
“For me, painting is almost a kind of meditative thing. I can get in my own space. I feel like I’m fulfilling what I am supposed to be doing.”
Meanwhile, presented by Vesta Energy, the art sale features hand-crafted fiber arts, pottery, paintings, metal works, and plenty more from some of Alberta’s finest artisans.
Admission is by donation, with all proceeds supporting the Lacombe Arts Endowment Fund.
Other highlights include the Brushstroke for a Cause, which used to be known as the paint-off event.
Artists work on a particular piece on Friday evening from 6 to 7 p.m. and again on Saturday from 2 to 3 p.m.
All of those pieces will then go online for a silent auction for two weeks, with the proceeds going to support the Lacombe Arts Endowment Fund.
“I really like the Encore Art Show — it’s a very good event, and it’s classy,” said Kallstrom-Barritt. “And I appreciate so much that there is this venue for artists. We need these opportunities to showcase what we are doing in our homes and studios,” she said.
“I also like the conversations that I can have with people, and I like to have the chance to encourage others to chase after their abilities.”
For more information, head to lacombe.ca/562/2024-Encore-Art-Show