Artists of Arts Commons - Part five

Welcome to the fifth instalment of the Artists of Arts Commons, a series sharing the stories of our staff who practice art in their personal time – whether it’s an active hobby or even a secondary career. We’ve been excited to be able to share a wide range of artistic pursuits with you, from painting to dancing, to felting and script writing. In part five, we introduce you to a puppeteer, a sketch artist, and a full-time music teacher who are all part of our dedicated front-of-house team.

On stage at Arts Commons there’s no doubt that you’ll see amazingly talented people, but next time you’re getting your ticket scanned at the Jack Singer Concert Hall, you may give a thought to these talented artists.

RHONA-MAE ARCA

Though you may have had Rhona-Mae Arca show you to your seat or scan your ticket at the Jack Singer Concert Hall for an evening performance, during the day she is a piano teacher and music theory teacher. She performs as a solo and collaborative pianist, chorister and cajónist.

When I was in Grade 2, it seemed like all of my classmates were either studying the piano or the fiddle. I felt left out. I’m not exactly sure how piano won out, though. I just remember asking my parents’ for piano lessons. However, if you ask my mother, she’ll tell you that she was dropping hints up to a year prior about how great it would be to play the piano.

Partway through high school, I decided that I wanted to study music at university, simply because I couldn’t imagine not doing music. I wasn’t sure if a career in music performance was for me, so I wound up studying music and business management. I began my career in arts marketing and fund development.

I later moved to the corporate sector but continued to work towards earning my ARCT in Piano Performance through the Royal Conservatory of Music. After all, I just knew intrinsically that one day, I would teach music.

That day came in 2001. I tested the waters, and discovered it felt right. The universe agreed and I was soon laid off from my corporate communications job. Since I had already begun my teaching journey, I simply kept going.

I am a Registered Music Teacher, teaching piano and music theory privately to students of all levels - from beginner to ARCT and from 5 years old to 75 plus. I teach both in-person and online lessons at my private music studio in Calgary.

My students continually challenge me. They each have different strengths, weaknesses, learning and communication styles. I find that this variety keeps things fresh. I am constantly thinking of how to communicate or teach something differently or more effectively.

When I am not teaching, I work as a solo and collaborative musician, playing at corporate functions and special events. I also accompany solo musicians and choirs. Currently, I sing and play the piano for my hometown church at regular services, weddings, and funerals.

There are a lot of behind-the-scenes tasks that come with teaching and performing. Lesson planning, marking theory assignments, practicing, and studio administration take up more time than one would imagine. I haven’t been great at tracking my time, so I couldn’t give you an exact number.

I am also a writer and content creator, with published credits in print and online media, including various music teacher and martial arts publications, Synchronicity Magazine, and the defunct Suite101.com. With the pandemic, I have been able to dedicate more time to creating content for my three YouTube channels and my blog, The Musical Muse.

People say, “Write what you know.” Following that, the bulk of my published articles and posts pertain to music, music education, martial arts, and things I’ve come across in my health and wellness journey.

To learn more about my work, visit musespeak.com. On social media, head to:

Musespeak Studio on Facebook
Instagram: Musespeak Studio | Budo no Tabi  
YouTube: Musespeak Studio | Rhona-Mae Arca/The Musical Muse | Budo no Tabi

Every performance and collaboration is different. Learning to work together with musicians I don’t know well, or haven’t worked with in a while, and getting in sync as quickly as possible is an exciting challenge. Adapting to the ever-changing conditions onstage is a test of everything I have learned so far. And we come together to create something inspiring and magical. I didn’t really explore collaborative music growing up, so to be part of something bigger has been quite an adventure. It’s thrilling.

I have incorporated the collaborative experience in my studio. My students have worked in small ensembles and have tried recording and editing group projects. Our two biggest projects were Eric Whitacre’s Virtual Choir 4: Fly to Paradise and David Wesley’s O Canada Choir.

These forays into virtual ensemble projects led to other journeys in using technology in the studio. These experiments and adventures led to Roland Canada, Conservatory Canada and Music for Young Children naming me Tech Teacher of the Year in 2013.

Another special endeavour was Let’s Try That Again - the film that fellow AC team members Megan Fox, Erica Ho and Aimee Werth wrote. We all work together very well so it was no surprise to see that we all worked well together on a film production too. It was fun composing a song and performing in one of the scenes.

SARA MCNEIL

Painter, puppeteer, performer and all around hooligan, Sara McNeil is a mixed media artist who spends some of her time tearing tickets as an usher, and a lot of her time creating, performing, and making people laugh through her art.

Hi, I'm Sara McNeil and I love art! I have always loved creating, connecting with others and making people laugh from a young age. I'm a self-proclaimed kook machine, puppeteer, artist, and creator of nonsense. I make art using painting, sculpture, performance and puppetry.

During my last year at Alberta University of the Arts I began weaving tales with puppets. Jim Henson's The Dark Crystal definitely inspired me to explore the wonderful world of puppetry and I began mixing performance with puppet creations.

Working with WP Puppet Theatre Society I designed puppets and workshops for all ages. I love seeing the excitement those workshops bring to each individual. In partnership with Calgary Animated Objects Society I've performed virtual puppet jams such as "Have You Seen the Sasquatch?" at The Dolly Wiggler Cabaret, a musical performance about a sassy squash from space who’s trying to find her place on earth.

Another short film of fancy that was created for CAOS was Tough Chicks: Private Investigators. This short was created collaboratively with Steph Quilliams (a fabulous puppeteer, performer and friend) and tells the story of two bird women, Delores Duckingham and Beatrice Grousling, living life, fighting crime, and defending public parks from privatization.

Creating unique art experiences, helping people express their creativity, and animating unique objects fills my life with fantastical moments. I also believe it is important to have fun in whatever it is you do. Capturing the essence joy in the midst of nonsense always motivates me to keep creating, being curious, and keep the extravaganza going!

MATT BAGLEY

I can’t really remember what inspired me to find a style or a medium. I’d always seen examples of traditional tattoos and I guess it stuck with me on some level. Maybe it was the simplicity and expression, who knows. There’s a good chance the medium might have been me not doing enough research before hand. All in all it turned out to be a happy accident.

I’ve been trying to put some kind of personal artistic twist on the traditional tattoo style. But a devoted art schedule? Hah. What a concept. It’s been quite a while since I was able to sit down and just focus on artwork, but there’s have been times where it’s ten minutes, sometimes it’s ten hours.

And since I’ve been offered a spot for a shameless self promotion! @illdoodles on Instagram. The updates are slow but they happen from time to time.

I think the most rewarding moment was probably hearing someone say they actually wanted my artwork tattooed on them. Eventually it even happened too! That was probably a point where I got some proof I was on the right track.

I think the first time I made some that really fit was probably back in 2017. Eventually it got warped into a tattoo I got myself. The best way I can keep it fresh is just to try and make new things. Unfortunately, that’s a process that happens on its own time. However I am starting to try the same art as wood burning.

This little story was almost one of the best artistic moments I’ve had. Over the summer I was approached to spray paint the interior of a family members garage and I was basically given free range. By the end of things I knew there were some places I could’ve improved but all in all, everyone was happy. Plus I learned trying new forms of art is okay!