The Dynamic Home Work Spaces of Calgary Artists

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While restrictions may slowly be lifting in Alberta, we can’t help but reflect on the last few months of social distancing and isolation. Our doors may still be closed and our physical artist exhibitions might be postponed, but our incredible artists in our RBC Emerging Visual Artists Program are still hard at work at home. What does that look like? 

We caught up with several of our artists about what their physical space looks like, and what their personal experience has been. We’ve highlighted three, but follow us on our IG account @yycarts to see them all! 

Penny Gunderson 

I started my self-isolation before others and will likely continue longer than them since I am in the high risk category. Working on art at home has saved my sanity. I do something creative everyday and that varies from trying a new recipe, slow stitching, drawing to painting. Creative work draws me away from the concerns and emotions swirling in my head. The virus and the emotions involved with it are present in my work - ex. needle felted Covid 19 viruses for an installation I'm developing or a person pulling their hair (my version of an online lesson by Deanna Strachan-Wilson combining different reference photos and different mediums). While working I am captured in the act of creating and time seizes to exist. 

I have set up an encaustic (painting with molten wax, tree resin and pigment) station on the back deck and use it on warm dry days. I've even had a little red bee visit me attracted by the scent of beeswax. I was painting encaustic postcards on rusted watercolor paper exploring cave painting and organic ink line and shapes. 

Amy Webber 

I’m so grateful to have this space within my home to create my art. I have always worked from home during my career as an artist, so I didn’t have to adjust much in that respect during the pandemic. I love having lots of plants in my studio, as it brings a bit of the outside in and makes me feel less cooped up inside. I find I am much more inspired and productive when I’m working in a beautiful space.

Ryan Puchalski 

I like having a calm, quiet space to work on my art while knowing that outside there's noise and a lot happening. It's reassuring to know the 'everyday' continues even though inside the studio you can feel so disconnected from it at times. 

Elements of my artistic practice utilize common items that can be found in most household pantry's so that's a big advantage to me currently compared to a more professional studio setting. As it saves me the trouble of bringing it to and from. 

Kyle Simmers

I’ve just been working away from my little home studio space in my loft space in Inglewood. It's a little upper story of a home built in 1913. I’ll usually start my day with a pot of coffee brewing in my kitchen round the corner and a record playing behind me. My cat Nixie is my lovely studio assistant who reminds me to take breaks with her outside.

In the past couple years my process has shifted to a very portable work station. I use my laptop for research and reference images while doing everything from sketches to final colour on my iPad pro.