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It is so exciting for me to be able to post about all sorts of upcoming Zoom and in person (but socially distant and outside) workshops and demonstrations. I've been teaching a bit over the past few months over Zoom and I'll be honest, that human interaction has been a real pick me up. If you need a little of that or if you want to get out into the fresh air for some drawing sessions, hopefully there is something here to lift you up! Below are some offerings grouped by venue: The Leighton Art Centre, Alberta Printmakers and Inglewood Art Supplies. I keep adding new classes to my main page as they are finalized so this blog post might get out of date - always check there first to see what is on tap in the coming weeks.  The Leighton Art Centre: Plein Air Sketching 1 Day Workshops July 18th (sold out), August 22nd, September 12th, 2020 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Document your travels with creative flair! Using a variety of techniques with watercolour and ink, learn the secrets of capturing architecture, nature, and indoor scenes while you are on the road. This class will focus on a wide range of approaches for quickly capturing the moment with easy-to-transport supplies as well plenty of practical information of what to bring on your adventures! Each session will focus on different areas of the beautiful Leighton property as well as feature different drawing skills and techniques. Join for one session or come for all! Classes will be observing the latest recommendations for Covid-19 safety with outdoor social distancing and individual supply kits for each participant. If you have further questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us! Registration cost: $85 plus GST & Eventbrite Fees* * or register by phone: 403-931-3633, Wed-Sun, 10 am – 4 pm to avoid Eventbrite fees For more information and to register, click here.  Alberta Printmakers: Pressing Onwards Series: Carving Tool Maintenance Interactive Online Demo via Zoom July 22nd, 2020 6:30pm - 8:30 pm Join Michelle Wiebe as she guides you through the science and practice of maintaining razor sharp edges on your gouges. Having a properly maintained set of tools will result in greater carving accuracy, longer lasting blades, reduced physical fatigue as well as less chance of injury. Using a basic set up of easily made or purchased tools she will show you how to hone, sharpen and repair dings on your U gouges, V gouges and Chisels. All items demonstrated can either be inexpensively purchased locally or else up-cycled from easily sourced scraps. Learn more and register here to receive Zoom link to participate.  Inglewood Art Supplies: Drawing Outdoors Made Fast and Easy 1 Day Mini Workshops (or sign up for all three) August 1st, 8th and 29th, 2020 10:30 am - 1:00 pm Great class to get you started with drawing and build confidence sketching outdoors, each class will feature different locations and drawing exercises to help you build your own sketchbook routine! Saturday August 1 -Warm up drawings, found objects & still life Saturday August 8 -Warm up, architecture and structural forms Saturday August 29 -Warm up, detailed work, natural forms and texture Each class: $30.00 +GST or all three classes: $80.00 +GST Supplies not included. Register with a friend and Save 10% For more information and to register, click here.  Vernacular 12" x 18" Ink on Paper 2020 Michelle Wiebe With the new directions my work has been taking lately mixed in with headlines talking about equality, I have been learning new things about my art and myself. There has been a close examination of these issues through the lens of being a woman, from being mixed race, from having interests that are predominantly male centric, from having chronic illness, and from a lack of institutional qualifications. A lot of who I am is just how I was born; I did not have the option to pick and choose my traits or much of my situation. For a long time, I have regretted that I rarely fit neatly into institutions and established systems - my interests or background do not always dovetail nicely with the existing framework. With the exception of people on the inside with generous hearts taking me at face value and extending a hand of invitation, I find a lot of what I am interested in has been subject to knowledge gatekeepers or old fashioned notions of “it’s always been done this way” without the possibility of exploring the options.  Dialect 12" x 18" Ink on Paper 2020 Michelle Wiebe Recently, I have been thinking about how I contribute even if I do not often have a set place at the table, the table being a metaphor for the way the art world has typically run. Slowly it has been dawning on me that my job with my art and as an instructor has been increasingly about building a new table. It is not refined table, just something makeshift. Like someone in their first apartment, the substance on this table can be meagre at times too – I have limits on what I can offer. The beauty of constructing it though is that everyone is welcome. Personally, I am often far more interested in who has never been to the table and why they want to be there. Yes, pull up a chair, you are welcome at this table. Another thing I like about this table, is while I might make a space for it, or put the bare framework together, I do not own it. This table can grow and shift as more people come to it and contribute their thoughts and ideas. A table like this lends itself to a potluck approach, the viewer or the student brings something as well and it adds more choice delicacies to sample. I recognize that there are other new tables being built – some of these might suit some tastes or dietary needs better. This is good. There is also the possibility of extending or joining tables down the road, should there be more space required.  Jargon 12" x 18" Ink on Paper 2020 Michelle Wiebe With my latest work, a lot of it explores this sense of having no place to properly belong; severed ties missed connections and the feeling of being set adrift through policies and predominant attitudes. I know that I am not alone in this, so it felt like time to share where I am at with the hopes of others being encouraged to speak up about their journey. With teaching, there is a reason why I love introduction or basic skills-oriented sessions. The act of empowering someone to finally express their creative thoughts and discover their potential puts wind in my sails like very few things on this earth. Now though, my focus has been putting together a little table, set with my artwork, my classes and most importantly, my time. Please come and have a seat if you want or if the other tables do not have room for you – I am happy to see you here. * A note about the artwork, This is what I've been loosely calling my Protest Poster series (this series is unfinished as I don't have access to the studio at Alberta Printmakers to use the Vandercook press due to COVID-19.) These are exploring ideas of lost culture and language. Broken letterforms (by using P22 Blox, a fragmented typeface) and signifiers (the bandolier blocks) that don't have the full scope of meaning and are layered and printed to create a picture of chaos and scattered thoughts. These are printed on Domtar Cougar 130lb paper in white and are limited editions of ten.  Babble 12" x 18" Ink on Paper 2020 Michelle Wiebe |
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