It’s a collection of the best of the best as member artists exhibit their finest works from the past year at the ninth annual Juried Members Show at the Leighton Art Centre.
The event debuts April 23, with the opening reception 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on April 29 and the exhibit continues through to May 29.
Leighton Centre program director Megan Kerluke said this is a show that provides a wide-ranging sampling of the types of work contributed to the gallery.
“We chose a diverse range of contributors from emerging to established artists in all different mediums,” she said. “So that includes everything from sculptural pieces, watercolours, oils, acrylics, textiles; it’s a cross section of all our members have to offer.”
The pieces were selected for the show by a jury panel consisting of Calgary artists Audrey Mabee and Brent Laycock and the Leighton Centre’s executive director Tony Luppino. Submissions came from about 90 artists with each allowed to submit up to three pieces.
One of those artists was Okotoks’ own Jack Rooney. The 71-year-old said he likes dabbling in many different media as he commits both wildlife and landscape scenes to canvas.
“I work in acrylic, watercolour, pen and ink, and pencil,” he explained. “I don’t really prefer any one of them. I enjoy the challenge of each one.”
For the Leighton Centre’s members show the piece selected from Rooney’s submissions is an acrylic on canvas painting of a Hawthorne tree. He explained he painted it in his usual manner, which involves recreating an image from a photograph.
“I am not one for going out and painting in the field,” he said. “I have done a little bit of that. I’ve done some sketches in that manner. With digital photography today you can get some great photos and work from them in the comfort of your studio. I find it’s a little easier. I do a lot of detail painting and that’s something you really can’t do sitting in the open spaces.”
Born and raised in Winnipeg, Rooney also spent 30 years in Burlington before moving to Okotoks seven years ago. He graduated from the University of Manitoba School of Fine Arts as a young man with the goal of being an illustrator, but the need to provide for a family led him into the business world. He vowed he’d always return to painting once he retired, which he did when he packed in the office job some time ago.
For several years, he’s managed to keep quite busy with his art.
“Most of my work these days seems to be done on a commission basis,” Rooney said. “People want me to paint specific things like their pets, old trucks; that sort of thing.”
The artist said he is pleased to have a piece selected for the Leighton Centre’s members exhibition.
“They have a lot of great artists in the juried show,” Rooney said. “I think the artists always look forward to exhibiting in it.”
The exhibition includes about 45 pieces and Kerluke explained he majority of the featured artists are from Calgary and surrounding area. The Leighton Centre’s program director said this is a popular show with artists because it is so wide open.
“There’s no guidelines in terms of subject matter,” Kerluke said. “We have artists who’ve submitted figurative work, landscapes, wildlife images, and still life. There is some of all that and more in the show. It covers all the sort of art bases because it was an open call. All we asked is that it be recent work and work that hasn’t been shown here in the gallery before.”
The ninth annual Juried Members show opens Saturday, April 23 and continues though to May 29. Get more information on the Leighton Art Centre including driving directions to its location at www.leightoncentre.org
