The Clay Trade will have its official Grand Opening during the Dowtown Artwalk. The night will include refreshments from Big Rock Breweries, treats and live music by Ron Mason.

We will feature works by local artists and artists in residence from Medalta.

Some of the artist’s include:

Les Manning, Jane MacKay, Hedy Stabler, Koi Neng Liew….

When: Friday June 10th 7 PM – 10 PM

Where: 628 2nd Street SE

Visit www.theclaytrade.ca for more information or call 403-529-9109

Follow us on twitter (@clay_trade) and on Facebook

Today a whole new group of artists have arrived in Medicine Hat and will be spending a month in Medalta’s studios.

For the next two weeks, we are hosting artists’ talks so you get a chance to meet the group and learn where their inspiration comes from. They’re always fantastic events and after that talks, everyone gets a chance to have a drink  & something to eat while speaking with the artists.

We hope to be able to show these visiting artists how much Medicine Hat appreciates the Arts.

For more information on the artists, visit the MIAIR website.
If you aren’t sure where we are (or exactly how to dodge all the construction), check this handy map from the Esplanade to Medalta.

Arborglyphs Poster

May 20, 2011 – June 4, 2011

Opening Reception: May 20, 2011 7:00-10:00pm

Arborglyphs is an attempt to capture the forms of trees both in and out, retold within its very substance.  No two trees are exactly the same, each one is shaped by a myriad of forces at work each day.  My work on these already amazing examples of art, seeks to be just as unique as the pieces that I work upon. ~Hayden Werezak

Hayden’s Bio: Trees I find to be one of the most fascinating things. My fascination with this part of creation inspires my retelling of these growing works of art. I seek to capture trees either carved or etched on wood, slate, and marble.

Born and raised in Calgary, matured in the North Saskatchewan River valley and the Cypress Hills, I currently reside in Medicine Hat, with my wife Aryn.

The Esplanade Art Gallery is pleased to announce the opening of two new exhibitions, Les Manning’s Common/Opposites and the 2011 Group Exhibition of the Hat Art Club and the Medicine Hat Potters Association, on display until June 19. There will be a reception with the artists on May 5 at 7 PM.

Common/Opposites

Fresh, highly coloured and all new clay sculptures by Les Manning, the internationally recognized ceramist based in Medicine Hat, Alberta. Joanne Marion, Esplanade Curator of Art, says “For the past several decades, Les Manning has become internationally known for his elegant clay vessels based on the eroded forms of the Rockies. But in these new sculptures, he vaults way beyond into new territory, with brilliant colours, rich textures and powerful, sometimes playful shapes”.

Hat Art Club and Medicine Hat Potters’ Association 2011 Group Exhibition

A longstanding tradition at the Art Gallery, this exhibition gives a glimpse into the creative talents and imaginative interests of Medicine Hat’s own artists and artisans. Curator Joanne Marion comments that this year, “ the Hat Art Club and Potters’ Association are presenting a surprising array of works, from 21st century digital renderings to clay pots inspired by ancient vessels.”

For further information, interviews or images, please contact: THE JUMP – Read the rest of this entry »

Medicine Hat College approached the City of Medicine Hat last year with a proposal to gain full use of the Cultural Centre for the expansion of the Visual Communications Program. The City agreed to work with the College and key stakeholders to look at viable solutions to relocate the current City supported user groups, but City Council has determined it is not financially feasible for the City to relocate the groups from the Cultural Centre.

“The College has been notified of the City’s decision and operation of the Cultural Centre will continue to be a shared responsibility of the City and the College,” said Ray Barnard, Chief Administrative Officer for the City of Medicine Hat.

The Cultural Centre opened in 1983 as a shared project of the City and the College and will continue to be a place for Arts and Culture to thrive in the Medicine Hat Community.

“Our goal has been to find an affordable way of serving the needs of our students, and I offer my thanks to the City for the energy and time they committed to their evaluation,” said Dr. Ralph Weeks, President & CEO of Medicine Hat College. “Our motivation to steward resources intended for post-secondary education, and provide appropriate space for our students, continues.”

Medicine Hat College Visual Communications students will be exhibiting their work from April 9-17, 2011 at Medicine Hat College Centennial Hall. The exhibition is open daily from 9:00am – 4:30pm. The reception is being held Saturday, April 9th at 7:00pm.

For those unfamiliar with Medicine Hat:

• Medicine Hat College
• 299 College Dr. SE
• Medicine Hat, Alberta

“This year’s graduating exhibition for Visual Communications students is an examination, exploration and exploitation into the social, moral, and ethical implications of the business of repurposing these axiomatic brands and compositions. The magnifying lens is on how often and how pervasively our culture uses and reuses images and brands for their own purpose.” Nelson Yuen – Instructor

For more information, please contact

• Gail Snider
• phone: 403.529.3959
• Email: gsnider@mhc.ab.ca
• Visit our website

Inspire Studio and Gallery on 2nd Street downtown has expanded to include a wonderful café. I’ve gone there a couple times in the past week and was greeted with great service each time. I am excited to see that they carry The Pop Shoppe drinks along with my favourite flavour, black cherry. According to our server they will have wireless internet available in the future as well. I will list the hours below but I was particularly excited to see that they are open until 10pm on Wed-Fri.

If you plan on checking it out around lunch time I would arrive a little early as the place was packed and a couple people were waiting for a table to open up. Not to mention the parking on 2nd street seems to be in much higher demand. The portions may seem small to some but the food we had was quite good and I was full afterwards anyways. Our club sandwiches cost us $7.00 while our soup and salad (I chose the julienne carrots with a citrus/cumin dressing) were an extra $2.00. I meant to take a picture of the menu as well but alas, I forgot. Some other items were a vegetable shepherd’s pie or baked potato with various toppings including chili. They have an assortment of delicious looking deserts as well. Definitely going back to try the apple cake next time.

The atmosphere of the café is quite welcoming as well. Since it is a part of the Inspire Gallery there is a lot of interesting and diverse art peppered throughout the café. I was impressed with the condition of the old floors and the red tables and white walls provide a really nice contrast.

Also, here are the hours the gallery and café are open (taken from Inspire Studio and Gallery facebook page):

“Inspire Studio & Gallery has moved into its new location and Inspire Café is now open at 669 (Studio)-675 (Café) 2nd Street S.E. Studio hours are Tuesday to Saturday 12:00-5:00pm. Café hours are Mon-Tues 9:00am-5:00pm, Wed-Fri 9:00am-10:00pm, Saturday 9:00am-5:00pm and Sunday 11:00am-4:00pm.”

If you want to read more about how the café came to be here is an article in the Medicine Hat News from December of last year: http://www.medicinehatnews.com/life/12292010.html

The Hive Artists’ Hub has a subsidized artist and/or artisan studio available starting April 1, 2011 for a 6 month term. The application deadline is March 15, 2011. Application is open to artists and artisans of all mediums excluding ceramics. To apply or for more information, contact Susan Knight at 403.504.5371, susan@hivehub.ca, online at hivehub.ca, or in person at 569 2nd Street SE in Medicine Hat, Alberta.

The Hive Artists’ Hub is a Canadian Badlands Ltd. initiative, under the supervision of the Historic Clay District. Located in downtown Medicine Hat, the facility has five artist and/or artisan studios which are subsidized through the Rural Alberta Development Fund. Short and long-term opportunities are available for artists, who will also have access to professional development opportunities and storefront gallery.

For more information, interviews or visuals, contact:

Susan Knight – Artists Incubator Director
The Hive Artists’ Hub
403.504.5371
susan@hivehub.ca

Quentin Randall – Marketing Coordinator
Historic Clay District
403.529.1070
quentin@medalta.org

Twenty five years ago, I bet we were all watching Top Gun and wondering if Oprah was ever going to make it. Sports fans watched the Mets win the World Series (do you remember Bill Buckner?) and millions of Americans lined up for Hands Across America.

Al Capone’s vault was opened (spoiler alert … nothing was in it), Pixar opened its now-famous animation studios and we saw Halley’s Comet. And closer to home, the Friends of Medalta Society was formed on the heels of Medalta gaining National Historic Site status.

2011 is a pretty big year for us. We managed to rescue Medalta from the wrecking ball and have turned it into a museum, contemporary ceramic artists’ centre and production pottery studio.

It’s our twenty-fifth anniversary this year (and ninety nine years since the building was built).

This month’s newsletter also features news from a lot of Medicine Hat’s cultural community, including The Hive, The Esplanade, The Monarch Theatre, Inspire Gallery, Studio and (soon) Cafe and Medicine Hat’s folk music scene.

We’re always looking for content so if you know of something we should be including, email Quentin the info and we’ll do our best to include it.

The council voted against the city’s public services committees recommendation to host the 2015 Lieutenant Governer of Alberta Arts Awards, typically a 2-4 day celebration. This event would have coincided with the Esplanade’s 10th anniversary and promote Medicine Hat’s art community.

It’s an estimated cost of $100,000 which has been argued that it would not draw thousands of people to the city the way large sporting events do. However, there’s an opportunity for the 2015 Western Canada Summer Games, which they guess would draw thousands of people – but would also cost $1,000,000.

Ald. John Hamill said the birthday of the Esplanade is nothing to celebrate, as many people opposed building it in the first place and “Many people have never darkened its door, and they never will.” Ald. Graham Kelly said if they’re supporting sports they need to support the arts as well.

The art community in Medicine Hat has grown significantly over the years, and recently lost the Struck Gallery. Now there’s no support for the Esplanade, and despite having equal ratios (10 times the cost, 10 times the turn out)  they’re favoring the sporting event. I would just like to toss in that I, and other people I know, haven’t “darkened the door” of the arena, and when the events center is built I don’t plan on entering it either.