Feb 24, 2010 | Uncategorized
Probably one of the most recognizable landmarks in St. Boniface, besides the St. Boniface Cathedral, is the old hôtel de ville, or city hall. These days it holds an art gallery run by la Maison des artistes, of which I’m a member of. It’s a great meeting point for francophone artists in Manitoba to get inspired, display their work and add their share of arts and culture to the famous boulevard Provencher. I’ve been meaning to take a picture of my photo for many months now, and only got around to doing it this week. Last summer, I submitted my picture of the St. Léon wind turbines to be displayed in the new 4 ft x 6 ft illuminated box that adorns the front garden grounds of the hôtel de ville. It looks even better at night when it’s glowing yellow and orange. Next time you’re in St. Boniface, you should go visit the sculpture garden – there’s artwork amidst the beautifully landscaped grounds and a short but quaint walking path. Of course, summer time is ideal for this, but this month there are also snow sculptures around to see as well. The picture will soon be replaced by a new one, and I can’t say how exciting it is to see St. Boniface putting the spotlight on photographic art in public space.
Feb 21, 2010 | Uncategorized
A little while ago I spent the afternoon in my new studio space in Winnipeg’s exchange district… and I brought a few friends along with me! The talented Melissa Finch also came out with her make-up kit and did a wonderful job on all the models (thank you!). I’m really excited about this new studio and I can’t wait to share it with you! If you’re interested in headshots, beauty portraits, family portraits, a maternity session or even some band shots, just send me an e-mail. Such a nice space!
(more studio shots coming soon….)
Feb 17, 2010 | Uncategorized
It was a hot humid summer night last year when I came home to discover a multitude of snails crawling (slowly) all over my drive way, deck and house. If it wasn’t for their incredible cuteness, I’d probably get weirded out by their invasion of my property, but these little critters were very fascinating! One of them left remnants on my dew-covered door of his long happy trails. (He must’ve been traveling for quite some time because he was moving very, very slowly and he had quite the long trail behind him). I decided to name him Solomon and rooted for him as he continued along his way.
The next day, I told my friend Natasha about little Solomon who travels at night along my house. Natasha also happens to be a very talented illustrator, and after hearing about little determined Solomon, she took the liberty (or got inspired) to make a little illustration of him (found here).
Fast-forward a few months, and today I had the pleasure of going over to Natasha’s house to take some photos of her framed artwork for her online store. It was a fun, relaxing shoot (sipping on home-made lattés and chatting while shooting), and at the end, she surprised me with a belated birthday gift: none other than a stuffed version of Solomon!
I think everyone should have an illustrator friend. Good things like this happen when you do. Solomon isn’t for sale, but the other bunnies, whale and artwork are! For more info, visit: http://www.etsy.com/shop/maryandmaudestudio
Feb 5, 2010 | Uncategorized
f/action‘s latest exhibit took place at the lovely West End Cultural Centre in the heart of Winnipeg’s West End. It was an absolute delight when we were invited to participate in the new music & art series that the WECC is putting on: Melodies on Mercredi. For the next few months, on the first Wednesday of the month, there will be live music by local emerging artists coupled with artwork on the walls. A complete art show combining music and visual arts! We love that idea!
The night went really well with Brett Nelson and Kipp Kocay on the bill. If you missed the show (and the pudding they had for sale!), you can still see our photos on display for the rest of the month of February. Next time you go to a show at the West End, look around the lobby! A lot of the photos are actual shots that were taken of past shows at the West End Cultural Centre. And they’re for sale! E-mail me for details (photo @ egabrielle.com) or visit the WECC. Here are snapshots from Wednesday night’s show:
Jan 5, 2010 | Uncategorized
If you’re an avid French Canadian novel reader, you are probably very familiar with a St. Boniface-born author by the name of Gabrielle Roy. And chances are, you are a carrying a quote by her in your wallet. On every $20 Canadian bill, her words Nous connaîtrions-nous seulement un peu nous-mêmes, sans les arts? in small font are stamped. I grew up a few blocks away from where she grew up as a child (but 7 decades before my time!) in the quaint neighbourhood of St. Boniface, the heart of the francophone community here in Winnipeg.
As a high school student, I read her novels and even produced a short documentary on her, who by many has been considered one of the most influential Canadian authors. The house where she grew up in has since been converted into a museum in her honour and this year marks the 100th anniversary of her birth. In honour of her outstanding contribution to Canadian literature and as a celebration of our local “celebrity”, Lise Gaboury-Diallo has put together a book which is a beautiful collection of texts and artwork by Franco-Manitoban artists. Prior to this, a fundraising auction for the Gabrielle Roy Museum was held at la Maison des artistes and the artwork from the auction have been included in this book.
As a Franco-Manitoban artist and collaborator to the art auction and book, I'm very excited to share with you Sillons : hommage à Gabrielle Roy. It is with pride and pleasure that I have, in some small way, contributed to the celebration and honouring of one of Canada's greatest writers. Check it out!
