Celebration

The Wood Buffalo Artists Forum realized a dream last night with the opening of the MacDonald Island Community Art Gallery. Featuring 55 local visual artists, CELEBRATION is the first of what will be many exhibitions dedicated to the talented men and women who practice their art in Wood Buffalo.

Walking down the long corridor off the second level concourse at MacDonald Island Park, I was stopped in my tracks on several occasions by the works on the wall. Garry Berteig's "Reflection of the Horizon of Revelation", Uzma Nadeem's "Celebration of Life", Louise Van Alenburg's "Star birth", and Lisa Carlson's "A Light Landing" were among my favourites.

Jacquie McFarlane, who used to work with us in the Marketing & Communications department at Keyano College has a stunning black and white photograph on display of a parent holding a baby's feet. And Lucas Seaward, who has also worked with us, has one of his incredible graphite drawings in the show, "Survival of the fittest", featuring a majestic polar bear. Stunning!

But CELEBRATION offers so much more, from striking landscapes to vibrant abstracts, from photographic portraits to acrylic dreamscapes.

Fort McMurray's visual artists have been given a place to share their gifts, and we are so grateful as a community. Congratulations!