Neel de Wit-Wibaut pictured here with one of the winter scenes she is so fond of painting. Neel maintains a simple lifestyle in the country to support her connection to nature.

Neel de Wit-Wibaut is a painter who splits her time between Calgary and a remote location in the Alberta foothills. Devoted to her work, she has been painting faithfully for decades. Her paintings express her deep appreciation of nature and invite the viewer to join her in a reflection on light. Working primarily in oils on wood, her subjects are inspired moments of illumination—sunlight, moonlight and the colors in shadows. This retrospective is a tribute to Neel’s remarkable career and an homage to the Alberta foothills where she has lived for more than half her life.

Still painting at the age of 97, she is deeply inspiring. Here is a short video introduction to Neel and her work in her own words.

Video created by Shelley Whitehead for Bluerock Gallery.  Special thanks to Mady Thiel-Kopstein, Marika d’Ailly, Sandra Wiebe, and Anna Carnell. The still photos of Neel’s paintings are courtesy of Edith Vanderkloot.

Want to know more about Neel? We invite you to read Hope in the Color of Orange: Dutch Civilian Memories of War and Liberation. In the chapter titled “Sonja Mathilde,” Neel tells her story about being a wife and mother during WWII in Holland. This locally produced, independently published book (published by MMWG) is available for purchase in the Bluerock Gallery online store available here.

Thanks to everyone who joined us on Saturday, May 5th for Neel’s opening. In case you weren’t able to make it, you can catch some of the highlights in the short video below.

Global TV also interviewed Neel in her studio. There is a short commercial before the video begins.

Are you interested in visual art making and experimentation?

Would you like to deepen your experience of nature?

Art & Spirit :: Spiritual Connection and the Art of Monoprinting—A Workshop in Four Seasons combining time in nature exploring the nuances of Spiritual Connection with an introduction to the art of monoprinting.

Dates:

SPRING:  May 18-20

SUMMER:  July 27-29

FALL:  September 28-30

WINTER:  November 9-11

Register here or call 403-933-5047 if you have more questions.

Figures, landscapes, and the structures of  prairie towns – exuberant paintings by three Alberta artists who are often inspired by these elements.  Come and enjoy this spirited show during the season of stampedes and rodeos!

Spring has sprung and the display cases at Bluerock Gallery are filled with new jewelry from some of Alberta’s finest craftspeople. From the sculptural “jewelry as art,” of Linda Chow to the fine and sensitive work of Shelley McAneeley to the bright glass lampwork of Alicia Niles, we are certain there is something for everyone in this eclectic presentation.

If you like what you see, spread the word and share this post with your friends. And, as a first for Bluerock Gallery, we are excited to offer this entire collection (what you see in these photos) of one of a kind pieces available for sale in our online store. We have many more pieces to choose from in our gallery, so come and visit in person soon!  But, if you’d like to buy a piece you see here, use the “click here to buy now” button to enter our online store.  Enjoy!

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1. West on One: The Stories Behind the Scenery
by Kathryn Manry (signed copies at Bluerock Gallery $32)

Summer will be here before you know it! February is the perfect time to plan the next road trip. Katherine Manry covers the 183 kilometres of the Trans Canada Highway between Calgary and Lake Louise with the eyes and ears of a time traveling adventurer. Part who’s who of Alberta history, part travel guide, West on One will have you hitting the road infused with a sense of wonder and adventure. Listen to Katherine Manry talking about her new book here.

2. Campie
by Barbara Stewart ($17.95)

A beautifully written memoir about the author’s transition from eating organic and owning her own home to bankruptcy, social isolation and cleaning toilets in an oil rig camp. “A view from the bottom of the oil barrel into work-camp culture, Campie is an entertaining, compelling account of how an ordinary person survives when things fall apart and there’s no “eat pray love” holiday to put them back together.”

Visit Barbara Stewart’s website here.

3. The Grizzly Manifesto: In Defense of the Great Bear
by Jeff Gailus ($16.95)

“Like the roar of an angry bear, this book should set your pulse racing. Jeff Gailus weaves science, policy and personal experience into into a passionate and a provocative critique of Canada’s failed efforts to halt the decline of the Grizzly Bear. ” —David R. Boyd, environmental lawyer, professor, activist

Visit Jeff Gailus on the web, here.

4. Boreal Herbal: Wild Food and Plant Medicines of the North : A Guide to Harvesting, Preserving and Preparing
by Beverley Gray ($44.95)

There are plenty of Boreal plants which thrive in the foothills of southern Alberta. And Mother Nature on the other hand provides a magnificent ecosystem teeming with foliage and medicine—if you know where to look. One part plant identification, one part food and medicine making guide—The Boreal Herbal will have you brewing Dandelion Wine and spraying a sore throat with Old Man’s Beard in no time.

5. Pic-A-Pix: The Latest Puzzle Fix
by Diane Baher ($16.00)

We are proud to support local writers at Bluerock! This one is for puzzle-heads. You know who you are! Sharpen your pencil, follow the numerical clues and start making pictures! Addictive and good for your brain—puzzles keep you sharp. Wanna know more about this puzzle craze?

Check out Diane’s website at learnpicapix.com

6. Whitewater Cooks at Home
by Shelley Adams ($34.95)

A Canadian National Bestseller, the Whitewater series of cookbooks fly off the shelves here at The Bluerock—for good reason. Making a dish from these pages transforms you from “cook” to kitchen goddess without any smoke or fireworks! The recipes are easy, crowd winning dishes with ingredients you probably have in the fridge right now. Yummy! A great gift.

7. Edible Plants for Prairie Gardens: The Best Fruits, Vegetables and Herbs
by June Flanagan ($19.95)

“The recently released Edible Plants for Prairie Gardens by June Flanagan is a “must read” for both gardeners and chefs. Ms. Flanagan, who lives and gardens in Lethbridge, also wrote Native Plants for Prairie Gardens she integrates her strong botanical background with her local experience … and draws on over fifty cited references to provide us with a wealth of information… The photographs are captivating … often mouth-watering … those raspberries and strawberries! There’s much in this book for both novice and experienced prairie gardeners.”  — The Scarboro Garden Scene, Calgary

8. Medicine Paint: The Art of Dale Auger ($59.95)

At Bluerock, we have a deep respect for the work of Dale Auger, Sakaw Cree and world renowned First Nations artist. This beautiful book is a selection of paintings—bold, beautiful artworks that touch on spirit, nature and the complexities of Native life in the contemporary world. Dale Auger passed away in 2008.  We are proud to represent his daughter, Neepin Auger, with her paintings in our gallery.

See a video “trailer” featuring paintings from this beautiful book here.
9. Jayber Crow: A Novel
by Wendell Berry ($23.95)
“This new war, like the previous one, would be a test of the power of machines against people and places; whatever its causes and justifications, it would make the world worse. This was true of that new war, and it has been true of every new war since…I knew too that this new war was not even new but was only the old one come again. And what caused it? It was caused, I thought, by people failing to love one another, failing to love their enemies.”—Wendell Berry, Jayber Crow

10. In Love with the Mystery
by Ann Mortifee ($28.95)

“Many years ago, I chose to begin awakening each morning at sunrise. These hours of quiet developed an awareness of the fertile stillness that underlies all things. At the beginning of last year, my husband, Paul Horn, who recorded “Inside the Taj Mahal” in the late 60’s, gave me a beautiful small book. Each day for a year I wrote a short passage in the space allocated for the day. It was from these passages that IN LOVE WITH THE MYSTERY emerged. —Ann Mortifee

This beautiful book from Ann Mortifee—musician, healer, speaker and author is the perfect gift for anyone who is in love with the mystery of life. Included with the book is a music CD – a collaboration between Ann and her husband, renowned flute player, Paul Horn.  Visit Ann’s website dedicated to the book, here.

Artist’s Reception ALL DAY 11 am – 9 pm Saturday, December 3, 2011

(Black Diamond celebrates “Light UP”  starting at 5 pm on Saturday, December 3, 2011, with many fun street events – so come to town for Small Works and stay for a party!)

As usual, our fabulous local artists have been inspired and excited by the challenge, and their new works are beginning to pour into the gallery’s backstock room!  We’ve invited some guest artists to join the fun – so we’ll have not only NEW ART, but some NEW ARTISTS in the show as well!  We’re very excited to see the beautiful and interesting works coming in. And, the show is “under wraps” until December 2!

SMALL WORKS Arriving every day!

pal·imp·sest 

n.

1. A manuscript, typically of papyrus or parchment, that has been written on more than once, with the earlier writing incompletely erased and often legible.

2. An object, place, or area that reflects its history.

We’re thrilled to welcome back Evonne Smulder’s clay art – the art that launched Terra Cotta Gallery!  Evonne and Rob have been very busy!  All new works, in functional and art clay are now filling a corner of the main gallery.  They’ll be in the gallery all day Saturday to visit with friends and anyone who stops in!

Stop in to say hello, add another chili pepper piece to your collection, and check out the fun and fanciful birdhouses that have emerged from the kiln recently!

Artist’s Reception 2 – 5 pm Saturday November 5, 2011

Cows in Moonlight :: Oil :: 24 x 36 inches

We are very excited to present all new works in oil by Steve Coffey. These paintings continue in the prairie vein – exploring long trains of boxcars, laundry blowing on the lines, and always the big, big prairie skies above familiar harvest and pastoral scenes.

In Steve’s other career as a musician he’s been working on a new CD this past year.  The new recording entitled “Bovine World Rail” will be available at this art opening, prior to it being released to the general public at concerts in 2012.

This recording features all new songs & great performances from this band of 10 years: Lance Loree, Dave Bauer, Russ Baker, Ray McAndrew, Steve Coffey and Toby Malloy are The Lokels.

Produced by Russ Baker ‘Bovine World Rail’ delves into the world of organic grooves and poetic meanderings richly grown and harvested from the prairies of rural Alberta. 

There is an art, and spirit, in the acts of giving and receiving.  There is a time for the gathering of what you need, not just to survive, but to be happy and productive.  And there is a time to set aside the material world and simply experience BE-ing.

Join us for an evening of simple ceremony, teachings, and heartfelt discussion with Spiritual Elder and Minister, Jaki Daniels, as she shares some of her thoughts and wisdom on gifts, giving, and the role of beauty in our lives.

This is a free, after-hours event in the gallery.  No pre-registration required.

You can learn more about Jaki Daniels by visiting her website www.earthandskyhealing.com