Art Central Entrepreneurs

Celebrate Their Fourth Birthday
by Magdalena Zimmer
from Mosaic Magazine, Fall 2008

If a building has a core, a steady beat that stabilizes the whole, then at Art Central, six tenants would be that constant. UP Studio, Chester Arts, Influx Gallery, Mary Pat, Ted Smith and The Siding all claimed space in Art Central at its inception, and as the building’s mainstays, consistently provide high quality, intriguing work. It is to these tenants that much of Art Central’s success can be attributed.

In November 2004, with renovations of the building not entirely complete, Art Central opened its doors to the public. Chester Lees recalls the opening party as “being a black tie and hardhat (event),” as the finishing touches were still being done on the building. Now, Chester Arts is a well-established studio on the upper level of Art Central, with work filling the walls. Chester’s easel occupies the middle of the studio with a painting exploring Celtic folklore underway. Other paintings depict atmospheric landscapes with light breaking through a dense forest, or an assemblage of clouds. Dendritic formations in much of the work, suggest traditional Celtic knotting. Chester is not only a painter, but an accomplished instructor, public speaker and workshop facilitator and a trip to her studio can be both visually and conversationally rich.

Across the way, one will find one of Calgary’s finest gems, Influx Jewelry Gallery. Founded in 2004 by Kari Woo, Devon Clark, Shona Rae and Herb Sawatzky, Influx represents over 40 artists from across Canada and overseas. The jewelry, ranging from rings to necklaces to more experimental and less functional pieces, is exceptional. The work of emerging artists mingles with that of well-known artists and mentors, such as Charles Lewton-Brain and Jackie Anderson. New exhibitions every two months provide the public with a chance to see, and wear, some of the most innovative jewelry coming out of Canada.

Looking good can be difficult. However, with places like Influx and Bea Pienkos’ Goya Gallery in Art Central, looking great can be very easy. Stepping into Goya, it is hard to know where to look first. The clothing on one rack is as tempting as the clothing on another. And with autumn in full swing, the garments designed with lush fabrics and striking colours are begging to keep you warm. With an assortment of designers available at a variety of price points, the range of high quality clothing available is bound to appeal to a broad spectrum of women. Beautifully embroidered, soft grey skirts and dresses from the Looks and Luster line by young Canadian designer, Debbie Chan, and the affordable, but remarkable clothing from Kersch of Vancouver, highlight the talent that is coming out of this country. Whereas designers such as Eva Franco (Hungary,USA), Lauren Vidal (France) and Esthis (Greece) bring international fashion to Calgary.

Originally a painter, Mary Pat began her career as a jewelry designer in 1998 after she won a jewelry design competition sponsored by Henry Birks & Sons. Now, Mary Pat studio on Art Central’s main level is home to an eclectic range of her jewelry. Mary handcrafts her jewelry with her own flame worked glass beads, semi-precious gems, and crystal beads and one can often watch this process as she works in her studio. Mary then incorporates her beads with sterling silver and other materials to create unique, one-of-a-kind pieces. A love of colour and sensitivity to shape and form, are reflected in her exquisite designs.

In the corner of the lower level is the quiet and unassuming Ted Smith. One could describe Ted as the mostly silent but supportive part of Art Central. Providing customers with full framing services, Ted Smith is the perfect place to go to accent a painting or prepare art for installation. Offering a wide range of frames and mattes, Ted has an excellent eye for complementing your work and giving it that final touch. He always lends a helping hand to anyone in need and shares his knowledge of construction. His flair for framing is always appreciated and you can find his handiwork in most of the studios throughout the building and throughout Calgary.

It is rare to see John Parnell and Patricia Uston apart. Co-owners of UP Studio, this couple, John a painter and Patricia a ceramicist seem to breathe life into each other’s work. The serene ambience of their studio can be immediately felt and I can only attribute this to the warmth that Patricia and John exude. In John’s paintings and Patricia’s masks, there is evidence of clarity and presence of mind. Patricia describes the process of making masks as “an intimate experience of solitude and intrigue,” and her masks suggest the external half of a conversation between the artist and herself. John’s paintings exist somewhere between the worlds of myth, dream and memory, all “reflecting (his) life in a kind of visual poem.” Together, Patricia and John’s work are a visual testament to two lives shared.

Opened originally with red leather booths, a long granite “communal” table seating up to twenty, a take-out sandwich bar, and a menu of comfort foods, The Siding has evolved over the course of time. Following a renovation, the seating was changed and expanded and more recently seating has spilled out around the atrium, a popular place for lunch. The beautiful curved ceiling and art-deco touches match its newer incarnation as a bistro, offering superb breakfast, lunchtime, and dinner delights and a great selection of inexpensive, but delightful wines by the glass, half-litre and bottle selected by its sister company, The Cellar. While not abandoning the many favourites in the comfort food category, the menu selection is now decidedly bistro, that is, gourmet food at very, very affordable prices, with a great selection of pastas, local meats, and seafood. Saturday and Sunday continue to be popular as a place to have brunch and then browse through Art Central to see what’s new in the world of art, fashion and design.