July 26, 2022, Foothills, AB – Your favourite cultural journey through Alberta’s scenic foothills is returning for Alberta Culture Days 2022. The Most Beautiful Art Tour in Alberta is part cultural exploration, part road trip, all fun!
We are a community collective of art galleries and art studios in Southern Alberta’s foothills – a feast of beautiful sights and interesting people to meet. The tour includes the best art galleries on offer, as well as an insider’s look at private studios that open their doors to the public especially for these all-access events. What will you find? So much inspiration!
Discover diverse collections of local fine art in gorgeous historical homes; contemporary exhibitions in a circa-1929 CPR Railway Station; a centuries-old method of paper decoration in a studio with one of the region’s best views; glassblowing demonstrations by award- winning glass artists – to name just a few.
New to the tour this year is Stone Wood & Steel, offering the experience of the ancient craft of blacksmithing in a modern, family- run forging studio.
Spend a day – or both days – taking a self-guided tour along highways 22 and 2A, stopping to take in each venue and enjoying the gorgeous scenery along the way!
September is Alberta’s Month of the Artist, the official recognition of the many valuable contributions that artists make to our society – as creators, as teachers, as visionaries. How better to take part than by experiencing The Most Beautiful Art Tour in Alberta?
Galleries:
Leighton Art Centre
Lineham House Galleries
OAG Okotoks Art Gallery
Bluerock Gallery
Private Studios:
Mady Thiel-Kopstein
Kristoferson Studio
Firebrand Glass Studio
Stone Wood & Steel
This is a self-drive tour. Admission to each venue is free.
Outside of tour events, all tour galleries are open to the public during their regular operating hours and private artist studios welcome visitors by appointment – visitors should contact them directly about booking appointments outside of official tour dates.
About these venues and who to contact for more information:
Bluerock Gallery, Black Diamond: A gem of a destination gallery – with stunning art, discerningly curated, and impeccably presented. Fine art and fine craft, in almost every media, created by (mostly) Alberta artists. Offering complimentary gift- wrapping year round!
Tarek Nemr
tarek@bluerockgallery.ca
403-933-5047
www.bluerockgallery.ca
Firebrand Glass Studio, Black Diamond: Home to award winning artists Julia Reimer and Tyler Rock, whose work is in the collections of the Emperor and Empress of Japan and the Prime Minister of Canada.
Julia Reimer
Julia@firebrandglass.ca
403-933-2264
www.firebrandglass.ca
Kristoferson Studios, Turner Valley: Another spectacular location with stunning views of the Kananaskis area, this is the private studio of Susan Kristoferson, an accomplished fibre artist who creates paintings from paper.
Susan Kristoferson
kristudio@xplornet.com
403-619-6875
www.kristoferson-studio.ca
Leighton Art Centre, Foothills: An unrivaled location with pristine foothills and mountain views, this museum and gallery also offers a wide variety of art and nature educational programs, fostering creativity for generations to come. Over 45 years as a non-profit organization!
Amanda MacKay
communications@leightoncentre.org
403-931-3153
www.leightoncentre.org
Lineham House Galleries, Okotoks AB: A destination urban art gallery in the heart of Historic Okotoks featuring Southern Alberta artists of all kinds in a beautiful heritage home built by the founding family of our town in 1906. Rotating art displays, Alberta Pottery Pantry, local artisan General Store Gift Shoppe and a special gallery devoted to art for children’s spaces.
Cheryl Taylor
cherylltaylor@me.com
403-917-1445
www.linehamhousegalleries.com
Mady Thiel-Kopstein, Turner Valley: Mady’s paintings, frequently inspired by her time spent in nature, conjure up the atmosphere and depth of multiple layers of colour and light, stirring a certain familiarity and a strong connection with the natural world.
Mady Thiel-Kopstein
mtkopstein@gmail.com
403-462-1610
www.mady.ca
Okotoks Art Gallery, Okotoks: Located in Okotoks’ historic 1929 CPR Railway Station, the Gallery includes two gallery spaces for exhibitions , a gift shop featuring local and Canadian artisan wares, and also serves as the Visitor Information Centre for Okotoks.
Okotoks Art Gallery
culture@okotoks.ca
403-938-3204
www.okotoks.ca/culture-heritage
Stone Wood & Steel, Millarville: Located on an organic garlic farm bordering Kananaskis Country in the foothills of the Canadian Rockies, Stone Wood & Steel is a family-run blacksmith studio offering hands-on experiences to forge contemporary and traditional pieces with steel and fire. Inspired by nature, architecture, music and culture, lead Blacksmith James Greisinger has been creating metal artistry for over 25 years.
James Greisinger
stonewoodandsteel@yahoo.ca
403-607-3907
stonewoodandsteel.ca
