Solo Show opens in Canmore!

Solo Show opens in Canmore

I had a fantastic show opening this past Saturday at beautiful Elevation Gallery in Canmore, Alberta.   If you have never been to Canmore you have no idea what you are missing. Canmore is located in Alberta's Rocky Mountains, at the base of the majestic Three Sister Mountain range, just west of Calgary and 25 minutes from Banff.

Canmore was named in 1884.  Its name originates from a town on the northwest shores of Scotland named in honor of King Malcolm III of Canmore.  Historically Canmore was a mining town from 1887 up and to 1979.  Canmore later gained international attention as it was the location for the Nordic events of the 1988 Olympic Winter Games which in turn heralded a new era for this small town.

I started exhibiting my work in Canmore in 2007 and as a result, I have seen a lot of changes to this small historic mining town.  The people of Canmore have a very strong sense of community and with its plethora of wonderful restaurants and shops, the town has become a cultural hub for great wine, food, theatre and the arts. My current show, Into the Woods that opened to a wonderful response, explores the classic fairy tale Little Red Riding Hood.

Like many little girls of my generation,  I grew up reading the classic fairy tale “Little Red Riding Hood”.  I’ve realized through an absolutely full life that we all encounter those wolves in the forest, and like Little Red, we find our way through.

These paintings explore the evolution of Little Red as an analogy of us all.  From the naïve girl skipping through the woods to Grandma’s house with basketin hand, to the adolescent, reflective and hesitant in anticipation of the arrival of the wolf. 

As the series draws to a close,  Little Red is a mature woman dressed in a flowing cloak,  who instead of being the pursued, appears to be the pursuer.  She moves confidently forward into the woods, unafraid.  I see my Little Red as a celebration of experience and grace.....the one who has triumphed over both her internal and external wolves.  

My beloved Canadian landscape is the perfect backdrop for this dramatic tale, holding both a supporting and lead role in this tale of self-discovery.

-Susan Wallis