Commissioned Artworks
In response to a 2024 call from the City of Spruce Grove for an artwork featuring its municipal buildings, I created a mixed media watercolour and graphite work on paper called "Echoes of Spruce Grove". This work was designed to serve as a reminder to city personnel of their invaluable service. Every element of the work resonates with subtle echoes; for instance, the street map intertwines with the trunk of the spruce tree beside 410 King Street, while swaying grasses pay homage to both the dynamic sculpture at the Border Paving Athletic Centre and the golden wheat adorning the historic grain elevator sign. Through careful composition, I aimed to create a visual tapestry mirroring the intricate web of relationships between people and places in the community.
Each aspect of the composition was considered, from colour theory and linear and atmospheric perspective to the interplay of mixed media, contrast, and balance. The deliberate juxtaposition of pencil and watercolor serves both formal and conceptual purposes, delineating fleeting moments with graphite while immortalizing enduring structures with natural hues.
Capturing the essence of the city's architecture was a fulfilling endeavor, particularly as I'd recently begun exploring historic buildings in my artistic practice, and because of my personal ties to the city, having lived in the Spruce Grove region for a number of years. In addition to the five city-owned landmarks depicted, I included recognizable structures such as the historic grain elevator—a symbol inseparable from the city's identity.