Red Deer Polytechnic Arts

Next up as we showcase our Artists in Residence this summer is Glynis Wilson Boultbee!!

At almost 70, I'm filling my retirement years with art making and writing. I'm based in Red Deer and work primarily in sculpture – mixed media with a focus on found and repurposed objects. I create a poem for almost every visual piece I make. The poems I write affect the art I make, and the visual art inspires the writing. It's an alchemical process that I find really exciting!

This summer I've found myself exploring some unexpected avenues. I've been working on an altered book which includes ekphrastic poems inspired by the paintings of Marc Chagall that will probably also include some collage work down the road. I've also been learning about perfume packaging because of a visit to an exhibit on Egyptian civilization in Victoria, BC. And I've been working in bronze because of a two-week Summer Series course I took in July at RDP.

My main goal as an Artist in Residence was to continue my preparation of a body of work that I'll be showing in May of 2028. This involves an exploration of my roots through the deconstruction of the family grandfather clock and an old lobster trap. I've been figuring out how to use the various parts of both objects as I've reflected on my own grandfathers (whom I never met), as well as my Maritime and Celtic heritage.

Facilities or resources in the RDP studios that have helped me achieve my goals include the foundry, of course, and wood working tools. Mostly I've very much appreciated that being an Artist in Residence has kept me focused on my artistic goals. My favourite studio snack? I'm a rule follower so I don't snack in the studio!

What do I know now that I wish I knew as a student? I was a writer first. When I started my visual art studies (at the age of 56), it took me a while to reintroduce writing into my creative process. Over time, I've figured out how to combine writing and visual art in ways that I find enchanting. As a result, I feel my work in both areas is stronger.

Check back in over the next week as we celebrate our summer Artists in Residence!

Over the summer Artists take over our studios either through various Summer Series courses or more recently the opportunity to work independently as Artists in Residence. If interested for next summer, DM for more info!

First up! Say hi to Kasie!

1. My name is Kasie Campbell, and I am a visual artist based on Treaty 6 Territory. My primary medium is textiles, including soft sculpture and crochet. More recently, I have been focused on translating what I love about soft sculpture into more permanent and durable materials, particularly bronze.

2. For the past 11 years, I have worked primarily in soft sculpture and crochet, taught to me by my late mum and now passed on to my two daughters. My research explores motherhood, personal experience, and my matrilineal lineage of makers, while investigating how to translate the softness and materiality of fibre into more permanent and durable materials suitable for public art opportunities without compromising the qualities that make the work meaningful to me.

3. My goal as Artist in Residence was to dedicate focused time to completing the bronze pieces I cast this year through the Series Summer Arts lost-wax bronze casting program. This was my fourth year attending, and in previous years I have often found myself rushing to complete the work. The additional studio time allowed me to slow down and experiment more intentionally, particularly with different patina techniques, which resulted in a much bolder use of colour than I had previously achieved. I also wanted to properly photograph the finished work, an essential for exhibition and grant applications but difficult to do without access to a proper studio or photo booth setup. The residency gave me the time, space, and resources to bring the work to a more finished and resolved stage that is ready for exhibition!

*see comments for more conversation with Kasie

Hi Alumni and Friends!
The Red Deer Polytechnic (formerly Red Deer College) Visual Art Program is launching a newsletter! We want you to read it, be featured in it, and share it with your friends. Starting this September, we'll publish twice a year — Fall and Spring — to keep alumni, former faculty, and friends of the program in the loop on what we're doing, and on what you're doing too. It will celebrate the directions each of you have taken with your creative practice since leaving the program.

Submissions are due August 10. The first issue will be published approximately September 7.

Here's what we're looking for:
Views + Reviews
    •    Do you have an upcoming exhibition or one that recently passed? Share a photo of the installation and a short blurb — a couple of sentences, or up to 100–150 words if you want more room.
    •    It doesn't have to be an exhibition — a creative project, community or social innovation initiative, workshop, or public art project also counts.

Alumni + Past Faculty News
    •    We want to hear what you're up to. Set up a studio, worked your first market, headed to a residency, taught a workshop, presented at a conference, run a community project, changed careers, or started a new job? Let us know. What does being creative look like in your life now? Send up to 50 words about your life or work.
Celebrate Graduates
    •    Did you recently graduate with a certificate, degree, or post-grad credential? We'd love to celebrate you in the newsletter. Include a statement of where you studied and what program you completed, and up to 50 words about your work. Please also include a photo — of you at graduation, your body of work, or you in the studio.
We can't wait to hear from you. Please forward on to anyone your think would be interested.

We are making our debut this weekend at the Red Deer Farmers Market! Come swing by our booth between 8:00am - 12:30pm!

We have had a wonderful crew of students making their own signature line of products! Come take a look and ask any questions you might have about the program!

One day till convocation!!

Meet Holly! Holly took some ambitious swings this year! Working on drawings bigger than her own body but maintaining her wnjoymwnt of detail and finish. We will miss your kindness and curiosity in the studio!

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Hii, I’m Holly Tungol and I’m graduating from the Visual Art program. This fall I will be continuing my education to complete my BFA.

Before joining this program, I had a lot of hesitations. Drawing was the only medium I knew, but after two years, I’m proud to say that I’ve come a long way from the person I was and the skills I had when I started. I don’t think I would’ve made it this far without the relationships I have made with my classmates. We motivate each other to show up no matter how burnt out we are, and our techs and teachers are always there to guide and support us. Besides that, I think crit days, field trips and yapping at the picnic tables outside Ceramics is what I’ll miss most.

My advice for future students is to do everything with love, ask questions, be open to feedback and have fun! Before you know it, it’s over. ♡

Graduation is only a couple days away!!

You have been so ambitious this year Janessa, not just challenging your self with scale and technique but also with the vulnerability of content. We will miss your warmth and work ethic in the studio!

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My name is Janessa Tejada, and I just finished my 2nd year of the BFA program. I will be transferring to AUArts to complete the rest of my program. My work revolves around the female body, specifically my body, body image, and femininity.

One of my favourite memories were the late night grinds in the studios whether it was by myself or with Ava and Holly. I enjoyed having the studio to ourselves where we would blast music and work until we lost our minds.

My advice for future students would be to keep making! It doesn’t have to be perfect, and sometimes projects won’t turn out the way you want and that is okay! Ask for advice and ask questions. Your colleagues and instructors are there for you!

Congrats Aria!! We will miss your warmth and kindness in the studio and your quirky imaginative point of view, we were always excited to see what you had dreamed up!

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Hi, my name is Aria, and I’m graduating from the Visual Art Diploma program. I'm an Artist who loves to explore and experiment with different mediums in my art practice. The practices I love the most are Sculpture and Printmaking.

Looking back, the thing I’ll miss the most about RDP are the instructors and the studio spaces. The instructors were always supportive and understanding, and they genuinely cared about helping us grow as artists and people. The studios and tech gave me the freedom to experiment, make mistakes, problem-solve, and express in every possible way.

One of my favorite experiences was participating in critiques, I loved hearing everyone’s different perspectives and approaches because it always opened my mind in new ways and made the environment feel more connected and comfortable. (my personal favorites were the unique approaches to tackle a crit where everyone felt included and the pot-luck crits...I'll definitely miss those XD)

My advice to future students is don’t be afraid to talk to your instructors when you’re struggling or confused—they really do want to help. Also, make friends and talk to your classmates because you all will become a part of an art community, and those connections matter a lot both for your creativity and career ahead.

Never forget to enjoy your time while making art at RDP and with some supportive friends it just keeps getting better and better:)