Stephen Ave skirt by designer Chantel
Traub
Chantel Traub hand-paints and silkscreens fabric to
create her clothing. The Stephen Ave skirt, based on a drawing of one of Calgary’s thoroughfares, caught our
attention. “I believe there are many areas in Calgary that are rich in culture and deserve to be
appreciated,” she tells Lifestyler. “One of my favourite downtown areas is the Stephen Avenue Walk, particularly the
architecture. I began using this imagery on circle skirts, which flow and fracture the expressionist line
work to capture the impression and light mood of this area.”
» chanteltraub.com
Wild Rose
beer
Dubbed “Alberta’s Wildest Craft Brewery,” Wild Rose
undoubtedly puts out a fine product. From its taproom and brewery at the Currie Barracks on the edge of
Calgary, it serves seven year-round ales as well as seasonal beers. Velvet Fog, an unfiltered wheat beer, is
one of the best. It won a national award in 2008. WRaspberry Ale (see what they did) is a fine summer drink
using fresh raspberries from a local trader.
» wildrosebrewery.com
UPPERCASE
magazine
We were fans of
UPPERCASE
magazine (“a
magazine for the creative and curious”) even before we stumbled across the office in downtown Calgary. It is
a richly visual magazine featuring great illustration, photography and intelligent writing. Each edition has
a loose theme (pets, linocuts, typography) and artists, designers, photographers and writers are asked to
submit a piece for consideration. UPPERCASE publishing also releases remarkable
books.
» uppercasegallery.ca
White Owl Ceramic
Studio
Laura Sharp graduated in 2006 from the Alberta
College of Art and Design majoring in ceramics and started up her own studio, White Owl Ceramic Studio, in
2009. She told Lifestyler, “I am a third-generation Albertan and think that Alberta is a fantastic place to
be an artist. There is a ton of fresh talent here, a great creative community and lots of room to define
one’s own creative voice.” We certainly think so.
» etsy.com/shop/whiteowlporcelain
Lisa Brawn’s
woodcuts
Twisting the art of woodcuts on its head, Lisa
Brawn paints her remarkably detailed artwork on pine, cherry, Douglas fir and walnut. Most of the work falls
into two categories: Figurative famous faces and birds, but other inspiration has come from the Glenbow
Museum archives. We came across her work in the excellent Axis gallery in Calgary — full of brilliant
contemporary
Albertan art, across all
media.
» expeditionism.com
» axisart.ca •
Photo Courtesy: Skirt — Danielle Smerek, Beer bottle — Daniel Neilson, Magazine
— UPPERCASE Publishing Inc., Bowl — White Owl Ceramic, Woodcut — Lisa Brawn
