Throughout January and February, the Airdrie Public Library (APL) is displaying the elaborate works of two local artists, photographer Cindy Pierce and potter Kelly Proulx.
APL Program Coordinator Veronica Funk said, though the works are different in mediums, they both mirror the technique of overlay and manipulation.
“What’s interesting about both is that they both make their work look like something else,” Funk explains. “(Pierce) manipulates images to make them look like paintings and (Proulx) carves her ceramics to change their shape.”
Funk said she chose the artists because, as a painter herself, she was drawn to the organic feeling of the pieces.
“For example, when I first saw (Pierce’s) photographs, I thought her photographs were stunning and I bought several smaller cards and they are highly anticipated gifts for my family,” Funk said.
Pierce photography, which is digitally manipulated to resemble intricate paintings, has already tricked APL users into thinking they’re really painted pieces, Funk said.
Pierce said she’s been waiting to get her work into the library for about year.
“There’s a long waitlist and I am excited to have my work in there,” Pierce said. “Overall I’ve been really welcomed in the art community, Airdrie really supports local art.”
Proulx, who has been working with ceramics for 20 years, said she was excited to be approached by Funk to display her art in the library.
“I love the library,” Proulx said. “My kids are quite young so we’ve taken advantage of lots of programs before and have seen some great art on the walls.”
Exposure is always great, Proulx said, and she would like to see more galleries and exhibits in the Airdrie-area for local artists trying to get their work to the public.
“Anytime I have the opportunity to show my work it’s good for me and it’s good for Airdrie to see a different variety of work,” she said.
Funk said the library tries to bring as much local work into the facility as they can, adding as a public space, APL is a great way for the artists to get their work out into the world.
“The library is accessible to everybody,” Funk said. “We have hundreds of people seeing the work every day and we get so many compliments and great comments.”
