Fredericton

“Breaking Out” means working bigger, using fibre art for sculpture, healing from an abusive situation, using non-traditional media, or shunning classical notions of fine art.Twelve local artists have been selected to participate in the 21st year of the Fredericton Arts Alliance’s artist in residence program producing art on the theme of Breaking Out.

From June 20 to Sept. 11, one per week, they will be working on personal projects on the theme, suggested by the relaxing of COVID19 restrictions and the ability to connect more readily with a wider world.The artists – painters, textile artists, a dollmaker and a photographer – each have a week to be featured in the FAA’s social media feed, as well as their own social media networks. Each artist is asked to have some kind of “pop-up” event where they can present their work in a more public and interactive forum. The pop-up could be during the week of the residency, or in days following it, with weather being a limiting factor. If a residency occurred during tight COVID controls or during a week of unremitting rain, the pop-up could be arranged later when the forces affecting the virus and the skies are more amenable.

The FAA pays each artist $450 for their residency and promotes their work. Until COVID struck, the FAA residencies were located in the Garrison district, but the lockdown forced them into a virtual realm for the last two years. This year is a hybrid residency with much of it virtual but the public pop-up element added.The Fredericton Arts Alliance will mount an exhibition of work produced over the summer at the Charlotte Street Arts Centre in the fall.

Participants are asked to designate a piece for this exhibition.This year’s artists, in the order of their residencies, are: Katrina Slade, Bailey Hanson, Ranmeet Kalra, Sophie Angbao, Karen LeBlanc, Emily Dow, Cheryl Lavigne, Luanna Dugas, Connie Wheaton, Ysabelle Vautour, Meg Clark and Cat Candow. They are a mix of established and emerging artists.The residency program is generously supported by the City of Fredericton and Downtown Fredericton.