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Back to The Cairn The tables have turned! Normally, interviewer Chic Scott leads the Fireside Chats. On April 24, 2019, Zac Robinson interviewed Chic, about his life as a celebrated mountaineer, adventurer, skier and author of mountain literature. #chicscott #oralhistory #heritage #Banff Click to View Back to The Cairn

By Anne Ewen, Curator of Art & Heritage Back to The Cairn Susanne Aaltonen: Knowing How Little I Need Her Now Rummel Room Susanne Aaltonen is a Canadian artist currently living and working in Calgary, Alberta. Through various levels of concealment, her work confronts generations of dysfunction and trauma within her family. Aaltonen’s sketch books articulate her distress within the family in written and drawn form while her paintings delve into the layers of angst. Multiple coats of various colours are applied and dried onto wooden painting panels. A photographic image is then imprinted onto the painted surface and sealed with an acrylic medium. Carefully and with deliberate precision, Aaltonen then begins to carve and etch into the surface. By using various sizes of gouging tools the ensuing effect is suggestive of a physical and emotional erosion. Of her work the artist writes: “…exposing what’s buried underneath reflects a superficial attempt to unearth and further understand the trauma. Initially understood as an attempt to analyze the dynamic within my family, the act of carving begins to resemble more of a meditative act that leads towards reluctance. The resulting work evokes the uneasy balance between seeking reconciliation and the emotional burden of such an attempt.” Aaltonen received her Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Alberta College of Art and Design in 2016 and in 2017 she was part of the Banff Artist in Residency (BAiR) for Emerging Artists at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity. As a nod to her artistic commitment and expression, Aaltonen was recently signed by Paul Kuhn Gallery, Calgary. Part of our spring exhibitions, the exhibition, Susanne Aaltonen: Knowing How Little I Need Her Now will run until June 9, 2019. Back to The Cairn

By Anne Ewen, Curator of Art & Heritage Back to The Cairn April 13 – June 9, 2019 Main Gallery This exhibition is one of three new spring exhibitions currently on at the Whyte Museum. The others include Carl White: Carousel and Susanne Aaltonen: Knowing How Little I Need Her Now. Working with digital reference material and live models, Cassells re-stages and combines historic portraits painted by respected masters from the past 600 years with a contemporary young person who is choreographed to resemble and interact with the historic subject. Her accomplished and captivating paintings unite past eras with current contemporary culture. Portraits by such illustrious artists such as leading British painter George Romney (1734 – 1802), American socialite favourite John Singer Sargent (1856 – 1925) and Edwardian Societies Sir William Orpen (1878 – 1931) and numerous others join her galaxy of interest. Skills acquired from her previous career in set and costume design have served Cassells well. With attention to colouration and stylistic qualities, she seamlessly attires contemporary individuals to match their historic counterpart. Applicable props add contrast to her present day doppelgänger importing each set with powerful contrast and drama. For instance, in Jessica Hayward and Grace, Cassells’ (see below) young model gazes at the viewer with a cell phone positioned at her ear while William Orpen’s sitter stares steadily, with a gloved hand resting against her silk chiffon wrap. Two blue-eyed beauties, attired in black and adorned in straw brimmed hats bridge the distance between Post-Impressionism and digital rapidity. For many, the doppelgänger effect requires a double take. Painting with acrylics on canvas, Cassells considers herself a contemporary realist, or a conceptual realist stylistically. She explains, “When I am working on a series, I generally have a theme and underlying concept that I am exploring through each of the individual paintings using a realistic approach to representation.” However, when working on commissioned portraits she says: “I try to represent my model as accurately as possible. Beyond depicting the observed subject, I am always looking for that invisible, ethereal quality that I perceive clearly but is so hard to articulate.” Born in London, England, Cassells and has traveled extensively living in New Zealand and the United States before settling in Canada. She holds a Business Management Degree, an Master of Fine Arts in Sculpture from Cranbrook Academy in Michigan and an Master of Fine Arts in set and costume design from the University of Calgary. Previously a professional theatre designer, in the past 25 years, Cassells has focused exclusively on her fine art career and has exhibited internationally. Her work is held in numerous public and private collections world-wide. Back to The Cairn

Back to The Cairn After 40 years in the museum and public gallery sector, Museum Director Vincent Varga has announced that he is retiring and leaving the Whyte Museum in late June 2019. He served the Whyte and the Bow Valley community for five and a half years. Through his leadership the Whyte Museum has engaged in a strategic, operational, fundraising, program and community renewal culminating in the highly successful 50th Anniversary exhibitions, events and celebrations in 2018. Vincent asserts that this work was accomplished through the passion, dedication and commitment of the Museum team working together. Vincent says, “I believe that the Museum has become more broadly recognized across the country and within the Bow River Valley. I would like to thank the staff, artists, lenders, donors, funders, community partners and all those who are joining with us to keep the spirit and intent of Peter and Catharine’s founding vision for their Museum alive and vibrant into the future.” Vincent and Susanne Repstock will be moving to Lethbridge where they plan to engage with and contribute to the arts and cultural fabric of their new community. "On behalf of the board we would like to thank Vincent for his outstanding commitment, dedication and professionalism that he brought to the Whyte over the past five and a half years. We wish Vincent and Susanne all the best of health and happiness going forward in their new adventure." — Marino DiManno, Chair of the Peter and Catharine Whyte Foundation Back to The Cairn

Back to The Cairn After a Canada-wide search that attracted an impressive field of qualified candidates, we are pleased to announce that Dawn Saunders Dahl has been hired as the Museum’s Indigenous Program Manager effective immediately. Dawn is of Métis (Ojibway, Red River) and European ancestry, and brings to the Museum a wealth of experience as a practicing artist, curator, arts administrator and Indigenous Arts cultural programmer. Most recently Dawn served as the Associate Director of Indigenous Arts at the Banff Centre, as well as Curator for the Galerie Cite, La Cite Francophone, Edmonton. She has also served as the Arts and Events Coordinator for the Town of Canmore where she established new relationships and programs between the Town and the Stoney Nakoda community. Dawn has served as the Director of The Works Art and Design Festival and was the Public Art Officer (Aboriginal Art Park) with the Edmonton Arts Council. Most recently Dawn completed a community mural project in the new recreation centre located within the Ktunaxa Nation in Windermere, with art collaborator/muralist Jason Botkin. They collected thousands of photographs from the community and selected 90 portraits that were incorporated into the mural. Dawn will be responsible for leading and facilitating a deepening of the Museum’s relationship with the Stoney Nakoda community, the Stoney Education Authority and Canadian Rockies School Division in support of the Building Bridges: Towards Renewed Relationships with the Indigenous Communities of the Bow River Valley initiative that the Calgary Foundation has so generously funded. We would like to acknowledge and thank Elder Sykes Powderface from the Stoney Nakoda community for participating on the search committee for this very important role in the Bow River Valley. Please join us in welcoming Dawn to the Whyte Museum team. Back to The Cairn

Back to The Cairn What is your position? Art and Heritage Collections Cataloguer What is your educational and experience background? I have a Bachelor of Arts in History and Material Culture (2016) and a Master of Arts in History (2017), both from the University of Toronto. I worked in the Trinity College Archives while completing my undergrad and got a Young Canada Works internship at the Whyte Museum Archives and Library after I finished grad school. I then stayed on at the Whyte Museum as Digital Imaging Technician, where I had the opportunity to help with exhibit tear-downs and installations in addition to digitizing archival materials. What will you be doing? I will be facilitating access to the Whyte’s collections by manually and digitally processing, arranging and describing art and heritage items. I will also be performing basic preservation tasks to help stabilize art and heritage materials so that they can be best preserved for the future. Do you have a favourite task so far? So far I’ve been cataloguing what we call the “small”—they’re tiny miniature pottery pieces that Catharine collected and they’re absolutely adorable. I’ve also been helping with the recent exhibit changeover and have really enjoyed that. What is the most interesting thing you have learned so far? The most interesting thing I have learned so far is how the behind the scenes database system (FileMaker Pro) works and how Word and Excel are used to auto-populate labels and condition reports. Knowing that you are new to this position, what task do you look forward to doing in the future? I’m looking forward to getting into the historic homes and really getting into some boxes of artifacts that have been in storage for a long time—taking them out, describing them and making sure they are packed away properly to ensure their preservation. What is your favourite art or object and why? My favourite art pieces were part of last summer’s Artistry Revealed exhibit. They are Peter Whyte’s Mount Assiniboine in September Snow (WyP.01.060) and one of the unfinished portraits (cool looking dude with fedora) done by either Peter or Catharine while they were the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. My favourite object so far has been this tiny striped mug (see picture above). Back to The Cairn

A Brief Look at the Leonard Leacock fonds By Lindsay A. Stokalko, Reference Archivist/Librarian Back to The Cairn After a few mentions and one photograph in the previous Cairn article about the Dan and Mary McCowan fonds, the next Rabbit Hole in the Archives & Library that will be briefly explored in this article pertains to Leonard Leacock. Leonard Leacock was born on May 28th, 1904 in London, England and moved to Banff with his parents Henry William (Harry) Leacock, Roseanne Kate Leacock and younger brother Ernest Leacock in 1908. They lived in a former Bankhead house which was moved to the corner of Banff Avenue and Moose Street (349 Banff Avenue) in 1926. The house, an Eaton’s Catalogue Home with a fascinating history, has since been moved from its second location, and can be booked as an accommodation in Banff. Leonard worked as a guide on pack trips in the Banff area through a partnership with Rocky Mountain Transport Company. He was an active mountaineer, member of the Alpine Club of Canada and a prolific photographer. He was an accomplished musician who was educated through the Royal Conservatory of Music, Toronto and the Royal School of Music, London and taught at Mount Royal College from 1924 to 1987. The Leacock Theatre at Mount Royal University was dedicated to him in 1972. You can hear his musical composition Lakeside here, re-imagined as a multi-media performance piece in 2011 by artists Miriam Fabijan and Oli Siska and composers George Fenwick and Laurie Radford. The Archives & Library of the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies also hold several interviews and performance recordings (S24) as well as many original musical scores (M372/5 to 13). There are a multitude of interesting items in the Leonard Leacock fonds (M372 / S24 / V353) and the Leacock family fonds (V352) to explore, including Leonard’s daily diaries (M372/2), his correspondence with poet and long time friend Earle Birney (M372/1), scrapbooks (M372/3), Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra programmes with programme notes written by Leonard Leacock (M372/14), and photo albums (V352/lc). You can search the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies Archives & Library finding aid for additional information pertaining to Leonard Leacock by typing “Leacock” in the Word or Phrase field. There are also Leonard Leacock fonds held at the Mount Royal University Library, Archives and Special Collections pertaining to his career as teacher, pianist and composer. This photograph, spotted here in a Leacock family photo album, will lead us down the next Rabbit Hole: Check out this great post by the Peel Art Gallery Museum and Archives from some excellent tips on how to best use reference services at archival institutions, then come in to explore your own research rabbit holes at the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies Archives & Library – appointments are preferred and recommended. You can reach us at archives@whyte.org. Back to The Cairn

By Kylie Fineday and Kate Skelton Back to The Cairn Kylie Fineday In January, we welcomed Kylie Fineday as a student intern from the University of Lethbridge, where she majors in Art Studio. She will be working in our Curatorial Department until April, and is excited about the opportunity to learn about the history of the Whyte Museum and gain valuable skills and experience while working with us. During her time here, Kylie is cataloguing items into the heritage collection, assisting with exhibit installations, as well as taking on a curatorial project in our heritage gallery. Kate Skelton The Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies welcomes Kate Skelton to her new role as Processing Archivist, starting April 1st. Kate Skelton was hired as an Archival Assistant Intern in September 2018, through the Young Canada Works at Building Careers in Heritage Internship program. Before her placement, Kate graduated from the University of Leicester, UK with a master’s degree in Museum Studies. Kate’s current work focuses on processing and digitizing materials which have been donated to the Whyte Museum – this includes numbering and labelling archival items, adding information to the Whyte Museum’s archival database and creating digital copies of photographs and documents from the Museum’s collection. In February, Kate also completed a digital exhibit on Nicholas Morant, a photographer for the Canadian Pacific Railway Company, which has recently been added to the Whyte Museum’s website. Back to The Cairn

Back to The Cairn Our Donors January 1 to December 31, 2018 The Whyte Museum gratefully acknowledges the support, gifts and services of the following: Government and Foundations Alberta Foundation for the Arts Archives Society of Alberta Banff Canmore Community Foundation Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation Government of Alberta Government of Canada Young Canada Works Community Partnerships and Support Alpine Club of Canada Banff Centre Banff Lake Louise Tourism Banff Park Lodge Banff YWCA Buffalo Nations Luxton Museum Canadian Rockies Public Schools Canadian Rockies Annual Charles Locke - Lake Louise Ski Resort Eleanor Luxton Historical Foundation The Juniper Hotel and Bistro Parks Canada Ski Big 3 Stoney Education Authority University of Lethbridge Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative Donors Paul Allen Roy Andersen Charlotte and Dennis Apedaile Amar Athwal Kurt Bagnell and Heather Imrie Irene Bakker Banff Brewing Co. Banff Canmore Community Foundation Mary Barnes Don and Keitha Beers Diane and Doug Bell Al and Nancy Bellstedt Benevity Community Impact Fund Marion and Leo Berchtold Marga Betz Linda and Doug Black John Blair Ruth Bleuer Jill Bodkin Janet Boger Belinda and Thomas Boleantu Glen and Elizabeth Boles Earl and Heather Boon Joan and Seán Booth Bud and Annette Brewster Alison Brewster and Bryan Niehaus George and Helen Buck Rob Burford and Janice Carson Burford Fred Burghardt Byron and Mary Caldwell Calgary Foundation Colleen Campbell George Capel Remo Cardone Rebecca Chidley Margaret Christensen Garry Clarke Tony Clevenger and Carmen Campos Lorne and Carol Cooley Glen and Louise Crawford Rick Crosby Ron & Pattie Culver Nancy DaDalt and Bob Krysak Jim Davies Nathalie Delbecq and Tim Robinson Yves Desgouttes Diane Devonshire Marino DiManno Peggy Dixon-McRae Tim and Cathy Duffin Patrick Duffy Joan Dunkley and Don Gardner Chris Edgell Allison and Glyn Edwards Donna and Roger Egglestone Ernst Enns Eric Harvie Professional Corporation Anne Evely Martin Finnerty and Pauline Martin Jeanette Fish and Charles (Chuck) O'Callaghan E. V. Fleming David and Katherine Foxcroft Audrey Frey Leslie and Cliff Fryers Jim Gardner Paul and Willa Geddes Andrew and Maribeth Gilliland Good Earth Coffeehouse Andrea Gould and Paul Valentine Katherine Grovier Betty Anne Graves Rod and Lois Green Monte Greenshields and Terry Allen Joel Hagen and Nadine Fletcher Great Divide Nature Interpretation Christopher J. and Barbara J. Haggis Arthur G. (Bud) Hall Elizabeth Hall-Findlay Matthew Hamer and Suzanne Poohkay Pat and Bob Haney Douglas and Jannis Hare William and Deborah Harris Ross and Nancy Hayes Gail Hinchliffe Gordon Hoffman Albert and Femmeke Holthuis Carol and Michael Honey Lee Hutchinson and David Cox Robert and Margaret Iveson Mavis James Christel and Bengt Johanson John and Barbara Poole Family Funds at Edmonton Community Foundation Carolann and Cy Johnson James Johnson Patricia Johnson Damian Jones and Tristan White Jones Marjorie G. Jones The Juniper Hotel and Bistro Michael and Donna S. Kanovsky Barbara Whyte Kapteyn Judith Kashul and James Coulton Joyce and David Keith Stephen G. Kennedy Edward and Ann Kerwin Judge Ramez Khawly and Carol Ann Sutton Allan King Rusty Kirby Nancy Knechtel Edwin Knox Eva Kuchar Robert Cameron and Elizabeth Kundert-Cameron Rick Kunelius Paul and Marion Kutzer Gerald Kvill Patricia Langridge Marsha Laub John Laurence Michael and Erla Laurie M. B. Laviolette Sandra Leblanc Susan and Geoffrey Lefferts Douglas Leighton Doris Livingstone Edward Cavell and Donna Livingstone Harvey Locke and Marie-Eve Marchand Graham MacDonald and Laurelle Johnson Brenda and Ian Mackie Eileen Mak and Meg Stanley Monika Manhas Dan and Jane Marinangeli John and Jill Martland Grit and Scott McCreath David and Jenny McDermid Karen McDiarmid Mike and Diane McIvor Barbara McNeil Bruce and Cheryl McTrowe Dino Melshior Don Mickle Peter Mikols and Leslie Robertson Ted and Judy Mills Katharine Mills Alexandra Montgomery Catherine Moore and Terry Pearce Rod and June Morgan Patricia and Norbert Morgenstern Patricia Cucman and Stanley Munn Mariilyn and Wayne Niddrie Shannon Norberg and Jarvis Hall Graeme and Lori Nunn Brett and Tara Oland Margaret Oliver Carmen Pearson Barbara and Eric Pelham Dorothy Knowles Sue and John Petch Peter and Diana Petrik David Pand Linda Peyto Nona Phillips and Blake Foster Sydney and Bill Pieschel Robert and Mary Jane Pogue Barry and Gail Pollock Peter Poole and Nan Hughes Poole Dale and Marilyn Potts Caenie and Orville Pyrcz Bonnie and Jack Rawlyck Frances Rawson Pearl Ann Reichwein and Rudi Peet Russell and Leslee Robb Phyllis and Chris Robb Brian and Kathleen Rogers Lesley Sanderson Jim and Sandra Santa Lucia Ken Sarsfield Bessie Sax Sally Scherer Patty Schwartz George and Rosalie Schwarz Charles (Chic) Scott Mona and Ray Seguin E. Sellers Robert and Kathryn Sinclair Jean Slaght Hope and Jim Smith Carman and Barbara Smith David and Mary Smith Christopher Erith Smith Jill Robinson and Steven Smith Don Smith and Nancy Townshend Bill and Barbara Smyth Phyllis Smyth Jane and Steve Snyder Shelley Sopher Susie Sparks Jos Storm Sundstrom Family Paul and Eva Sylvestre Heather Taxbock The Block Kitchen + Bar Innocent J. Thomas James Thorsell Martin Timmer and Monique Gervais Timmer Joan Tittemore Marilyn Toulouse and Bruce Bembridge Diane Travers Gary and Shirley Truscott S. L. Varga Vincent J. Varga Mário Vieira and Jane Lytle-Vieira Martin von Neudegg Robert E. Von Sternberg Glenda Waddingham Tim and Leslee Wake Gerry and Val Ward Jan and Adam Waterous Donald and Sharon Watkins Myron Weber and Marilyn Segall Leo and Fanny Wedro Graham and Penny Weir Carole Chardon-Wells and Joseph Wells Margaret W. and Richard Werling Bruce Westman Dianne and H. R. "Biff" Wheeler Dr. Terry and Sue White Cliff A. and Johanne White Brad and Donna White Harold Whyte Christine Wignall Michael and Daisy Williams Elisabeth Woolley Monod Ralph and Gay Young Paulette Zarkos Eva and Peter Zidek Gifts to the Collection Alpine Club of Canada Anita Battrum Fred Burghardt Nick Bullock Gordon Burles Elizabeth Chatten Gordon Clozza Rick Crosby Kristy Davison Rose Marie De Clercq Anne Evely April Fletcher David and Katharine Foxcroft Katherine Govier Nicolas de Grandmaison Bruce Grenville Jim Santa Lucia Donald Michael Lundgren Pieranna Margaroli Bernadette McDonald Jack McMahon Alvin Melton Elisabeth Woolley Monod National Park Warden Alumni Society Mark Nightingale Judy Otton Ruth and Jim Quinn Jay Sherwood Colleen Skidmore Colin Smith Don Snell Southern Alberta Pioneers and their Descendants Robert E. Von Sternberg Joan Tittemore Beth Towe Trina Vaux Henry Vaux Jr. Margaret Watson Cliff White Christine Wignall Services and Gifts-In-Kind Banff Centre Banff Park Lodge Banff Tea Co. Banff Wine Store Good Earth Coffeehouse Graham MacDonald and Laurelle Johnson The Block Kitchen + Bar The Juniper Hotel and Bistro Town of Banff Wild Flour Banff's Artisan Bakery Café YWCA Also a big thank you to the numerous Anonymous donors. We have made every effort to recognize our donors. If you notice any errors or omissions please contact Monte Greenshields at 403-762-2291 extension 315 or mgreenshields@whyte.org. Back to The Cairn

Back to The Cairn Our Volunteers January 1 to December 31, 2018 The Whyte Museum sincerely thanks the following volunteers for their support: Art & Heritage: Laura Clippingdale Jim Swanson Abbie Swanson The late Jack Whitworth Community Engagement and Events: Kurt Bagnell Anita Battrum Russell Bowers Heather Dempsey Yves Drouin Amanda Foote Joel Hagen Samantha Hindele Lee Hutchinson Patrick McElwee Murray Palmer Kevan Rayner Wendy Robinson Rosalie Schwarz Chic Scott Kathryn Madill Scott Lucas Smith Abbie Swanson Leslie Taylor Raffi Tchalikian Brad Weir Terry White Edwin, Matt and Heidi Widmer Library and Archives: Gordon Burles Nicole Belcourt Lena Goon Jasmine Vala For volunteer opportunities please visit whyte.org/support or contact Nathalie Delbecq at 403-762-2291 ext. 322 or ndelbecq@whyte.org Back to The Cairn

By Kate Skelton, Archival Assistant Back to The Cairn While working as an Archival Assistant for the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies over the past several months, I have focused heavily on the processing and digitization of photographic materials in the Museum’s collection. To support the preservation of physical photographs in the Whyte Museum’s archival collection, these photographs must be organized, numbered and stored according to archival standards. Creating and preserving digital copies of these photographs also allows them to be made publicly accessible online. Recently I was tasked with the digitization of several dozen photographs from photographer Bruno Engler’s professional collection sub-series, titled “Films and Film Making”. The images were captured in 1975 during the filming of the movie Buffalo Bill and the Indians or Sitting Bull’s History Lesson (released 1976). These photographs included still shots of cast members, views of the film set near Morley, Alberta and members of the film’s camera crew at work. These images will be made available for public access online through the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies archival database in the coming weeks. Buffalo Bill tells the story of “Buffalo Bill” Cody (played by Paul Newman), an American Civil War veteran who creates a “Wild West Show” following the end of his military career. In the film, Buffalo Bill’s former enemy, Sioux Chief Sitting Bull (played by Stoney Nakoda Chief Frank Kaquitts / Sitting Wind) is cast in a lead role in Buffalo Bill’s show, and the cast members then struggle to put aside their differences and work together to put on a specially requested performance for the President of the United States. The film is intended to poke fun at cultural differences, assumptions and miscommunication between members of the two cultures. Buffalo Bill was shown at the Whyte Museum on February 21st as part of the Rockywood Reels Film Series taking place this spring. Members of the Stoney Nakoda community who took part in the production of Buffalo Bill were invited to speak about their experiences in filmmaking and how Indigenous cultures have been (and still are) represented in Western films. Buffalo Bill and the other films included in the Rockywood Reels Film Series serve not simply as entertainment, but also as an opportunity to start important conversations and to encourage audiences to consider whose narratives are being represented in film and which voices are left out. The next showing in the Rockywood Reels Film Series will be Little Big Man (1970) starring Dustin Hoffman, which will be held on March 21st at 7 pm at the Whyte Museum. Reel Injun (2009), a National Film Board documentary by Cree filmmaker Neil Diamond, will also be playing at the Whyte Museum on May 16th. Entry is $5 each or free for museum members. For more information, see the events page on the Whyte Museum website. Back to The Cairn

By Anne Ewen, Curator of Art & Heritage Back to The Cairn April 13 – June 9, 2019 Main Gallery This exhibition is one of three new exhibitions coming this spring! The others will include Laara Cassells _after and Susanne Aaltonen: Knowing How Little I Need Her Now. Please Join us for the opening reception on Saturday, April 13 at 7 p.m. A carousel, like a roulette wheel, a lottery or equine-style fair ride, are metaphors White envisions in context to the continuously spinning merry-go-round of life and quest for the meaning of existence. White’s fascination with art history and mythology, together with his understanding of artistic techniques, theories and application are the foundations of his practice. An intelligent and highly skilled painter, he combines his encyclopedic knowledge of art history with his love of punk rock culture and skateboarding. White’s paintings exude a genteel quietude overlaid with exquisitely choreographed defiance where the 16th century meets graffiti. These compelling historic painterly impressions merge with contemporary references encouraging the viewer to consider the value of preciousness and lasting preservation. On newly constructed work, veneer is pristine and clear but as paintings age, they crackle and flake, oftentimes peeling away like ripened rind. Seasoned and wrinkled skin form maps of our lives and like art are in a constant state of deterioration. Atrophy is impossible to halt. Yet, using heaters and accompaniments, White deliberately ages his paintings seeking the finely laced and intercrossed lines conservators strive to restore. Canvas is furled, back painted and gilded, offering an unpretentiousness attitude to the strictures of art museum protocols. Here the frame serves to amplify the gaping edges of frayed work. As he contends with the complexities of his art practice, the artist manipulates multiple techniques with intuition and a practiced hand while exploring the riddles of painting. Superb inventiveness combined with the talents of a forger, his paintings are transmutations with subtle gestures such as a Rubens hand or Kandinsky colourations, drawn from the recesses of his mind, where an archive of images coexist with the knowledge of Alchemy, Koan, Shiva, and the Sex Pistols. Born in Liverpool, England, Carl White’s early awareness of history and passion for art was fueled by books and nourished by frequent outings to British museums and art institutions. After immigrating to Calgary, White attended the Alberta College of Art + Design studying Design and Communication where his response to assignments were tailored to painting. Upon graduation, White became a full-time painter. His work has been featured in numerous solo and group exhibitions across Canada and are included in many private collections nationally and internationally. His public commissions adorn important structures such as the National Press building in Washington, D.C. Carl White is represented by Christine Klassen Gallery, Calgary. Back to The Cairn