'I'm ready for people to notice me': Southern Alberta artists shine at La Galleria showcase

LETHBRIDGE, Alta. -

One of Whoop-Up Days' newest exhibits is putting southern Alberta artists in the spotlight.

It gives the artists a great opportunity to show off their work and has festival goers admiring, and buying, their work.                                           

"The opportunity is great, I love it and I hope they continue to do it and hold it every year from now on," said Maggie Warkentin, a Calgary-based artist who came down for the event.

"The artists love it and it's an opportunity that (the art community) south of Calgary doesn't (usually) have."

It's set up inside the main pavilion and features 17 unique artists.

Not only is it a great way to get their work out there, it also gives the artists a chance to see what everyone else is working on.                                                                           

"Everyone has kind of checked out each other's art and is very supportive, and yeah, it's really, really cool," said Bonnie Mayer, a Lethbridge-based Indigenous artist.

It gives the artists a great opportunity to show off their work and has festival goers admiring, and buying, their work.

Mayer has only been painting for two years and sees this as an amazing opportunity to get her work out there.                                                                                           

"This is only my second time out in public with my art, so I think it's really, really cool to have people come by and tell me what they feel," she told CTV News.

Mayer's not the only art show newcomer though.

22-year-old Jordie Angus has been creating since middle school but started getting serious about it over the pandemic.

For him, this is a chance to get out there and be seen as the true artist he is.

"I'm ready for people to notice me and see that my work is pretty cool, pretty neat and I want to see the other people succeed too and get their work seen as well," said the Lethbridge artist.

Lethbridge College was also represented with two of their Multimedia Production students showcasing their digital art.

Lethbridge College was also represented with two of their Multimedia Production students showcasing their digital art.

Their piece highlights Lethbridge and southern Alberta, something near and dear to their hearts

"We are working on a projection map," said Aaren Agaton, one of the students.

"It's our first time doing it so this is really a privilege to be the first ones in here."

"We just decided to incorporate all the things that represent Lethbridge, Alberta," added Agaton’s partner on the project, Denise Serrano.

"The bridge, the Whoop-Up Days and the Blackfoot territory. Everything that makes this area beautiful."

All the artwork at La Galleria is for sale and runs everyday in the pavilion from one to nine.      

For more information, you can visit the 2022 Whoop-Up Days website.