Latest Arts News

Casa re-opens with new summer programming and exhibits

Thursday, 17 June 2021 15:18 Richard Amery

Casa has reopened just in time as Covid health restrictions loosen and Lethbridge artists are ready and raring to go as they unleash a year and a half of pent up artistic energy.
Casa is offering a variety of activities, including outdoor classes, studio time and Summer camps for children in July and August.
The week-long classes in clay, textiles, drawing, painting, collage, printmaking and sculpture. Camps will run full days from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
“It’s been a little slow so far. But it will pick up as word spreads that we’re open again. We’re in a bit of a transition period now,” said Allied Arts Council Communications manager, Kelaine Devine, noting artists can book studio time and classes are starting up again including the always popular clay and pottery classes.

“They always fill up fast,” she said, adding artists wishing to rent studio time must register in advance by appointment only. Studio access will be available 10 a.m.– 9 p.m.; Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturdays and Sundays. Appointments are available on a first-come, first-served basis by contacting 403-327-2272.

A lot of activities are planned to take place in Rotary Square including classes including still life painting featuring costumed models posing for artists of all skill levels.

Holding classes outside will take advantage of nice weather.

“They’re usually between 6-8 p.m. when there‘s no direct sunlight,” she said, adding if you want to make art on you own, the Allied Arts Council also sells arts kits.

Helen Schuler Nature Centre reopens with new exhibits and programming

Friday, 11 June 2021 18:12 Richard Amery

The Helen Schuler Nature Centre has re-opened with a lot of new activities and art exhibits. Curtis Goodman examines Elaine Henderson’s “Landscaping Wilderness,”at the Helen Schuler Nature Centre. Photo by Richard Amery
“We’re open again after six months of being closed because of Covid ,” said Helen Schuler Nature Centre Resource Development co-ordinator Curtis Goodman.

“But the trails have always been open. We’ve done a lot of work to bring the inside experience outside,” he continued noting there have been a lot of activities on the trail including choose your own adventure activities, children’s books and egg scavenger hunts.

“The scavenger hunt has been really popular. We had eggs placed where an actual nest would be. Some were really easy to find, others were almost impossible. We had people complaining when we took it down saying ‘I was going to bring my parents to see it next week,’” he recalled, adding the trails have been popular during the pandemic.

While they were closed, they built an outdoor amphitheatre for outdoor programming.
“It’s larger. It’s more accessible if you have a wheelchair or a walker. We’re getting larger groups like school field trips, so now everybody has a seat,” Goodman said.

Now the Centre has re-opened, there is new programming inside.

Elaine Henderson’s “Landscaping Wilderness,” featuring paintings of beautiful landscapes, is open now.

Casa pops into spring with plant pottery

Saturday, 15 May 2021 08:59 Richard Amery

Casa is planting the seeds of a new fundraiser to support local artists as they “Pop into Spring”

Casa's fundraiser Pop Into Spring begins Monday, May 17. photo by Richard Amery
Local artist Alexis Bialobzyski decided to try her hand at pottery as she spearheaded the fundraiser, featuring 21 pinch- pots and plants you can buy for $20 beginning Monday, May 17. They have all been named with plenty of music themed plant puns like “Pot Plant in the City,”.“Safety Plants, ” “Unskinny Plot” “ Wake me Up Before you Grow Grow” and “You Light Up My Leaf.”

“We‘ve been closed since December, so it’s been hard for artists to gather, but everybody wanted to help out,” said Kelaine Devine, Allied Arts Council Communications manager.
“It’s just a little fundraiser so we can afford artists fees for our exhibitions and pay them a living wage. Usually we’d be having a lot of fundraisers ” she continued.
She noted Bialobzyski decided to had fun designing the pots in a variety of different styles and themes from abstract to political.

Celebrate family day with family art and Casa

Thursday, 11 February 2021 16:54 Richard Amery

The weather outside is frightful, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have fun with your family for Family Day, Feb. 15.

 Casa has just the ticket on their Youtube channel as they will be offering the opportunity to create a 3-D family portrait out of air-dry clay. 

“ It’s not regular clay, The Allied Arts Council is still closed, and people would be running back and forth. It gets a little crazy,” said Allied Arts Council Communications co-ordinator Kelaine Devine.
At noon on Feb. 15, Casa artists Aaron Hagan and Claire Reid will be providing step-by step instructions to create air dry clay portraits and sculptures of family members and even pets on their Youtube channel http://bit.ly/CasaFamily or https://www.youtube.com/CASAlethbridge/.

“ They will be giving lessons about how to create figures and hair and other features,” Devine described. 

Once the pieces are dry, finish them with watercolour or tissue paper decoupage. your finished pieces can be included in Casa’s virtual family gallery by tagging them @casalethbridge or email an image to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for a chance to win a free children’s course (ages 6-12). 

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