| ARTIST BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH: | Calgary native Brenda Christiansen earned her Fine Art Diploma at MacEwan University (then MacEwan College) in 2002, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Nova Scotia College of Art & Design in 2004. She then went on to earn her Master of Fine Art in Painting from the University of Alberta in 2008. She is currently on the artistic staff of the Nina Haggerty Centre for the Arts in Edmonton. She has taught at MacEwan University, the University of Alberta, the Art Gallery of Alberta and has presented a variety of workshops.
Inspired by the Alberta landscape, and the way in which it is changing due to public use, expansion and industry, Brenda uses photos and sketches to bring nature into her studio, allowing her to interpret them in her own space. Brenda seeks out the hidden treasures and the overlooked charm of the sights on a trail or walking path, seeking to find beauty in the face of change. Some of her pieces have focused on the effect of gas exploration, trail erosion and pipeline construction.
Her work has been exhibited throughout Alberta, and in Yellowknife and Halifax. Her work is held in the permanent collections of the University of Alberta, MacEwan University, the City of St. Albert and the Alberta Foundation for the Arts. Brenda has received a variety of grants and was the recipient of the Mary Louise Imrie Graduate Student Award in 2007. |