SPARK Disability Art Festival 2019

SEPTEMBER 9 - DECEMBER 17, 2019

For its tenth anniversary year, the SPARK Disability Art Festival introduced a new Solo Artist Series titled "Changemakers". Hosted in collaboration with Arts Commons, this exhibit featured seven emerging or early career artists who represent Calgary’s next wave of professional artists living with a disability. A retrospective of disabled-identifying artist Matthew Carberry ("From Concept to Comic") closed the festival during the month of December at Studio C:

Changemakers at Arts Commons (Window Gallery)

From Concept to Comic at Studio C (Gallery)

CHANGEMAKERS

For its tenth year of presentations, the SPARK Disability Art Festival introduced a new Solo Artist Series, hosted in collaboration with Arts Commons and developed alongside the RBC Emerging Visual Artists Program. Featured in this showcase were seven emerging or early career artists—selected from SPARK’s ten-year exhibition history—who demonstrate exceptional talent and tenacity, and who represent Calgary’s next wave of professional artists living with a disability.

The 2019 "Changemakers" showcase was proud to spotlight: Amber Harriman, Daniel May, Eva Hontela, Lynn Cameron, Macarena Ruidiaz, Penny Gunderson and Shawn Belanger.

FROM CONCEPT TO COMIC

Directly following the "Changemakers" exhibition at Arts Commons, the SPARK Festival 2019 was pleased to partner with Studio C in presenting a new solo exhibition of current and past works by disabled-identifying artist Matthew Carberry.

​Matthew Carberry (BFA) is a digital illustrator and painter specializing in cartooning, character design and comic book art. A long-time exhibiting artist with the SPARK Disability Art Festival, "From Concept to Comic" celebrated Carberry's advancing career while honouring one of SPARK's most prolific and trail-blazing artists working in new media.

A vibrant finale to SPARK's 2019 Solo Artist Series, Carberry's solo exhibit comprised a colourful cast of characters, immersive environments and fantastical storylines that positioned the artist as both author and participant in his own creations. This full gallery retrospective also offered a rare, behind-the-scenes look at comic-based art... emphasizing the underlying creative labor that turns each new drawing into a stand-alone work of art.

Special thanks for this year's festival and community partnerships are extended to Natasha Jensen and Sanja Lukac (Visual and Media Arts Associate(s) at Arts Commons) for facilitating a brilliant collaboration between SPARK and the RBC Emerging Visual Artists Program. Gracious thanks are also extended to Rocio Graham (AUArts Students' Association) for partnering with SPARK in a mentorship capacity, and to Studio C for providing exhibition support. At the University of Calgary, thanks are extended to Michele Hardy (Adjunct Associate Professor, Department of Art, Curator, Nickle Galleries) for presenting another inspired Nickle at Noon session in collaboration with SPARK, as well as guest speaker Ian Kinney.