Category: #Sunnyside365 (Page 14 of 39)

“The Utility Box Program started in 2010 as a pilot project initiated by The City of Calgary Roads. Initially conceived as a highly successful graffiti abatement measure, widespread popularity enabled the program to grow and become permanent in 2011. The City is now expanding the opportunity to include community partners and engage more artists and citizens. Since 2010, over 140 utility box public artworks have been created by local artists throughout Calgary.

The Utility Box Program is designed to use the funding for regular lifecycle maintenance of City assets in a creative way. Working with student artists, professional artists and community groups, the program allows for these street-level artworks to add vibrancy to our cityscape, while creating a sense of place and identity for communities. These public artworks are not intended to be permanent but a temporary canvas through which artists and community members can express themselves and their identity.”

To learn more, visit: http://www.calgary.ca/CSPS/Recreation/Pages/Public-Art/Utility-Box-Public-Art-Program.aspx

“My background is art, but I started in Med School. Actually, it’s kind of funny. I needed something to do other than writing papers all the time, so I literally Googled ‘part-time jobs that make the most amount of money with the least amount of time.’ One of the jobs that popped up was social painting, so I did a couple of events and then decided to start a business called ‘Paint Party.’ I did about three to four events a month. I did that for a few years before I saw the space here on Kensington Road, so I decided to bring the concept into a retail space.

We’ll have raw food making education classes, paint nights (painting and drinking), board games on Sundays and Mondays… yeah! We have lots of events booked!

Ooh, the neighbourhood. That’s a good one. I love the community feel. I don’t know how to word it, but you know it’s back like the in olden days, everyone knows each other, people pop by to check up and see how everyone is doing. It’s very neighbourly. It reminds of home. It reminds me of Vancouver.” Chrisann Bodi, Principle, Raw Canvas, 200 1130 Kensington Road NW.

“I write in Polish. It usually takes me about forty-five minutes to fill in a page. I keep a journal of what I do every day. Not stuff like, ‘I ate lunch and it was terrible’ or ‘ I’m angry at this person.’ It’s a way detailing the things I do every day. I can look back over the past four years and see what I was doing and where I was on that day. It’s a great exercise for the mind and memory. Every page is it’s own day.

I like coming here because it makes me feel less homesick.”

“I’ve been playing accordion for two years. I’m self-taught. I play a bunch of instruments like the banjo and stuff. My band is called ‘Magic In The Woods’.

My other group is a hip-hop act called ‘Shadow Wizards’ I post my stuff on band camp and sound cloud.” Tanner, musician.

“I’ve been framing for about twenty-five years. I do all my framing by myself with a crane to move material from one level to the next, to stand up big walls, and install big windows. I’ve been framing as a “one man show” for about three years.

Otherwise I do a lot of custom cedar gazebos and decks–more of like timber framing.

This project started in the first week of December, but it was on hold for a few weeks and commenced in the first week of January. It took approximately two months from foundation to roof installed. It sits two inches below the maximum elevation allowed here.

It’s got thirteen foot ceilings here on the main level, ten foot on the upper level. The biggest window is a fifteen by eleven foot window over the rear fireplace. I’m a few days away from completion and this project is a couple months from closing.

I love this neighbourhood. The people I meet when I’m doing a project are really friendly. They’re content with their little houses while they see these multi-million dollar projects going up. You know, even just the interest that permanent residents take in their neighbourhood when I’m coming to work. People take the time to get to know your name. It’s a level of friendliness that you don’t get in the big volume jobs in the suburbs.

You know, the last place I framed in Hillhurst–the guy across the street was born into and grew up in his house. He took it over from his parents. That’s what you call an old neighbour!” Steve Klassen, Framer, on his job site at 505 18a Street NW.

“We’ve lived here about three years. It’s kind of like a black hole, but in a good way, you know? You get sucked in and you never want to leave.

I like that this neighbourhood is exclusively home to the kind of people that I like the most. There’s a lot of really good people here and of course the food is great. The bars are all really awesome.

You know, it’s owners and management of the businesses that are amazing. People here are genuine, original–there’s really solid people who run the businesses down here and look after their customers.

The car? This is a 1992, BMW 318i. It’s one of four hundred made in this colour. There’s no other car like it in the city. I heard there’s one in Vancouver, but otherwise it’s super unique. I think it’s well received by people in the neighbourhood. I think we’ve been really spoiled by the good weather so I brought it out.” Brendan