First Week in Canada

It's been almost a week since I arrived in Calgary, Alberta. It took a lot of adjusting, especially since I come from the desert and now I'm surrounded by snow. However, the snow makes for some beautiful photos. Speaking of which, my grandpa and I went out taking pictures to use as reference photos for painting. When you're a landscape painter, as my grandfather is, you need a LOT of reference photos. We were out for about five hours driving around rural Calgary, where there is a lot of farmland and long, stretching mountains in the distance.

Jumping back in time a little, on Monday we went to the art store to pick up some supplies (turpenoid and linseed oil, in case you're curious) and then we stopped by Wallace Galleries, where we talked for a few minutes with Colette, the director. I didn't have enough time to ask her all the questions I had in mind, but I told her my overall research question and listened to what she had to say about it. She definitely believes that traditional art still has a place in modern society, and while it might not appeal to everyone, it certainly has a wide range of admirers. As I had begun to suspect, my question should be adjusted to ask not if there is a place for traditional art, but what is the place of traditional art? What kind of people are interested in this kind of art? What do artists have to do to appeal to these interests or the interests of the public? I'll be sure to explore these questions further.