Back to RADO-Alley. There’s so much to see it’s worth multiple visits. I loved this piece by Keon Courtney. The mural stretches across the back of a condo building off Whyte Ave and uses the space to full advantage to highlight a vibrancy that reaches outward framing a strong face. A self-taught visual artist, Keon has always been drawn to portraiture and now finds inspiration in bringing life and soul to his artwork. It is this aspect that drew me to his mural. The woman’s beautifully rendered features suggest a peacefulness amid deep reflection. And it would be hard to argue the splash of purple suggests life.
This street art was also created in September 2021 as part of the RADO-Alley mural fest. Robyn Schnierer’s Owl and Snake depicts a wildfire battle scene set against a Southern Alberta backdrop of nightscapes and animal anatomy. The mountains rise up to meet the dark sky in what is a quintessential Alberta scene yet with reptiles that characterize the warmer climes of that part of the province. You can almost feel the barren prairie grasslands that house many a skeleton. There is something joyous in the battle between owl and snake, a challenge to step up, to play a part in the unfolding drama of nature itself. I love the colours of the night sky and the way the artist has used the nooks and crannies of the building to enhance the visual image.
Matt Auger-Cardinal created this spectacular bear image. Known as Attilo in his art and music, Auger-Cardinal has a style reflected in this mural of a bear broken down into several little pieces. I see water and I see what could be a brilliant sunset. It could also be fire and I’m left wondering, what is the bear thinking? Is this an environment that is alive with hope or one that’s hurting, that needs help if the bears are to survive. I love his use of colour and design elements to tell a story.
This last one, Chaos, Order, Balance by Nathan Panousis is fun with its bright colours and flowers. I know, there’s also fangs and a forked tongue but as long as you don’t get too close it’ll be fine.
Stop by RADO-Alley for more.
