Local artists invade the Owl Acoustic Lounge  with a video game  themed art show called Space Invaders, April 10-May 30.
Organizer  Todd Lacharite was so enthused by the response to his Star Wars themed art show in 2012, that he decided to try it again‚ this time with video-games.
 So he recruited 40 different artists to participate in the Space Invaders exhibit at the Owl Acoustic Lounge.

“It’s Space Invaders, so it’s like we’re invading the space of the Owl,” Lacharite sad adding the theme is video games from vintage to cutting edge, and hopefully including the video game Space Invaders itself, though he hasn’t seen any Space Invaders inspired art.
“I’ve only seen four pieces,” he said adding two of those by Saskatchewan artist  Nick Louma aka Mockrabbit and Russell Jensen have already submitted works inspired by Mario and Luigi from the Donkey Kong arcade game.

“This is the follow up to my Star Wars exhibition (in March 2012),” Lacharite observed. He noted art shows based on pop culture  are a great way to create new art fans.
“People who may be into video games may not be arts fans, but if they come to this exhibition they might become art a fans,” he continued.
“ It can be a good slow step for people who may not be art fans,” he said.

 The Allied Arts Council is helping young artists SOAR with a new arts festival  taking place downtown, June 3-7.
 There is a lot going on for that week as several huge events are taking place that week.
The Allied Arts Council has put out a call for artists including everything from visual art, music, drama and multi-media to participate in the SOAR festival.
 The five day multi-disciplinary arts festival for young artists age 18-35 will be based out of CASA and held in conjunction with the Lieutenant Governor Distinguished Artist Awards
Emerging artists are encouraged to submit either brand new or previously existing works for the three day artists showcase portion of the week, June 3-5.
Three cabaret nights take place in CASA’s community room — a black box theatre with basic lighting and sound.

 The organizers plan to feature three to five different acts on each night of the cabaret including drama, music, spoken word, performance art and dance.
Visual artists are encouraged to submit their works to CASA curator Darcy Logan who is putting on the Loose Leaves exhibition at CASA, running May 9- June 14, which will also be running during the festival. The theme of the exhibit is exploring the relationship between drawing, presentation and the absence of frame in the gallery context.

“We hope emerging artists will participate,” said Ashley Markus, Allied Arts Council Communications co-ordinator.
“It’s a good opportunity  for people to see what emerging artists are creating and for emerging artists to present their works,” she continued adding the deadline for submissions is March 31.

If selected, performance/production space will be provided and the piece will be promoted as part of the festival in the program guide and website. Based on sponsorship and grants artists will receive an honorarium (amounts will be confirmed closer to the date).
There is no cost to submit your works.

 She said the application process is simple — just describe your work and say how many people are involved in it as well as any special requirements are needed to put it on.

“ We’re hoping to get submissions from high school students and university students or students considering studying the arts at university or making a living as an artist,” she said.
“ We just want to help them.”

 Markus noted not many artists have applied to the festival yet.

Two new exhibits featuring southern Alberta artists opening at CASA go much deeper than the pastoral images of flowers and landscape they appear to be.

Diana Zasadny’s acrylic on canvass exhibit “Notes From The Field” was inspired by  Southern Alberta’s landscape.
“These are all new works inspired by my travels in Southern Alberta and Saskatchewan,” Zasadny described adding she created her exhibit over the past six months
“I rediscovered the  area again,” said Zasadny who was born and raised in Alberta.

“ I was born and raised here,” she said adding she explored the grasslands from Fort Macleod to Milk River for inspiration for the paintings.
“This one canvass near Milk River, I saw a herd of wandering buffalo. One of them came right up to me. I’ve never been so scared. Though I didn’t paint them,” she said indicating  a massive abstract canvas.

“ But this show shows how I felt,” she explained adding the paintings all reflect her feelings and personal reaction while experiencing various Southern Alberta landscapes.

She has an exhibition coming up of even more of her works in Calgary at the Wallace Gallery, which begins in April
“ I like that there are so many lovely places in Southern Alberta,” she said adding she is excited about sharing the gallery with Donna Gallant’s new exhibit “ Close Up.”
 CASA curator Darcy Logan said Donna Gallant has been an important part of the Lethbridge art scene, taking part in numerous group exhibitions and  has had solo exhibitions at the Bowman Art Gallery.
 “Close Up” features flowers- on the surface.