Two new exhibits at Casa explore the concept of space usage.

 Kelsey Stephenson’s exhibit Divining and  Mandy Espezel’s “Pine Cones in Soft Mouths” opened on the weekend and run in the Casa gallery until  April 15.

“Kelsey Stephenson is a local artist who just graduated with an MA in Fine Arts  from the university of Tennessee,” said Casa curator Darcy Logan.

  She explored  the idea of topographical maps painted on dozens of sheets of Japanese mulberry paper.
“It combines print and painting to evoke topographical maps reflection of geological impact of erosion,” Logan said, observing she used  a map of the Drumheller badlands as the base for her exhibit. The individual frames move as the viewer move pst them enhanced by a spooky soundtrack composed by  Alex Gray which plays in the gallery.

“They are actual topographical  maps of Drumheller badlands, but they are supposed to be altered  to look like aerial photographs. The badlands were her inspiration,” logan said, adding she worked off actual maps and created the works on Japanese mulberry paper, which is the toughest paper produced, the the movement won’t  harm it.

Emerging University of Lethbridge artists show their  work at Everything is Temporary: The university of Lethbridge Annual Student Art Exhibition opening March 3 in the Dr. Penny Foster Building downtown.

“There are 25 students involved, though some have more than one work,” said fourth year student Amy Parks, who  is co-curating the exhibition with fellow fourth year student Ildiko Barraclough as part of their  BFA museum curating program.
“They went through a jury panel which examined many submissions,” Parks continued.

“We wanted works a that really explore  the serious issues in the world,” added Barraclough.
 “We have some really exemplary local artists.

We have  some indigenous  artists and some artists expressing the hybrid of the Japanese Canadian experience,” she continued.

Lethbridge artist and writer, Rick Gillis  officially releases his new novel “The Boy Who Couldn’t Die” at Casa this Saturday, March 4 from 1 to 4  p.m.

The novel is loosely based on his life growing up in the Crowsnest Pass in the 1950s and 60s. It was a time when the Pass was a booming coal mining and lumbering centre. The novel, titled  traces a period of time in the life of the Callaghan family, more specifically that of Little Ricky Callaghan, as told through the memories of his older sister, Kathryn.

The novel runs its reader through a rollercoaster of emotions, from humour, love, sadness and a surprising twist to its plot line.

The book is currently being made available through Casa in Lethbridge. Gillis returned to the Pass in March of last year and took a residency at the Gushul Writers’ Cottage in Blairmore for a month, a return to his hometown and more importantly to the very neighbourhood in which he grew up. It was at the Gushul that he wrote the lion’s share of  “The Boy Who Couldn’t Die.”

“Though the novel draws upon my own life experiences growing up in that neighbourhood, the story line diverts sharply from reality as the tale unfolds,” says Gillis.

“It definitely is not your standard fare, since few elements resemble anything close to a formulaic novel. Much of it seems reminiscent, but it is far more than that. As ridiculous as it appears at times, the anecdotes as told through the memories of Kathryn Callaghan are all, without exception, true, though at times altered or embellished in the interest of good story telling.

“To say that my decision to return home to write this novel was inspirational would be an understatement,” Gillis added.

  “Though sequestered for long periods of time at the writers’ cottage, my frequent walks through the old neighborhood brought back long buried memories, and with them a host of emotions and deeply-felt sentiments.”
In addition to being made available locally, “The Boy Who Couldn’t Die” is also available on line through Amazon.com (not Amazon.ca) as well as http://www.createspace.com/6890547.