I wasn’t sure what I expected when I arrived at the Eau Claire YMCA last Wednesday, but it was likely not the dynamic and enjoyable experience I had.
The focus of the session I attended was urban art, and so, being right in downtown Calgary, we went for an urban art walk.
Before that, however, we began in the plaza, each equipped with a piece of chalk and an assignment to draw what we believed the world needed more of—whether peace, equality, love, environmental awareness or empathy.  Chelsea, the leader of the project, was extremely passionate about art and used the chalk as a way of leaving our own temporary mark .
Downtown scavenger hunt: at which office buildings can the following pieces of art be found? Hint: start by Eau Claire and work your way south.
Our group was fairly small, around 15 youth, yet contained quite the demographic variety, from a number of small and adorably precocious elementary students, the regulars, all the way up to me, the much larger high school student.
Most of my fellow artwalkers took art in school, and everyone, regardless, was quite passionate about art. The last time I took art in school was back in junior high, but this made me wish I had taken the option in high school.
We spent some time stopping by the Bow Building, with a number of the pieces scattered around the perimeter.
Cerebral. Infinite. Trippy. A few words we came up with to describe the experience of being inside the head.
As it turns out, the reason of number of newer buildings in Calgary have such art pieces is due to the city’s encouragement, providing tax breaks and increasing height restrictions (thus, perhaps no wonder the Bow Building is Calgary’s new tallest tower).
Our next destination was the Art Central building, unfortunately soon to be torn down sometime this coming year. We stopped by the alleyway to admire the large graffiti mural by David Brunning, a friend of Chelsea’s. Its presence became even more spectacular when she told the story of the frantic 10 hours he was given to create it.
The art walk experience wasn’t rigidly planned, allowing us to visit a small gallery when we ran into the owner on the c-train platform. The Sunglass Centre, containing a small eclectic gallery with a large collection of art (and a surprising lack of sunglasses) crammed into a single room, had pieces of varying styles closes fitted together on the walls and stacked in piles against the floor.
The walk consisted of a great deal of crouching down at crowded street corners and ogling art through windows, causing some minor consternation among the pedestrian traffic.
By the time the walk wrapped up, most everyone was a bit exhausted after two hours of walking through an occasional slight drizzle, but still enthusiastic. Talking with them, this was a unique Art in the City experience–every week, something different happens. Usually it encompasses multiple aspects of art: the leader, Chelsea mentioned their plans to visit the Glenbow and the theatre in future Art in the City sessions.
Art in the City happens every week on Wednesday from 5 to 6 pm (that means tomorrow!). Anyone with a burning passion, interest, barest curiosity, or free time should drop-in at the Eau Claire YMCA.
