Airdrie artist Veronica Funk‘s residency with The Alberta Society of Artists (ASA) is the first of its kind. She is carrying out her archival research project, Women of the West. But Funk has had this project on her mind for quite some time. She began thinking about it during the pandemic.
“I’d been taking some art history classes, and as a graduate of Art and Design back in the mid-80s, I was hoping that our curriculum had progressed, and unfortunately, any of the women they discussed were somebody’s spouse or somebody’s daughter, instead of as these incredible artists in their own right; and in fact, a lot of them were even more successful than the men that have been discussed.”
The project evolved as she began delving into the research more, specifically into the women artists in the province who had found success in the early 1900s.
“Because I’m a painter, I focused on female painters, and then I started reaching out to museums and archives around Alberta to gather information.”
The opportunity for the first-ever residency at the ASA seemed like the natural fit.
“I thought this would be a perfect opportunity, and I wanted to submit it because I could also utilize their archives while working on this project there.”
According to the ASA’s website, Funk will also visit the Galt Museum archives in Lethbridge and the Whyte Museum archives in Banff, along with the research of the Alberta Society of Artists archives.
“A residency can mean so many things. It could be workshops or teaching workshops. It could be a learning experience, or in my case, I’ll be working on new material with a new medium – because my husband developed allergies to acrylics – which I’ve been using for 40 years. I’m switching my medium to watercolours,” she said. “This residency allows me not only to create new work and experiment with a new medium but also to do more research.”
Funk said there’s an interactive portion because it is also open to the public.
“Just on the weekend, a couple of children sat down with me and painted, which was fabulous. I love anything interactive like that.”
She has begun exploring the contributions of female artists like Edith Fanny Kirk and Margaret Shelton, who have faced challenges yet achieved significant artistic success in Alberta. Kirk founded the Lethbridge Sketch Club, while Shelton created watercolour paintings inspired by her surroundings.
“It’s just an inspirational thing for me, but I’m thinking, if it inspires me, it will also inspire other female artists,” Funk added. “Every one of them that I’ve learned about, I just think, ‘I love this woman. This is who I want to emulate’. It’s hard to narrow down which artist [is my favourite]. [Maybe] Edith Fanny Kirk; she was the first artist I had stumbled upon, and Margaret Shelton… The more I read and learn about them – I’m just in awe of these women.”
While her residency will finish at the end of the month, Funk has plenty of work left on her project. Funk will be working on creating 52 pieces (each 22 by 30 inches) that will feature paintings of women artists and photos, articles, and their stories.
Funk’s “Mastrius Women” collection will also be displayed during her residency. Visitors can drop into the gallery (222-1235 26 Ave SE, Calgary; located on the Second Floor of the Crossroads Market) to visit with the artist, Thursdays to Saturdays in September and October, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
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