3D Talent

For art object lovers, there’s nothing as gratifying as finding work you can (in theory) touch with your hands. Whether it’s a new art book, a bona fide sculpture, or a quirky item, the feel, the weight, the tactile nature of an object is one you never forget. Here is a select group of Calgary galleries and some chosen artists perfect for those looking for a three-dimensional addition to their art collections.

Who: Former Alberta College of Art and Design (ACAD) graduate, Dean Drever is a hot up-and-coming sculptor to watch.
Why: With a solo show at the Alberta Art Gallery as well as exhibitions abroad in New York and Dundee, Scotland, Drever is already making an international name for himself.
Weighty art: Guns, brass knuckles and bullets are the mainstays for Drever’s work. Inscribed with often irreverent and tongue-in-cheek sayings, each piece is a comment on the expression of anger through violence and its systematic suppression.
Price: Drever’s sculptures are a must for anyone with an object fetish. Prices range from $1,500 to $6,000.
Where: Douglas Udell Gallery, 725 11 Ave. S.W., 403-264-4414

What: Owned and operated by graphic designer turned curator, Janine Vangool, Uppercase Gallery highlights the world of graphic design by offering unique books on art, art in book form, objects and other funky paraphernalia like tote bags you draw on yourself.
Artists: Not only can you find eclectic paper objects by Vangool made out of vintage and recycled materials, the gallery also features collectable buttons by noted illustrators like Aaron Leighton (a former ACAD grad turned Torontonian) and other items by international names like Sukie (U.K.). Prices start at a mere $5.
Claim to infamy: Uppercase garnered recent attention for its exhibition and accompanying art book featuring the ever-iconic William Shatner.
Where: Uppercase, 204, 100 7 Ave. S.W., 403-283-5318

Who: Program Head of the Sculpture Department at ACAD, Blake Senini is a sculptor with a ruffian’s heart.
What: Carving ethereal shapes out of laminated wood, Senini creates anthropomorphic floor- and wall-mounted pieces that are either beautifully surreal or subtly menacing.
Alberta’s favourite: Powerhouse institutions like the Alberta Foundation for the Arts, the Art Gallery of Alberta and the Glenbow Museum have all collected Senini’s sculpture.
Price: Owning a Senini can be a heady affair with his smaller pieces starting at over $5,500. There is no denying, however, that they’re extremely seductive and equally irresistible.
Where: Skew Gallery, 1615 10 Ave. S.W., 403-244-4445

Who: Stephen Murphy, director of Arts on Atlantic, is a huge supporter of the printed word.
The gallery: Showcasing hand-bound, specialty, fine press and artists’ books, Arts on Atlantic supports Canadian book artists and small-press printers.
Bookies: Calgary-based Lisa Isley, Sarah Butt and Murphy himself are just a selection of the artists showing here. Books range from $30 to $500.
Why books: Artist books are perfect for new collectors looking for something beyond the flat canvas. Intimate, physical and often done in multiples (making them more affordable) artist books are intriguing avenues into the creative brain.
Where: Arts on Atlantic, 1312A 9 Ave. S.E., 403-264-6627

Janet Naclia is the assitant director of Newzones Gallery and an art collector, writer and lover of Calgary’s arts community.