ACAD Artwork Brightens Inglewood Bird Sanctuary

Now that snow has fallen, Calgarians might expect the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary to be sporting a winter palette of whites and greys. But the park has recently received a brightly coloured, creative makeover, thanks to students from Alberta College of Art and Design.

Student artists have spruced up the park with educational artwork. Bathroom doors, planter boxes and walls of the centre have been transformed to become a visual learning tool. “The main idea was to get all audiences excited to go bird watching including children and bird watching experts,” says ACAD student Ryan Pearse. “The colour makes the information a little more welcoming for children.”

The students’ work portrays information on the animals that live at the park and how they make up that particular ecosystem. Pearse worked on a piece that teaches visitors about bird migration routes.

Ken Richardson, the city manager of creative services explains that the artwork is a way of communicating with park visitors. “The art demonstrates pictorially what is growing in planters and what lives in the park.,” says Richardson. “The space is activated just by being visually bold and dynamic.”

Ryan Pearse with his work. Photo courtesy of City of Calgary.

Calgary’s creative services have been partnering with ACAD for a couple of years now, explains Richardson. “It’s worked its way from being a pilot project to part of the curriculum. Students in their third year will now have a City of Calgary project.”

The sanctuary was hit particularly hard by the floods in June, and Richardson believes the artwork is helping the park deal with the aftermath. “The byproduct is a wonderful piece of communication material,” he says.

The sanctuary is still recovering and visitors into the park have to sign up for a guided tour. In the meantime, this artwork gives Calgarians an incentive to visit the interpretive centre.

And it’s not just the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary that will benefit. Later this term, ACAD students will be working with interpretive signage at Ralph Klein Park.