Page 15 - 08_Oct-2025

YOUR TURN
VENETIAN PRINCESS PIROUETTE
S E P T E M B E R 2 02 5 E D I F Y E D M O N TO N .CO M
The NEXT
Ashley
Na
45
CITY. BUSINESS. CULTURE. LIFE. EDMONTON.
GENERATION
Jade
Chan
Ainsley
Toner
of DESIGN
M A Y 2 0 2 3 $ 7 E D I F Y E D M O N T O N . C O M
THE
ART
F
INNOV ATION
BRAXTON GARNEAU’S
WORK IS LIKE NOTHING
YOU’VE SEEN BEFORE
PM 41354037
EDIFY-MayInnovation-2023-01-cover.indd 1 EDIFY-MayInnovation-2023-01-cover.indd 1 4/13/23 1:26 PM 4/13/23 1:26 PM
“The Art of Innovation”
(May 2023)
When Edify profiled visual artist Braxton
Garneau in May 2023, he was four years
removed from his first showing at the
Art Gallery of Alberta’s “Five Artists,
One Love” series, and becoming known
for transforming materials like asphalt,
raffia, cotton and sugarcane into textured
works of art. Since then, his ascent has
been swift: a solo show in Los Angeles,
a group exhibition at Saskatoon’s Remai
Modern and a painting acquired by the
Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego.
This fall he capped a residency at New
York’s International Studio and Curatorial
Program with a breakthrough solo show
at Chicago’s Monique Meloche Gallery,
famed for launching artists now in the
Guggenheim and Smithsonian. Garneau,
whose works draw on Afro-Caribbean
and European influences, is preparing
his largest solo exhibition yet at the
University of Saskatchewan. In February,
he’ll return to the AGA for the 20th
anniversary of the show where
it began.
(Editor’s Note: Garneau is represented by art consultant
Michelle Schultz, a contributing editor to Edify.)
SEPTEMBER 2025 PM 41354037
EDIFY-September-2025-68-01-cover_Spread.indd 1 EDIFY-September-2025-68-01-cover_Spread.indd EDIFY-September_2025-01-cover_converted 1 EDIFY-September_2025-01-cover_converted 1 8/12/25 2:11 PM 8/12/25 2:11 PM
1 8/15/25 4:09 PM 8/15/25 4:09 PM
# 26
URBAN. BUSINESS. STYLE. LIFE. EDMONTON.
RE: “Loss of a
Big City Dream”
(September issue)
I’ve seen the mood of citizens and
city council shift over the decades
— from Jan Reimer’s idealism, to Bill
Smith’s pragmatic boosterism, to
Stephen Mandel’s visionary, often
combative approach. Our current
council has lost its grip on civic
administration, leading to unrelenting
tax increases and chaotic infrastruc-
ture spending. The next mayor, as
the voice of council, will need to
galvanize the community, business
leaders, and philanthropists to prior-
itize aesthetic and artistic excellence
in our city — without relying on the
public purse as the primary driver.
But first, we need to get our house in
order. This is the time to refocus city
council’s priorities on core issues,
restore confidence, and show fiscal
discipline. –Neil Kaarsemaker
Thank you for your editorial. It breaks
my heart, but it rings true. Former
mayor Mandel is right to lament the
loss of the city’s “amazing archi-
tectural community.” I noted with
despair that when you interviewed
them, two mayoral candidates argued
for scaling back our architectural
ambitions. For me, this is a key issue
in the upcoming municipal election.
–Lynn Odynski
Great editorial. In my view, the
people of the city are taking back
the responsibility for public art and
bringing it to communities in so
many amazing ways. As a local artist,
I’ve been live-painting at Bountiful
Farmers’ Market with the Budding
Art Collective and, most recently, was
a vendor and patron at Strathearn
Art Walk, which was gigantic this
year. Night of Artists Gallery and Gifts
in Bonnie Doon is also celebrating
the local art scene. Yes, art should
be supported and encouraged, but I
don’t need my city council to see the
vibrancy of the art scene here.
–Andrea Bauer
RE: “Seeds of Shelter”
(September issue)
The wonderful profile of the late
Lynn Hannley — a tireless advocate
for “the city’s most vulnerable pop-
ulations who were failed by a lack of
accessible, affordable housing” —
offered a poignant counterpoint
to the lavish feature on the equally
lavish homes of Ballet Edmonton’s
Home Tour. The back-to-back place-
ment of these two pieces boggles
the mind. Plus ca change, plus c’est
le même chose.
–Patricia Hartnagel
CORRECTION:
An article in the July/August issue
(“Home Court Hero”) incorrectly
stated that Sabry Philip was the
second player to be signed to
the Stingers after Jordan Baker’s
retirement in 2022. This information
has been updated online to reflect
that he is the third player, after Ben
Krikke in 2024.
Want to comment on a specific story or topic we’ve covered? Send us an email with
“Your Turn” in the subject line to [email protected], or, for those of us who still
like putting stamps on things:
Edify Magazine, 10221 123 Street NW, Edmonton, AB T5N 1N3
Letters may be edited for length and/or clarity.
Crossword Puzzle Answers (page 66): ACROSS: 1. Omar 5. Rigors 11. Cara 12. Andrew 13. Riff
14. Impala 15. Tony 17. Tim 18. Sleds 20. Fini 21. Cord 22. Book 23. Haas 24. Moons 25. Old 26.
Boat 27. Resell 29. BACA 33. Unique 34. AMFM 35. Senses 36. Gary DOWN: 1. OCR 2. Mai 3. Arf
4. Rafters 5. Rains 6. In my 7. GDP 8. Oration 9. Relinks 10. Swami 16. Odd 18. Scalene 19. Loads in
20. Footbag 22. Boa 23. Horus 24. Moles 26. Blue 28. EQs 30. AMA 31. CFR 32. Amy
15