UNews - April Matisz

Newest Alumni Honour Society inductees creating positive change

trevor.kenney — Wed, 18 Sep 2024 15:11:41 +0000

Art, education and social change highlight the issues being addressed by the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Alumni Association’s (ULAA) newest inductees into the Alumni Honour Society.

Ahkoiinnimaki (Pipe Woman) Star Crop Eared Wolf (BFA - Native American Art ’17), Desmond (Dez) Kamara (BA ’10), April Matisz (BFA - Art ’09) and Dr. Philip McRae (BEd ’91) are all being recognized for their achievements.

“I’m very pleased to introduce these four outstanding alumni, all of whom have and continue to make vital contributions to their communities,” says Cyndi Bester (BMus ’95, MEd ’01), ULAA president. “Our alumni are using their ULethbridge experience to make a real difference in society, improving people’s lives and serving as inspiration to today’s students who can see themselves in the inspiring work they do.”

Alumni Honour Society inductees will be honoured for their contributions to community at Let There Be Light Night, a celebration of alumni achievement, on Friday, Oct. 18, 2024, at 7 p.m. in the Science Commons Atrium. Tickets are currently available online.

Ahkoiinnimaki (Pipe Woman) Star Crop Eared Wolf

Ahkoiinnimaki (Pipe Woman) Star Crop Eared Wolf

A visionary artist and curator from the Kainai Nation, Ahkoiinnimaki (Pipe Woman) Star Crop Eared Wolf has carved an inspiring path in the world of Indigenous art and cultural preservation. With a deep commitment to the Niitsitapi heritage, her multidisciplinary work — including painting, sculpture and photography — explores environmental and cultural themes deeply rooted in Blackfoot traditions. Achieving her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Native American Art (Art History/Museum Studies) in 2017, Crop Eared Wolf’s work has appeared in prominent galleries across North America. Her leadership extends beyond the gallery walls, with community-based initiatives and workshops, including Traditional Blackfoot Plants workshops across Treaty 7 territory. Currently the curator at The Confluence (Fort Calgary), Crop Eared Wolf is transforming the interpretive exhibits, bringing Indigenous perspectives to the forefront. Her journey is a testament to the power of art and education in fostering cultural understanding and connection.

Desmond (Dez) Kamara

Desmond (Dez) Kamara

Desmond (Dez) Kamara has turned his personal experiences into a powerful force for social change. His dedication to excellence was evident at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in anthropology. Born in Sierra Leone, Kamara survived 12 years of civil war and post-conflict. Focused on supporting war victims, especially former child soldiers, Kamara produced a documentary to raise awareness of their experiences. His career spans nearly a decade working with the United Nations, the Special Court for Sierra Leone and various international non-governmental organizations (INGOs) in Sierra Leone, Canada and Jamaica. In 2023, Kamara returned to ULethbridge to launch his first book, reflecting his commitment to family values, education and his resilience to achieve his dreams. He recently completed a master’s in social work at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Windsor, specializing in mental health and community development (policy + practice). Kamara exemplifies the values and spirit of ULethbridge, making him an exceptional representative and alumnus whose work continues to inspire globally.

April Matisz

April Matisz

April Matisz continually proves to be an exceedingly talented and dedicated artist. Her research interests are varied, as she explores the creatures and complex processes that make up the natural world, as well as the natural processes that have created us and continue to shape our lives. Matisz has established herself as a significant voice in contemporary Canadian art, connecting her education in both art and biology to engage in issues of motherhood and ecology. Through her artwork, Matisz captivates viewers with attention to detail in her creative brushwork and intricate paper collages that combine to demonstrate captivating stories of migration, evolution and survival. Matisz’s recent solo exhibition at the Southern Alberta Art Gallery is evidence of her work making a larger impact across the province. She recently finished her MFA at Emily Carr ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Art and Design and is excited to begin teaching Drawing 1 at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge in Winter 2025. 

Dr. Philip McRae

Dr. Philip McRae

Dr. Philip McRae is an esteemed thought leader and highly coveted speaker, recognized internationally for his influence on the educational landscape. His keynote addresses and presentations at prestigious events worldwide have created spaces sharing insights and advancing dialogue on critical issues shaping the future of education. Dr. McRae’s commitment to research and fostering positive change knows no boundaries. His impactful work in secondary and post-secondary institutions transcends borders and includes teaching experiences in the Middle East, Europe, Asia and in Alberta, with the Lethbridge Public School District and at Red Crow College with the Blood Tribe. He currently holds a pivotal role in the provincial educational system, balancing positions as the executive staff officer and associate coordinator of government research at the Alberta Teachers’ Association and as an adjunct professor at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta, where he earned his PhD.

U of L community organizes fundraiser to help people in Puerto Rico

caroline.zentner — Tue, 31 Oct 2017 19:42:23 +0000

Growing up in Puerto Rico, Francisco Gomez Jimenez, a ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge doctoral student, knew the island as a tropical paradise. But the view through the plane window as his flight descended into the airport at San Juan on Sept. 30 was shocking.

“Puerto Rico was brown. There were no leaves on the trees. It looked like a completely different place from the one I last visited in June,” he says. “It’s always this lush, green island. Now it’s barren. It’s just devastated.”

Francisco Gomez Jimenez

Gomez Jimenez arrived 10 days after Hurricane Maria struck Puerto Rico. While he knew his family and friends had survived, he wasn’t prepared for the devastation on the ground. The main roads had been cleared of debris but almost all of the power lines were on the ground, a billboard had smashed into a house, signs were toppled over and debris from the storm was everywhere.

Most people in Puerto Rico are still without power more than a month after the hurricane. Water treatment plants are not working and people are turning to rivers and streams for water. Mosquitoes are thick and illnesses like leptospirosis are on the rise. People line up for eight to 12 hours at gas stations and wait for service at banks and the few stores that are open for business. Malls that are open are congested with people. Temperatures are above 30 C and there’s no electricity to run air conditioners. People living in more rural areas remain isolated as damaged roadways mean supplies can’t be delivered.

“A lot of people have lost everything, their families, their houses and their businesses,” says Gomez Jimenez. “We just want to help in any way we can. There’s a big humanitarian crisis in Puerto Rico.”

Dr. David Logue, a psychology professor who taught at the Universidad de Puerto Rico for a few years before coming to the U of L, had been thinking about doing a fundraiser. He, along with Karen Pinto-Larsen, a U of L student, contacted Gomez Jimenez about joining forces. They have been further reinforced by many other campus groups, including the Spanish Club, the African Caribbean Student Association, the Neuroscience Club, the International Students Association, the Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship, the Delta Eta Iota and Kappa Beta Gamma sororities and the Kappa Sigma fraternity. Thus, the Students United for Puerto Rico (SUPR) group was formed.

Madison Young, left, and Erika Roman, two students volunteering with the SUPR group, take donations at a table in the Students' Union building.

Donation tables will be set up this week in Markin Hall and the Students’ Union building from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Donations, however big or small, are most appreciated. Thanks to Lethbridge artist April Matisz, donors will receive greeting cards featuring Puerto Rico beach scenes. All proceeds will go to P.E.C.E.S., an organization that fosters social, economic and educational development of people and communities in social disadvantage in Puerto Rico.

“Despite everything Hurricane Maria took from us, we will rise up from this as a community,” says Gomez Jimenez. “I could also see determination in people’s faces. They’re still looking forward to the future, knowing things will get better. They still need all the help they can get and I hope this fundraiser will demonstrate that they’re not alone and that we’re thinking of them.”

Anyone wanting further information can contact david.logue@uleth.ca or karen.pintolarsen@uleth.ca.

Students earn juried awards

trevor.kenney — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 20:09:04 +0000

The U of L Gallery was alive with colour and artwork in a wide variety of media including video, textiles, wood, cardboard, photography, paint and found objects during the Annual Student Juried Exhibition.

This year's guest juror, Jen Budney, associate curator at the Mendel Art Gallery in Saskatoon, Sask., spent a week on campus selecting work in the exhibition. This involved spending numerous hours reviewing more than 100 submissions and visiting student studios.

Budney says she was impressed with the variety of media, subject matter and techniques the students were exploring. She also enjoyed having the opportunity to talk with students and see their work.

The exhibition provides students with the professional experience of having their work judged purely on its own merit by someone who knows nothing about them, according to
Dr. Josephine Mills, director/curator of the U of L Art Gallery.

Following is a list of the award winners from the Annual Student Juried Exhibition.

• Southern Alberta Art Gallery Award - Kazumi Marthiensen
• U of L Students' Union Award - Karen Davis
• David Lanier Memorial Award (Presented for photography and photo-based work, in memory of David Lanier, by his parents, Ike and Diana Lanier) - Andrea True Joy Fox
• Art Society Award - Valerie Stanzl
• Art History/Museum Studies Awards - Laura Brown and April Matisz
• Combined Faculty/ Staff Art Dept & Art Gallery Award - Jason Jessen
• U of L Art Gallery Award - April Matisz
• Art Gallery Poster Award - Yan Luo
• The Rahn-Campbell Digital Art Award - Brandon Wallis
The Friederike and Carl Granzow Award - Kari-Leigh Bettger
• Art Department Award - Yan Luo
• Faculty of Fine Arts Award - Amornthep Jaidee

Student art on display in gallery

trevor.kenney — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 14:55:03 +0000

The awards have been announced as the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge celebrates the Annual Student Juried Exhibition in the Art Gallery through Apr. 9.

Artwork in a wide variety of media including video, textiles, wood, cardboard, photography, paint and found objects are all on display. Guest juror Jen Budney, Associate Curator at the Mendel Art Gallery in Saskatoon, Sask., reviewed more than 100 submissions before passing out the awards.

Following is a list of the major winners:

Southern Alberta Art Gallery Award: Kazumi Marthiensen
U of L Students' Union Award: Karen Davis
David Lanier Memorial Award: Andrea True Joy Fox
(This award is presented for photography and photo-based work, in memory of David Lanier, by his parents, Ike and Diana Lanier)
Art Society Award: Valerie Stanzl
Art History/Museum Studies Awards: Laura Brown and April Matisz
Combined Faculty/ Staff Art Dept & Art Gallery Award: Jason Jessen
U of L Art Gallery Award: April Matisz
Art Gallery Poster Award: Yan Luo
The Rahn-Campbell Digital Art Award: Brandon Wallis
The Friederike and Carl Granzow Award: Kari-Leigh Bettger
Art Department Award: Yan Luo
Faculty of Fine Arts Award: Amornthep Jaidee

Budney says she was impressed with the variety of media, subject matter and techniques the students were exploring. She also enjoyed having the opportunity to talk with students and see their work.

The exhibition provides students with the professional experience of having their work judged purely on its own merit by someone who knows nothing about them, according to Josephine Mills, Director/Curator of the U of L Art Gallery.

"The students then have the opportunity to view their work in a professionally-curated exhibition," she says. "However, this particular exhibition is quite unconventional because of the variety of work."

The Juried Exhibition was open to any current U of L undergraduate students enrolled in one or more visual art classes. Work in all media created within the past year was eligible.

UNews - April Matisz

Newest Alumni Honour Society inductees creating positive change

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