Alberta Culture Days is a three day event that celebrates arts and culture within the province, and across the country. This year, Alberta Printmakers got involved by hosting a workshop in partnership with the City of Calgary on Sept. 27.
Gathering along Stephen Avenue, participants used printmaking techniques and the guidance of experts to press a manhole cover design onto a t-shirt or tote bag.
Tracy Wormsbecker is the executive director of Alberta Printmakers, a local not-for-profit gallery and fully functioning studio. She supports many art forms — both contemporary digital art, as well as the more traditional techniques.
Her work also gives creatives a platform.
“We support artists in the community as well as the community at large,” Wormsbecker said.
When it comes to the community, this event was a way to expose the public to something new.
Michelle Wiebe saw this first hand.
Wiebe is an artist who specializes in printmaking. She believes the event was a great way to draw attention to an unknown art form.
“Printmaking is one of those art forms that people don’t necessarily understand, so this is a really neat chance to engage the public in a way that maybe they’re not expecting,” she said.
“And getting ink on your hands is really fun.”