#macewan university

[immawraffle]

I just attended an event inducting me as a new member of the Golden Key International Honour Society.

[wishiwaskidding]

Here is 500-ish words of something I've been working on. Hopefully it'll be done by the end of this month or else I will just. never finish.

Duncney high school one-shot.

Courtney skips school for the first time with a month left until her high school graduation. She’s never so much as taken a sick day, and here she is, missing school to wallow in her self-pity.

Three letters sit on her desk: one rejection and two waitlists. The music programs at Queens University and MacEwan aren’t sure if they want her, and the Victoria Conservatory doesn’t want her at all. She’s gotten into other programs at other schools, and the conservatory was a stretch, but she can’t help but feel her life is over.

Music is the only thing she wants to do, and she’s not good enough. She could try to change her major, but she’d have to audition, and then, inevitably, get rejected again. Her parents were right. Music school is a waste of her time; she’s not talented enough; she just needs a sensible undergrad that will help get her into law school. The thought makes her want to cry.

Her phone dings with another message. It’s almost three, and the last period just started. She’s gotten several worried messages asking where she is and if she’s okay, but she hasn’t answered any of them. This one will be no different.

She picks up her phone, and her stomach flips when she sees the name. It’s from her ex, and he might be the only one with whom she’d want to share this. He’s the only one who knew she was even considering music, and he’s who pushed her to try in the first place, not that he knows that.

Hey C, missed u today. If u wna tlk Im here. -D

It’s enough to get her out of bed. She slips on some shoes, grabs her keys, and starts seven-minute drive to his house. He has early release and should be home already. She knows she can’t hide forever, and Duncan’s always had the incredible talent of settling her – a feat no one else has ever accomplished.

Here’s the thing: they’ve known each other since the first grade and been best friends since the third. When he asked her out at the beginning of freshman year, it was a dream. They were each other’s first everything. Their breakup at the beginning of January was a blindside, but he did the work to maintain their friendship. It hurts all the time, but it’s better than nothing. Besides, it was probably for the best. They’re not heading in the same direction.

Never mind that she’s loved him for years and can’t imagine a future without him.

[abpoli]

A new elective class offered by St. Albert Public Schools aims to offer students perspectives on 2SLGBTQ issues.

This is the first course of its kind in Alberta's history, said Kristopher Wells, Canada Research Chair for the public understanding of sexual and gender minority youth and an associate professor at MacEwan University.

Continue reading

[yegarts]

“I Am YEG Arts” Series: Layla Folkmann

Layla Folkmann, photo provided by the artist.

Ever looked around a room full of talented peers and wondered if you had the secret sauce to stay in the game? If you ask Layla Folkmann, she’ll tell you there’s no secret to it at all—just stubbornness, consistency, and fortitude. Some days, that looks like slogging through the rough patches. Other days, it looks like international success. No matter what the day though, Folkmann is never without gratitude for her unshakable foundation—one built on encouragement and education, with no backup plan in sight.

Mural artist, painter, and public-art advocate, this week’s “I Am YEG Arts” story belongs to Layla Folkmann.

Tell us about your connection to Edmonton and how it’s influenced your path.

As a free-range child of artist parents, I have many fond memories of being immersed in the Edmonton arts scene. From running through gallery openings and eating an excess of cheese off unattended platters, to bouncing restlessly in theatre seats, these early experiences have undeniably influenced my life in both obvious and imperceptible ways.

Education and early encouragement are undeniably the foundation on which my art career rests. I attended Victoria Composite School and the Grant MacEwan Fine Arts program, which provided a solid technical vocabulary that I consistently apply to my work to this day. It’s all these elements that have allowed me to confidently throw myself into the professional realm with the knowledge that I could make it work as an artist.

What themes are you drawn to in your work?

Luminosity and vibrant harmonious colours are aesthetic themes that I work with in all aspects of my painting practice, whether abstracts, portraiture, or large-scale mural work. I'm constantly searching for exciting colour combinations in the world around me to translate into my painting.

Honest portraits of real people is another consistent theme that my artistic collaborator, Lacey Jane, and I explore in our public mural work (Lacey & Layla Art). We find portraiture to be a compelling tool to encourage human connectedness by representing authentic members of a community and, hopefully, strengthening local pride. We aim to celebrate each community's unique character and urban diversity and to highlight community members and the human experience. We also explore what we like to call “techno nature,” which is a combination of design-based graphic elements and natural scenes. These pieces are our exploration into our contemporary interpretation of the natural world.

How do large-scale murals and public art play to your strengths as a storyteller?

By the nature of their size and location, murals can be an impactful and compelling storytelling tool. They are accessible in public spaces and memorable with their imposing format. People have explored this format from prehistoric cave paintings and the Mexican revolution, to the graffiti in New York subway stations. The power of the format is undeniable, reaching everyday people in everyday places.

Art speaks a universal language, and what continues to excite me about public murals is that they remove both the real and perceived barriers of a gallery or museum space and release artwork into the public sphere.

Public art has an unparalleled ability to transform urban—and even rural—spaces into an open living gallery that is free and accessible to everyone. It redefines communal areas and creates new opportunities for engagement, curiosity, appreciation, and ownership for the beautification of often neglected or forgotten spaces.

Each story we tell is curated to the space and the community in which we create the artwork. Each new location provides an opportunity for a new narrative to touch on the core aspects of the neighbourhood and the people who exist within it.

Top: Colour Outside the Lines by LALA, photo provided. Bottom: Larger Than Life A Mr. Chi Pig mural by LALA, photo provided.

What’s the first thing you ever made that inspired your artistic path? Did you know then that you’d unlocked something?

It has always been clear to me that art is what I was going to do; there was just never any other option. The form in which my career took was a happy accident and had everything to do with timing and chance. When I envisioned a career in the visual arts as a youth, becoming a mural artist wasn’t even on the radar. One opportunity presented itself, which led to the next, and then I ended up here. Luckily for me, there has been an international boom for mural art and I got on board early enough and have been riding that wave for over 10 years now. It seems that there is a new appreciation on the part of funding agencies and municipalities for the inherent value that murals can bring to a community.

Tell us a little about LALA (Lacey & Layla Art) and what that collaboration has meant to you.

My artistic collaboration with Lacey Jane has been fundamental to my continued growth as an artist. We initially met while studying Fine Arts at Grant MacEwan University in 2009 and have nurtured our “artnership” ever since. It is surprising to everyone, including ourselves, that we’ve maintained such a close friendship after the hundreds of travel hours and months of 12+ working hours a day in the rain, snow, and +40C heat. Each project has its unique challenges and unforeseen obstacles, but humour continues to be our greatest coping tool. Our enthusiasm for art is what brought us together, and it’s what continues to fuel our creative partnership. Together we push each other to take on bigger and more ambitious creative challenges.

What’s one piece of advice someone gave you growing up that turned out to be true. What’s one piece that didn’t hold up?

A professor of mine once mentioned that stubbornness, consistency, and fortitude are the qualities it takes to become a successful professional artist—not raw talent or early success. I see this truth demonstrated consistently within my artistic peer group. The people who make it work just simply do it, and then they keep doing it. They slog through the rough patches, make the right connections, and see it out the other side.

“Have a backup plan” was advice that didn’t hold up for me, personally. Perhaps it seems reckless to bet all your chips on red, but fully committing gave me the determination and motivation to pursue my passion without deviation or distraction.

What does community mean to you, and where do you find it?

Community is quite simply who one surrounds themselves with. I believe in making active choices rather than passive choices about those who remain in my close sphere. I consider those who I surround myself with to be a defining aspect of who I become as a person. I aim to have a community that I admire, full of positive, enthusiastic, and hard-working people who challenge and encourage me to become more of that myself.

Portraits by Layla Folkmann, photos provided by the artist.

When you’re struggling to stay on task, what’s your favourite way to procrastinate?

Productive procrastination seems to be a method I'm particularly fond of. I tell myself I can concentrate better when I “clean out my corners,” but I have a suspicion that is just an advanced avoidance technique. I also collect hobbies, such as soapmaking, felting, fermenting, carpentry, etc. Any of these can take precedence at inopportune times.

Tell us a little about what you’re currently working on or hoping to explore next.

My most substantial and challenging venture to date has been designing and building my own tiny house on wheels. It has been an ongoing, character-building exercise in creative problem-solving and patience, but it has me hooked. I am thrilled with the range of new skills it has taught me and the obstacles I've overcome. I did a whole lot of things wrong the first time before I could eventually get them right.

New and exciting mural projects with LALA are always in the works, and the winter months are dedicated to planning the next mural tour. Summers in Canada seem to disappear pretty quickly, but the winter allows me to decompress, plan, and create some studio work.

Most of my artistic career has been about mastering realism and representational work, but over the last few years, I have been exploring abstract painting to take a break from portraiture and the faithful replication of photographs. My abstracts provide me with a much-needed refuge in the pleasures of simple colour, light, and composition.

What excites you most about the YEG arts scene right now?

After relocating to Montreal for nine years and then returning to Edmonton, I’ve viewed the strength and quality of the YEG arts scene through a new lens. What I used to view as small, I now can appreciate for its intimacy, strength, warmth, and tight-knit community. The YEG support that our mural work has received throughout the years has been quite touching, and I feel quite at home.

Want more YEG Arts Stories? We’ll be sharing them here all year and on social media using the hashtag #IamYegArts. Follow along! Click here to learn more about Layla Folkmann, Lacey & Layla Art, and more.

A Charm by LALA, photo provided.

About Layla Folkmann

Layla Folkmann is an Edmonton-born internationally recognized mural artist and painter. She studied Fine Art at Grant MacEwan University (2009), École d'Enseignement Supérieur d'Art de Bordeaux (2015), and graduated with distinction from Concordia University in Montreal (2016) with a major in painting. For over a decade, she has dedicated her practice to socially and culturally engaged public art as part of LALA (Lacey & Layla Art) while fostering a passion for portraiture, realism, and the representation of compelling characters. Layla has collaborated on hundreds of murals across Canada and internationally in places such as Iceland, France, and northern Uganda. Layla has travelled extensively, having backpacked through nearly 40 countries. Over the past decade, she has received numerous grants, notable public projects and awards such as the 2021 Edmonton Artist Trust Fund Award. Layla is currently designing and building her own self-sufficient tiny house and maintains a full-time studio practice in her home town.

[apwmagazine]

Yes, George Krissa Is Gay And Dating His Partner Bri Waters

Yes, George Krissa Is Gay And Dating His Partner Bri Waters

After the movie The Holiday Sitter, which covered LGBTQ, came out, people were curious whether the lead Actor George Krissa is Gay or not.  George Krissa is a Canadian Actor and Musician who studied voice at Grant MacEwan University in Canada.  People started noticing him after he was involved in a movie, Holiday Sitter, just released yesterday, December 11.  Krissa was involved in two movies…

[jobtendr]

(33) Academic and Staff Positions at MacEwan University in Canada

MacEwan University in Canada invites application for vacant (33) Academic and Staff Positions   MacEwan University in Canada invites application for vacant Academic and Staff Positions, MacEwan University is a public undergraduate university located in the downtown core of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. ACADEMIC Assistant or Associate Professor (with initial appointment as Research Chair in International Health)DEPARTMENT OF NURSING FOUNDATIONS, FACULTY OF NURSING Assistant Professor, Art HistoryFACULTY OF FINE ARTS AND COMMUNICATIONS Assistant Professor, Psychiatric Nursing ProgramsDEPARTMENT OF HUMAN HEALTH AND SCIENCE, FACULTY OF NURSING Assistant Professor, SpanishDEPARTMENT OF HUMANITIES, FACULTY OF ARTS AND SCIENCE Counsellor IWELLNESS AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES, STUDENT AFFAIRS Nurse EducatorsBACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN NURSING & PSYCHIATRIC NURSING PROGRAMS, FACULTY OF NURSING     Sessional Clinical InstructorsFACULTY OF NURSING Sessional InstructorDEPARTMENT OF COMPUTER SCIENCE, FACULTY OF ARTS AND SCIENCE Sessional InstructorDEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES AND EARLY LEARNING, FACULTY OF HEALTH AND COMMUNITY STUDIES Sessional Instructor, DesignFACULTY OF FINE ARTS AND COMMUNICATIONS Sessional Instructor, Gerontology & Hospice Palliative CarePROFESSIONAL HEALTH EDUCATION, SCHOOL OF CONTINUING EDUCATION Sessional Instructor, MathUNIVERSITY PREPARATION, SCHOOL OF CONTINUING EDUCATION Sessional Instructor, Travel and TourismINTERNATIONAL BUSINESS, MARKETING, STRATEGY, AND LAW, SCHOOL OF BUSINESS MANAGEMENT - Manager, Exam ServicesSTUDENT AFFAIRS     STAFF Accounting Tech II (10 Month Term)FINANCIAL SERVICES Accounting Tech II (15 Month Term)FINANCIAL SERVICES Administrative AssistantHUMAN RESOURCES Administrative AssistantEXAM SERVICES, STUDENT AFFAIRS Administrative Assistant IIIFACULTY OF NURSING Child Care Worker IICAMPUS SERVICES Communications SpecialistACADEMIC AFFAIRS Exam CoordinatorEXAM SERVICES, STUDENT AFFAIRS Executive Assistant to the ProvostOFFICE OF THE PROVOST AND VICE-PRESIDENT, ACADEMIC Faculty Governance AdministratorACADEMIC AFFAIRS     Front Desk AssociateKIHÊW WACISTON INDIGENOUS CENTRE Information and Registration AssistantSCHOOL OF CONTINUING EDUCATION IT Senior Security AnalystINFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SERVICES Learning and Development CoordinatorORGANIZATIONAL DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT, HUMAN RESOURCES Program AssistantSCHOOL OF CONTINUING EDUCATION Recreation ConsultantSPORTS AND WELLNESS Residence Life Coordinator (2 Positions)RESIDENCE LIFE Web Developer Systems AnalystINFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SERVICES INTERNAL Assistant Professor, Piano (Internal Only – Teaching and Service)DEPARTMENT OF MUSIC, FACULTY OF FINE ARTS AND COMMUNICATIONS Read the full article

[canadianjobbank]

Apply now: https://canadianjobbank.org/assistant-professor-university-2/

[jdbanks]

Valéry Goulet grew up in Québec, where she first fell in love with illustration. Dreaming up worlds as a child turned into academic ambition as an adult. She studied at Université Laval and earned a Masters in Interaction Design. In 2002, Valéry moved to Edmonton. Since her move to Alberta, she’s worked with global brands and agencies, and her illustrations have garnered attention far and wide. When she’s not illustrating, Valéry instructs for the Visual Communication Design Program at the University of Alberta. She also teaches in the Bachelor of Design program at MacEwan University. By inspiring others, she connects with the spirit of creativity that fueled her dreams as a child.

[siaimmigrationsolutionsinc]

How Sia Immigration Can Help You with Studying in Canada and Onshore Admissions

Canada is a popular destination for international students who want to pursue higher education. With world-renowned universities, a welcoming culture, and excellent job opportunities, Canada has become a top choice for students from around the world. However, navigating the complex process of studying in Canada can be daunting, especially when it comes to visa applications and onshore admissions.

This is where Sia Immigration comes in. Sia Immigration is a leading immigration consultant that specializes in helping students with their study visa applications and onshore admissions in Canada. In this blog post, we'll explore the benefits of using Sia Immigration for studying in Canada and onshore admissions.

1. Expert guidance

Sia Immigration has a team of experienced consultants who are well-versed in the Canadian immigration system. They can provide you with expert guidance on the study visa application process and help you understand the requirements and documents needed. Their knowledge and experience can save you time and money in the long run, as they can help you avoid common mistakes and delays.

2. Simplified process

Applying for a study visa can be a complex process, with many forms and documents to fill out. Sia Immigration can simplify this process for you by providing you with a clear step-by-step guide. They can also assist you in preparing your application and ensuring that all necessary documents are included. This can help increase your chances of success and reduce the risk of your application being rejected.

3. Onshore admissions

Sia Immigration can also help you with onshore admissions, which can be challenging for international students. Onshore admissions refer to the process of transferring from a college or university outside Canada to one within Canada. Sia Immigration can provide you with advice on the transfer process, including credit transfers and program requirements. They can also help you with the application process, ensuring that you meet all the necessary criteria.

Using Sia Immigration can help you make the most of your study experience in Canada. Their expert guidance, simplified process, and onshore admissions services can help you achieve your goals and make your transition to Canada as smooth as possible.

To learn more about how Sia Immigration can help you with studying in Canada and onshore admissions, visit their website at https://www.siaimmigration.com/canada-student-admissions-and-visa.

[jcmarchi]

Shape-shifting ultrasound stickers detect post-surgical complications - Technology Org

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/shape-shifting-ultrasound-stickers-detect-post-surgical-complications-technology-org/

Shape-shifting ultrasound stickers detect post-surgical complications - Technology Org

Researchers led by Northwestern University and Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have developed a new, first-of-its-kind sticker that enables clinicians to monitor the health of patients’ organs and deep tissues with a simple ultrasound device.

Three variations of the soft, flexible ultrasound sticker device displayed on a finger. Image credit: Jiaqi Liu

When attached to an organ, the soft, tiny sticker changes in shape in response to the body’s changing pH levels, which can serve as an early warning sign for post-surgery complications such as anastomotic leaks. Clinicians can then view these shape changes in real-time through ultrasound imaging.

Currently, no existing methods can reliably and non-invasively detect anastomotic leaks — a life-threatening condition that occurs when gastrointestinal fluids escape the digestive system. By revealing the leakage of these fluids with high sensitivity and high specificity, the non-invasive sticker can enable earlier interventions than previously possible. Then, when the patient has fully recovered, the biocompatible, bioresorbable sticker simply dissolves away — bypassing the need for surgical extraction.

The study will be published March 8 in the journal Science. The paper outlines evaluations across small and large animal models to validate three different types of stickers made of hydrogel materials tailored for the ability to detect anastomotic leaks from the stomach, the small intestine and the pancreas.

“These leaks can arise from subtle perforations in the tissue, often as imperceptible gaps between two sides of a surgical incision,” said Northwestern’s John A. Rogers, who led device development with postdoctoral fellow Jiaqi Liu. “These types of defects cannot be seen directly with ultrasound imaging tools. They also escape detection by even the most sophisticated CT and MRI scans. We developed an engineering approach and a set of advanced materials to address this unmet need in patient monitoring. The technology has the potential to eliminate risks, reduce costs and expand accessibility to rapid, non-invasive assessments for improved patient outcomes.”

“Right now, there is no good way whatsoever to detect these kinds of leaks,” said gastrointestinal surgeon Dr. Chet Hammill, who led the clinical evaluation and animal model studies at Washington University with collaborator Dr. Matthew MacEwan, an assistant professor of neurosurgery. “The majority of operations in the abdomen — when you have to remove something and sew it back together — carry a risk of leaking. We can’t fully prevent those complications, but maybe we can catch them earlier to minimize harm. Even if we could detect a leak 24- or 48-hours earlier, we could catch complications before the patient becomes really sick. This new technology has potential to completely change the way we monitor patients after surgery.”

A bioelectronics pioneer, Rogers is the Louis Simpson and Kimberly Querrey Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, Biomedical Engineering and Neurological Surgery, with appointments at the McCormick School of Engineering and Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. He also directs the Querrey Simpson Institute for Bioelectronics. At the time of the research, Hammill was an associate professor of surgery at Washington University. Rogers, Hammill and MacEwan co-led the research with Heling Wang, an associate professor at Tsinghua University in Beijing.

The importance of being early

All gastrointestinal surgeries carry the risk of anastomotic leaks. If the leak is not detected early enough, the patient has a 30% chance of spending up to six months in the hospital and a 20% chance of dying, according to Hammill. For patients recovering from pancreatic surgery, the risks are even higher. Hammill says a staggering 40-60% of patients suffer complications after pancreas-related surgeries.

The biggest problem is there’s no way to predict who will develop such complications. And, by the time the patient is experiencing symptoms, they already are incredibly ill.

“Patients might have some vague symptoms associated with the leak,” Hammill said. “But they have just gone through big surgery, so it’s hard to know if the symptoms are abnormal. If we can catch it early, then we can drain the fluid. If we catch it later, the patient can get sepsis and end up in the ICU. For patients with pancreatic cancer, they might only have six months to live as it is. Now, they are spending half that time in the hospital.”

In search of improved outcomes for his patients, Hammill contacted Rogers, whose laboratory specializes in developing engineering solutions to address health challenges. Rogers’ team had already developed a suite of bioresorbable electronic devices to serve as temporary implants, including dissolving pacemakers, nerve stimulators and implantable painkillers.

The bioresorbable systems piqued Hammill’s interest. The greatest odds of developing an anastomotic leak occur either three days or two weeks after surgery.

“We like to monitor patients for complications for about 30 days,” Hammill said. “Having a device that lasts a month and then disappears sounded ideal.”

Enhancing ultrasound

Instead of developing new imaging systems, Rogers speculated that his team might be able to enhance current imaging methods — allowing them to “see” features that otherwise would be invisible. Ultrasound technology already has many advantages: it’s inexpensive, readily available, does not require cumbersome equipment and does not expose patients to radiation or other risks.

But, of course, there is a major drawback. Ultrasound technology — which uses sound waves to determine the position, shape and structure of organs — cannot reliably differentiate between various bodily fluids. Blood and gastric fluid, for example, appear the same.

“The acoustic properties of the leaking fluids are very similar to those of naturally occurring biofluids and surrounding tissues,” Rogers said. “The clinical need, however, demands chemical specificity, beyond the scope of fundamental mechanisms that create contrast in ultrasound images.”

Ultimately, Rogers’ team devised an approach to overcome this limitation by using tiny sensor devices designed to be readable by ultrasound imaging. Specifically, they created a small, tissue-adhesive sticker out of a flexible, chemically responsive, soft hydrogel material. Then, they embedded tiny, paper-thin metal disks into the thin layers of this hydrogel. When the sticker encounters leaked fluids, it swells.

Making the invisible visible

The metal disks move apart as the hydrogel swells in response to changing pH. The ultrasound can then view these subtle changes in placement.

Watch the device expand in response to pH

“Because the acoustic properties of the metal disks are much different than those of the surrounding tissue, they provide very strong contrast in ultrasound images,” Rogers said. “In this way, we can essentially ‘tag’ an organ for monitoring.” 

Because the need for monitoring extends only during a postsurgical recovery, Rogers team designed these stickers with bioresorbable materials. They simply disappear naturally and harmlessly in the body after they are no longer needed.

Computational collaborator Yonggang Huang, the Jan and Marcia Achenbach Professorship in Mechanical Engineering and professor of civil and environmental engineering at McCormick, used acoustic and mechanical simulation techniques to help guide optimized choices in materials and device layouts to ensure high visibility in ultrasound images, even for stickers located at deep positions within the body.

“CT and MRI scans just take a picture,” Hammill added. “The fluid might show up in a CT image, but there’s always fluid collections after surgery. We don’t know if it’s actually a leak or normal abdominal fluid. The information that we get from the new patch is much, much more valuable. If we can see that the pH is altered, then we know that something isn’t right.”

Rogers team constructed stickers of varying sizes. The largest measures 12 millimeters in diameter, while the smallest is just 4 millimeters in diameter. Considering that the metal disks are each 1 millimeter or smaller, Rogers realized that it might be difficult for radiologists to assess the images manually. To overcome this challenge, his team also developed software that can automatically analyze the images to detect with high accuracy any relative movement of the disks.

Improving quality of life

To evaluate the efficacy of the new sticker, Hammill’s team tested it in both small and large animal models. In the studies, ultrasound imaging consistently detected changes in the shape-shifting sticker — even when it was 10 centimeters deep inside of tissues. When exposed to fluids with abnormally high or low pH levels, the sticker altered its shape within minutes.

Rogers and Hammill imagine that the device could be implanted at the end of a surgical procedure. Or, because it’s small and flexible, the device also fits (rolled up) inside a syringe, which clinicians can use to inject the tag into the body.

“These tags are so small and thin and soft that surgeons can easily place collections of them at different locations,” Rogers said. “For example, if an incision extends by a few centimeters in length, an array of these tags can be placed along the length of the site to develop a map of pH for precisely locating the position of the leak.”

“It’s obviously an early prototype, but I can envision the final product where, at the end of surgery, you just place these little patches for monitoring,” Hammill said. “It does its job and then completely disappears. This could greatly impact patients, their recovery time and, ultimately, their quality of life.”

Next, Rogers and his team are exploring similar tags that could detect internal bleeding or temperature changes. “Detecting changes in pH is a good starting point,” Rogers said. “But this platform can extend to other types of applications by use of hydrogels that respond to other changes in local chemistry, or to temperature or other properties of clinical relevance.”

Source: Northwestern University

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[yycrealestate]

CALGARY COMMUNITIES & TOWNS

Explore a Diverse Range of Homes for Sale in Calgary and Surrounding Areas Discover the vibrant real estate landscape in Calgary by exploring the unique neighborhoods that shape this incredible city. Calgary is divided into eight distinct districts, each offering a variety of homes for sale. Whether you're interested in the charm of mature neighborhoods, the appeal of new infill construction, or the comfort of suburban living, Calgary has something for everyone.

The eight districts include:

- Northwest Calgary - North Calgary - City Centre - West Calgary - South Calgary - Southeast Calgary - East Calgary - Northeast Calgary

Northwest Calgary Each district boasts numerous communities with homes available in different styles and price ranges. For those who prefer a quieter lifestyle, consider exploring the bedroom communities of Cochrane or Airdrie.Northwest Calgary, in particular, stands out with a mix of older and newer homes, many offering breathtaking mountain and ravine views. This area features a diverse real estate market, including mature neighborhoods, new infill constructions, and newly developed subdivisions. Additionally, Northwest Calgary is home to prominent institutions such as SAIT, the University of Calgary, Foothills Hospital, and the Alberta Children's Hospital.

Key neighborhoods in Northwest Calgary include:

- Arbour Lake - Bowness - Brentwood - Charleswood - Citadel - Collingwood - Dalhousie - Edgemont - Greenbriar/Greenwood - Hamptons - Hawkwood - Haskayne/Rockland Park - Montgomery - Ranchlands - Rockland Park - Rocky Ridge - Royal Oak - Scenic Acres - Silver Springs - Tuscany - University Heights - University District - Varsity North Calgary Situated to the North and East of Calgary's expansive urban reserve, Nosehill Park, North Calgary is a diverse region offering a mix of older and newer communities. From established neighborhoods like Huntington Hills, Sandstone, and MacEwan to contemporary areas like Panorama, Kincora, and Evanston, North Calgary has a variety of housing options.This scenic area is characterized by rolling hills, ravines, and wetland parks, creating a picturesque backdrop for residents. Housing options in North Calgary are equally diverse, ranging from classic older bungalows and townhomes to modern condominiums and suburban homes.

Key neighborhoods in North Calgary include:

- Ambleton - Beddington - Carrington - Country Hills - Country Hills Village - Coventry Hills - Evanston - Glacier Ridge - Harvest Hills - Hidden Valley - Huntington Hills - Lewisburg - Kincora - Livingston - MacEwan Glen - Nolan Hill - North Haven - North Haven Upper - Panorama Hills - Sage Hill - Sandstone - Sherwood - Thorncliffe Calgary City Centre Calgary City Centre is not just about the downtown core, which includes vibrant communities like Eau Claire, The Beltline, and East Village, but it also encompasses lively neighborhoods such as Inglewood, Bridgeland, Marda Loop, and Kensington. This district is perfect for those seeking convenient access to boutiques, shopping, entertainment venues, and, of course, downtown businesses.Housing options in these areas are diverse, ranging from sleek high-rise condos and townhomes to newly constructed infills and luxurious estate homes. The district is home to some of Calgary's most sought-after real estate in Mount Royal, Elbow Park, Roxboro, and Britannia.

Key neighborhoods in City Centre Calgary include:

- Altadore - Banff Trail - Bankview - Bel-Aire - Beltline - Briar Hill - Bridgeland - Britannia - Cambrian Heights - Capitol Hill - Chinatown - Cliff Bungalow - Crescent Heights - Downtown Core - Downtown East Village - Downtown West End - Eau Claire - Elbow Park - Elboya - Erlton - Garrison Woods - Greenview - Highland Park - Highwood - Hillhurst - Hounsfield Heights - Inglewood - Killarney/Glengarry - Lower Mount Royal - Manchester - Mayfair - Meadowlark Park - Mission - Mount Pleasant - Mountain View - Parkdale - Parkhill - Point McKay - Ramsay - Renfrew - Richmond - Rideau Park - Riverside - Rosedale - Rosemont - Roxboro - Scarboro - Scarboro/Sunalta-West - Shaganappi - St. Andrews Heights - South Calgary - Sunalta - Sunnyside - Tuxedo - Upper Mount Royal - West Hillhurst - Windsor Park - Winston Heights West Calgary Commonly referred to as Westhills, West Calgary lies to the north of the Glenmore Reservoir and south of the Trans Canada Highway. With excellent access to downtown via the newly constructed West LRT line, this area offers a diverse range of housing options. From classic older bungalows and condos to contemporary infills and luxurious estate homes, West Calgary provides a variety of living choices, some boasting stunning downtown views.

Key neighborhoods in West Calgary include:

- Aspen Woods - Currie Barracks - Christie Park - Coach Hill - Cougar Ridge - Crestmont - Discovery Ridge - Garrison Green - Glamorgan - Glenbrook - Glendale - Lakeview - Lincoln Park - North Glenmore Park - Patterson - Rosscarrock - Rutland Park - Signal Hill - Springbank Hill - Spruce Cliff - Strathcona Park - Trinity Hills - Valley Ridge - West Springs - Westgate - Wildwood South Calgary South Calgary is a region that caters to a wide range of housing needs, offering a plethora of options to suit different preferences. The area includes both established, well-treed communities and newer developments like Silverado, Lake Chaparral, and Bridlewood. One of the highlights is Fish Creek Park, weaving through the South, providing year-round recreational opportunities for residents.

Key neighborhoods in South Calgary include:

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- Albert Park - Applewood Park - Dover - Eastfield - Erin Woods - Forest Heights - Forest Lawn - Penbrooke Meadows - Radisson Heights - Red Carpet - Southview Towns Surrounding Calgary For those seeking a harmonious blend of proximity to the city and a more expansive living environment, the surrounding towns around Calgary offer an attractive option. Each town brings its own unique charm, providing homebuyers with a chance to enjoy the convenience of city life while immersing themselves in a more open and spacious setting.Explore the allure of:- Airdrie - Bearspaw - Bragg Creek - Cochrane - Chestermere - High River - Okotoks - SpringbankThese towns surrounding Calgary present an opportunity for residents to strike a balance between urban amenities and the tranquility of wide-open spaces. Read the full article

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"I am YEG Arts" Series: Jeff Collins

Jeff Collins at Collins Studio Gallery. Photo provided by the artist.

For Jeff Collins, the key to having a successful career as an artist is showing up every day. His consistency and commitment have defined his long career. “The inspiration shows up when you’re at work,” are words he lives by.  At the end of his studies, advice he received from his Red Deer College painting instructor, Joseph Reeder, to “forget everything he’d been taught,” inspired him to lock himself away in his studio for six months and shut out all distractions. During that pivotal time nearly 30 years ago, his practice in landscape painting took form, and he’s maintained a studio in Edmonton ever since. In 2019, he took a big leap with the opening of Collins Studio Gallery, which serves as his working studio, a classroom where he teaches oil painting, and a gallery that welcomes community and is an exhibition space for emerging artists and curators to show their work.

This week on the YEG Arts blog, we catch up with Jeff Collins.  

Tell us about your connection to Edmonton and what keeps you living and working here.  

I was born in Edmonton and studied through high school here. I moved away for about ten years and during that time, I lived in Jasper. In Jasper, I had my first apartment and when I wanted to put art up on the walls, everything I saw was just cliché posters, and so I thought “I can do better than this, look at all the scenery around Jasper.” My mother was a painter, so it was always part of my life although I didn’t pursue it much until then. With some encouragement from those who saw my early work, I decided to study art and design at Red Deer College [now known as Red Deer Polytechnic] and the University of Alberta. I then went on to Grant MacEwan Community College [now MacEwan University] to study arts administration. 

After returning to Edmonton, it was really the first time I was part of the arts community here and it was just so supportive and amazing. Some of the highlights for me at that time (the early nineties) was the Works Art & Design Festival. They were so, so instrumental in creating community and making Edmonton a supportive place for artists. Latitude 53 was an influential gallery for me, also Arts Habitat Edmonton, and of course the amazing river valley and the fabulous people here. I’ve been here ever since working away as an artist and really being part of the community.    

By Jeff Collins (left to right clockwise): Turtle in the Woods 001, acrylic on paper; Heartland, acrylic on canvas; and King of the North, acrylic on canvas. Photo provided by the artist.

What’s one of the biggest professional risks you’ve taken, and how did it influence where you are today?

As an artist, you take risks every single day and you’re putting yourself out there, and if you’re true to your craft, you’re really pulling deep inside of you to pull that out and to put it out there, where other people can see it. That’s always so risky. It’s kind of like every day as an artist is a risk. I worked at the Alberta Craft Council for many years and when I decided to quit and work full-time in my studio, that was a pretty huge risk financially. I am very happy that I did that, though it’s always been a gig-to-gig kind of thing since, and I worked out of my studio between contract positions. It’s been four years — I can’t believe it — since I opened Collins Studio Gallery! I signed a lease, and I trusted that if this is meant to be, it was going to happen. So, leaving my full-time job and signing the lease on where I am now and opening a gallery — where I also teach classes and have my studio — were all big risks! Sometimes I think “well I don’t take any risks,” but other times I think, “well, I guess everything I do is kind of risky,” depending on how you look at it. 

What does community mean to you, and where do you find it?

One thing I enjoy about Edmonton is that the art community is so supportive, diverse, and I find it’s non-competitive. When I think of community, what I really think of is everyone really supporting each other and looking after each other and knowing that you can rely on that community when you’re having hard times. I find that so rich in Edmonton. There are great things about other cities for sure, but I feel there’s a little more competition elsewhere. I find Edmonton is a lot more collaborative, even in between disciplines, for instance musicians and dancers will team up with painters to put on a show, and that’s really cool! 

I’ve met some great people. Will Truchon and Vince Gasparri, whom I’ve known since Red Deer College days, and I have decided to pool our resources and talents to bring some exciting visual art and collaborative events, including experimental electronic music to the gallery [Collins Studio Gallery]. The idea is to stimulate an even more collaborative and dynamic art community in Edmonton where people are allowed to take risks creatively and have it shown before the public.

This is what I want my gallery to be, a community gallery where I can facilitate things that aren’t necessarily shown in other places and if I can allow that to happen, I mean I’ve got the space and if you’ve got an idea, come to me and let’s see how we can make it happen. 

sKiN performs live in front of collaborative paintings from Stop, Drop, and Paint at Collins Studio Gallery. sKiN features Jason Dublanko on lead guitar and vocals, Tim Rechner on drums, and Mike Garth on saxophone. Photo provided by the artist.

Tell us about how collaborating has changed the direction of your work. 

One of the music events at my gallery, we call “Shapes and ‘Scapes,” is where we team up musicians with painters to do an experimental electronic improv music and painting set. Usually, it’s a 20-minute set and it’s been a lot of fun. I’ve become a lot more experimental in my work and one reason is that I was involved in a “Shapes and ‘Scapes.”  I completed a painting in the time frame whereas it usually takes me a month or so to make a landscape painting. I really wanted to see what I could do and really push myself to experiment, and I came up with something that I thought was interesting, and from there I’ve really pushed my painting. Another reason that my work is in the experimental stage is that during Covid, like many of us, there was some personal tragedy in my family, and because of that I decided to take a year off, a kind of sabbatical away from painting. It’s been almost a year now since I’ve come back to it.  

What qualities overlap in being an artist, teacher, and gallery owner? How have you grown most in each role?

They overlap in that they all involve getting over fears, that’s for sure. With painting, looking deep inside of yourself and bringing that forward, that’s kind of a fearful act to do, to be really honest with yourself and bring something out that other people can see. When I first started out teaching, I was really fearful, I wanted my students to like me and didn’t want to waste their time. But then, I realized that with that fear, I was thinking of myself! I was able to turn it around and focus on each student. And as a gallery owner, again I keep on thinking, what can I give to people? Not, “oh I hope they like my gallery when they come in,” it’s like what can I give to them because they’ve come in here and maybe they want to learn something about art or maybe they’ve never been in an art gallery, and I try to make my space really kind of a community gallery.  How I’ve grown in each role is just an evolution. 

Earlier landscape paintings in oil by Jeff Collins (left to right): Islet Lake; Tamarack in Jasper; Lake Isle. Photo provided by the artist.

Tell us about what you’re currently working on or hoping to explore next.

For the nearly 30 years that I’ve been painting, I’ve been painting pretty traditional, great Canadian landscapes. For a while now I’ve wanted to push that in a new direction and with the “Shapes and ‘Scapes,” where I had 20 minutes in front of people to actually do it, I just got out of my way and made it happen. It took a long time for that 20 minutes to actually happen. I’m now exploring symbols that have meaning to me, and they may be symbols that other people use or have picked up on but they’re all symbols from my life that I’ve experienced. There’s also a spiritual aspect to my work. At one time it was all about me being present in this time, in this world, in this physical realm, so it was very important to me to paint actual places and get inspiration on location and take that back into the studio. Now it’s more like ok, that’s my physical body or physical being speaking to my spiritual being and now I feel like exploring symbols and what they mean to me and now it’s the other way around and my spiritual being is reacting to the physical world around me.

Recent abstracts (acrylic, oil, collage and gel transfer) and a winter landscape in oil by Jeff Collins. Photo provided by the artist.

What excites you most about the YEG arts scene right now?  

After two years of not going out and seeing hardly anything, it all really excites me. I did a music show in my gallery last month where it was sold out, there were about 35 people in here — it’s a small gallery! The collaborative work that’s going on between different disciplines excites me, the festivals coming back and gaining traction, I love that. I’m really excited about what’s going on in the Alberta Avenue district, and Arts on the Ave is spearheading all of those things. The Kaleido Family Arts Festival and Deep Freeze: A Byzantine Winter Festival, for me, they are my favourite festivals in Edmonton because they’re so eclectic and you get to see it all in such a short period of time, it is a lot of fun. I’m really excited to see where things are going to go next, as well. I’ll quote the Tragically Hip, “bring on a brand-new renaissance.” It’s what I feel we’re going into here, a rebirth. 

Want more YEG Arts Stories? We’ll be sharing them here and on social media using the hashtag #IamYegArts. Follow along! Click here to learn more about Jeff Collins and Collins Studio Gallery.   

About Jeff Collins

Jeff Collins is an artist living in Edmonton, with nearly 30 years of studio practice. His formal studies were at Red Deer College (now known as Red Deer Polytechnic) and the University of Alberta. Jeff has received many awards and recognition for his artwork, notably the Telus Courage to Innovate in the Arts Award. In 2013/14 he served as the City of Edmonton’s inaugural Artist in Residence. His paintings have sold nationally and internationally. As an art educator and facilitator, he strives to connect people to art and creativity, encouraging skill-building, laughter and personal growth.    

While he’s made a name for himself painting landscapes in oil for most of his career as an artist, he also loves to paint still-lifes, figures and almost anything else he sees and encounters in the natural world. Jeff is also fascinated with abstraction and using the properties of paint with the formal elements of painting and drawing to express emotions and captivate viewers. 

In 2019, Jeff opened Collins Studio Gallery in the area of Alberta Avenue in Edmonton. It serves as his working studio, classroom where he teaches beginner and advanced oil painting, and exhibition space where emerging artists and curators are given an opportunity to show their work in front of a public audience.