NOUVEAU Art collective

EST. 2023

ABOUT US

A New Era of Art in Alberta

Welcome to Nouveau Art Collective, your digital gateway to Alberta's art scene. Our online gallery is a welcoming space where a multitude of voices, perspectives, and styles converge to redefine the contemporary art experience.

OUR MISSION

In a world full of diverse perspectives, Nouveau Art Collective is committed to representing the range of Alberta's artistic talent. Our goal is to create an inclusive platform where emerging artists from all backgrounds can showcase their work. We believe in the power of art to connect, challenge, and inspire. We are dedicated to making art accessible to a global audience.

ABOUT oUR COLLABORATORS

ARTISTS

Our featured artists have provided a headshot, bio, and some of their artwork for us to showcase. These artists are united by a common belief: art has the power to make a significant impact.

The Alberta Arts Alliance (AAA)

The AAA emerged in the heart of Alberta's cultural landscape to support and promote the arts. Established in 2018, this non-profit organization was the brainchild of a group of passionate art advocates and local artists who recognized the need to nurture Alberta's artistic talent through funding, mentorships, and events. Susan Nguyen, the Art curator at the AAA, wrote the descriptions for the artworks submitted by our featured artists.

BENJAMIN

MORRID

(He/Him)

At 25 years old, Benjamin Morrid is an emerging artist whose work serves as a conceptual exploration of our innermost feelings. Benjamin employs a distinctive blend of tools in his process, this unique approach sets his work apart and adds a tangible depth to each piece. His passion for mental health is deeply personal, as evidenced by his participation in the 2023 Mental Health Awareness Week showcase. This event marked a significant milestone in his career, spotlighting his work and underscoring his commitment to advocacy through art. Through his art, he seeks to destigmatize these topics, offering viewers a bridge to greater understanding and empathy. Each canvas becomes a narrative, inviting the audience to engage in a dialogue far beyond the visual experience.

Learn more: www.Benjimor.com

Medium: Acrylic on canvas - brushes and razorblades

Inspirations: Jose Clemente Orozco

“MATTER OVER MIND” (2023)

This abstract composition is a dynamic interplay of forceful gestural strokes and controlled chaos. Dominated by a stark contrast between black and white, the painting features bursts of sharp lines that radiate from a central nexus, where a dense, dark mass anchors the piece. Hints of red add a focal point of color, suggesting intensity and perhaps violent disruption within the otherwise monochromatic scheme.

The artwork's energy is palpable. The lines seem to move outward in an explosive dispersion, creating a sense of movement and unrest. The use of light and value adds depth, enhancing the composition's dramatic tension.

The thickness of the paint and the vigor of the brushwork contribute to a sense of the artwork's physicality. The piece is an embodiment of contrast—not just visually, but thematically. It could represent the conflict between order and disorder.

In design terms, the painting leans heavily on contrast for its effect, utilizing both color and the distribution of elements to create a focal point and direct the viewer's gaze. There's a balance achieved through asymmetry, as the eye is drawn to the interplay between the heavy blacks and the penetrating whites. The artwork might be seen as a visual representation of a moment in time, capturing an eruption of energy, emotion, or even an idea breaking through the surface of consciousness

“I SEE YOU” (2023)

The painting presents a captivating interplay of light and dark, where stark contrasts emphasize emotional intensity. Red, often associated with passion or urgency, dominates the canvas, creating an almost visceral response within the viewer. The dripping effect, suggests a sense of movement or bleeding—the physicality of pain. The circular forms, command attention as the focal point. They resemble eyes, imbuing the composition with a sense of being watched, adding a layer of psychological depth.

Texture plays an important role in this artwork; the thick, impasto strokes lend a tactile quality. The vertical drips create a textural contrast against the horizontal brushwork in the background, providing a sense of depth.

The visual weight is heavier on the right evoking unease and tension. This compositional choice, along with the abstract nature of the forms, can evoke in the viewer a contemplation of inner turmoil—where the raw, unrefined texture and the stark color contrasts may symbolize the complex and often messy nature of our private lives.

ImaanI

Adu

(She/Her)

Imaani Adu is a 29 year old visionary painter whose art is deeply rooted in her African heritage. Her contemporary style is characterized by a unique blend of tradition and modernity. She skillfully weaves emotions into the fabric of her paintings, making each piece a vivid narrative of the subject's life experiences. Each painting is a rich tapestry of resilience, joy, and pain. Her work is a celebration of cultural identity and personal journey. Known for her dynamic brushstrokes, Imaani's technique brings her subjects to life. Imaani’s unique approach makes her a standout voice, inspiring a new generation of artists to explore their identities and histories through their art.

Learn more: Check her Instagram out here!

Medium: Oil on canvas

Inspirations: Toyin Ojih Odutola

“ECHOeS” (2022)

The artwork presents a striking interplay of pattern and realism, creating a visual narrative that is both bold and introspective. The subject, a young man deep in thought, is rendered with a naturalistic approach, contrasting sharply with the abstract, swirling patterns that envelop him.

The use of line is particularly noteworthy; the swirling patterns in the background and the striped garment of the figure create a rhythmic motion, guiding the viewer's eye throughout the composition. The movement could be seen as a visual metaphor for the subject's internal thought process, complex and continuous. The figure's pose, with a hand to the head, suggests contemplation or worry. The downward gaze avoids direct engagement with the viewer, adding to the sense of an intimate, private moment.

In terms of design principles, there is a balance between the detailed rendering of the figure and the decorative background. The unity of the artwork is maintained through the consistent stylistic approach and color scheme. The artwork speaks to the complexity of human emotion and thought, encapsulated in a moment of quiet reflection amidst the chaos of surrounding patterns

Ethan Martinez

(He/Him)

Ethan Martinez is an emerging contemporary artist in his late 20's. His philosophy revolves around the concept of art as a conversation. Each of his canvases is a dialogue in color, form, and emotion, engaging the viewer in a multisensory experience. He believes in the power of abstract art to communicate complex emotions and ideas that words cannot capture. Ethan's canvases are a symphony of bold colors and forms, each stroke and hue carefully chosen to evoke specific feelings and thoughts. His technique is characterized by a fluidity that allows for spontaneous expression while maintaining a deliberate composition.The result is artwork that is both strikingly immediate and deeply layered, offering new insights with each viewing. His work invites us to engage, to feel, and to converse in the universal language of abstract art.

Learn more: Purchase prints on Etsy here!

Medium: Acrylic, pastels, Adobe Illustrator

Inspirations: Wes Lang, Cy Twombly

“sound of music” (2022)

The artwork presents a vibrant interplay of visual elements evoking a sense of dynamics. Central to the composition is a speaker from which an eruption reminiscent of a volcanic explosion emerges. This central motif suggests a powerful release of energy, likely symbolic of the impact of sound or music. The explosive form is rendered in fiery reds and oranges, colors traditionally associated with passion, power, and urgency, reinforcing the intensity of the subject.

Surrounding this eruption are various lines and marks, possibly symbolizing the reverberation of sound waves through space. These gestural lines in black and red add to the overall feeling of vibrancy and movement.

The sketches and doodles that seem to float around the central image, give a glimpse into a stream of consciousness or creative process. They provide a stark contrast to the ordered and mechanical nature of the speaker.

The artwork speaks to the theme of creation and impact, suggesting how music or sound can metaphorically 'move mountains' by its sheer force and the emotions it generates. The use of color, line, and juxtaposition of elements serves to create a symbolic representation of the power of auditory experience.

The house itself is outlined with bold, assertive lines, suggesting a certain stability and permanence that is being challenged by the fire. The fire's position atop the house could indicate that the threat or change it represents is “all-encompassing.”

Amidst this scene of chaos, there are figures visible within the fiery outline, which could represent the human element affected by such an event. Their presence introduces a narrative aspect to the artwork, inviting viewers to consider the personal and emotional dimensions of the depicted scene.

Surrounding the central image of the house and fire are various abstract marks and writings, which could be interpreted as the chaotic thoughts or events that lead up to or follow such a catastrophe. They might also symbolize the myriad external forces that impinge upon the sanctity of 'home.'

The green strokes at the base of the painting provide a grounding effect, perhaps symbolizing the earth or a foundation that remains despite the turmoil above. This could suggest a message of resilience or the potential for renewal following destruction.

“SAFE HOUSE” (2021)

“tribute” (2021)

A prominent monument stands at the center, evocative of a headstone or memorial, suggesting themes of remembrance or commemoration. The solitary figure atop the monument could symbolize guardianship over the memories or legacies represented by the inscriptions below.

Around this central structure, the landscape is streaked with vibrant greens and yellows, contrasting with the somber tones typically associated with graveyards. This use of color could represent life persisting amidst death, or the vibrancy of the memories held within this space. The presence of various figures and scribbles throughout the scene imbues it with a sense of activity and perhaps the echoes of lives once lived.

The use of informal, almost scribbled writing gives a sense of immediacy and personal touch, as if the viewer is reading notes left by visitors or the thoughts of the artist.

In the upper right corner, a bright orb contrasts starkly with the dark tones of the painting, which may represent the moon or sun. This celestial body could symbolize the cyclical nature of life and death, the passage of time, or a watchful eye overseeing the scene.

HOW WE DID IT

ALL of THE images....

USES

Method #1

Method #2

original prompts

+ many variations later

+ many variations later

+ many variations later

USES

ALL of THE TEXT....

DID WE FOOL YOU?