March Gallery

March Gallery
The Understory: Gail Praharenka-Gowrie

March Gallery - The Understory: Gail Praharenka-Gowrie

Gallery Exhibition Date: March 2 - March 28, 2026
Opening Reception: March 5, 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM | The Carrot Community Arts Coffeehouse (9351 - 118 Ave)

You are warmly invited to the opening reception of The Understory: Gail Praharenka-Gowrie.

”The artist is a humble performer an ordinary artisan that displays his talent in such a way as to achieve the audience’s attention to an aspect of life or nature to rediscover it; whether to remind or to redefine the idea. Art cannot be all things at once and in choosing one medium the limitations begin and so does this quest for what beauty is.

For me God is in display in life and nature and there is truth, beauty, and lessons to understand in reflecting an aspect of what God reveals. The act of painting demands looking at the three-dimensional world; our minds can fathom several forms of truth and beauty in seeing and now a selective process occurs in which the artist hones the experience to the visual art. The artist translates to the two-dimensional attempting to give expression to all forms of the overwhelming scene or ideas experienced. The artist now must fulfill in the painting a facet of the incredible range of ideas presented from the world and psych. The artist’s role is to fully reveal that truth and beauty in a succinct and powerful form of expression, honing the craft in color, line, light, design, style, and handling to perfect a visual statement about that scene and the idea found in that experience. It is a form of poetry or a visual song. When successful the viewer has a new vision; gained another perception and discernment of that object or scene that the style and expression provided. It’s a difficult task that is why art is hard. The artist has succeeded if it is made to look easy and has pushed the limits of the space, color, and idea so that the poetry is tangible, the expression felt psychologically.

So, I have chosen expressionism stylistically as I remain faithful to figure and the symbols of nature. Expressionism shares the human interpretation of that scene and its influence on our conscious. Color is fascinating to me as does light but light from color juxtapositions more than from natural realistic color choices.

Artists that have influenced me are myriad but are listed with the great colorist and expressionist of past times: my earliest and more faithful preceptor is Van Gogh and Goya, then Gauguin. For expressionist Emil Nolde and Kandinsky, colorists are Matisse, Melton Avery, Bonnard, Bernard Chaet (he is my hero), Klimt is amazing with his landscapes and flowers. Fred Williams is brilliant in his merger of landscape and abstract. Idris Murphy as a psychologist of color is a new inspiration to me. The subtle poetry of Morandi and Modigliani is incredible. Contemporary artists I admire are Matthew Wong, Andrew Cranston, Pam Eveyln, and Jo Bertini and a few of my favorites.”

Rhythms of the Earth - February Gallery

Rhythms of the Earth - February Gallery
Khiry Crooks

Rhythms of the Earth - A Celebration of Black History Month Gallery

Gallery Exhibition Date: February, 2026

During the month of February 2026, experience a powerful visual art exhibit at The Carrot, honoring Black History Month. Featuring the vibrant works of Khiry Crooks, this gallery explores themes of nature, connection, and cultural pride.

The child of an African Canadian woman from Halifax, Nova Scotia, with roots from Africville, Nova Scotia and a Jamaican man from Westmoreland who grew up in Trenchtown. Khiry Crooks is a multi talented artist, best known as 1/2 of the award-winning rap duo Locution Revolution. Khiry is an artist in every sense of the word; from music to visual to acting and dance. Growing up in Beverly on 118th Ave, Khiry is a staple, a representative & leader in the community. From hosting Wildstyle Wednesdays to Hip Hop Night at the Carrot, one of the pillars that brought Hip Hop in the Park festival to Edmonton, teaching Hip Hop kulture at Grant McEwan to Edmonton Youth Offenders Centre, becoming a professional wrestler; wrestling for Real Canadian Wrestling and Prairie Wrestling Alliance, and a featured artist (twice) with the annual 5 Artist 1 Love with his visual art being showcase at the Alberta Art Gallery. Khiry Crooks is one who thrives creatively on making his dreams a reality yet his best accomplishment and creations are his three children: twins Keyon and Nitaljah (25) and Jahlel (11) for who he models his role. His culture, his community, his commitment, Khiry is a proud product of Edmonton Beverly and 118.

Gallery - November & December

November & December Gallery
Jan Xu: Other Tales

November & December Gallery: Jan Xu - Other Tales

Gallery Exhibition Date: November 4 - December 24, 2025

Jan was born and raised in Shanghai, China. After completing four years of stage costume and makeup design studies at the Shanghai Theatre Academy, she moved to Canada in 2004 and now resides in Edmonton. Her passion and drive for art led her to rebuild her creative skills from scratch after years away from the craft.

Inspired by the surprises of everyday life and the innocent imagination of children, Jan creates hand-painted watercolor works that capture warmth and whimsy. Since 2022, her art has been exhibited and sold in public libraries, local galleries, and featured at public art events.

In addition to her paintings, Jan has designed movie posters for Metro Cinema and participated in local markets such as Oddbird, The Carrot Christmas Art Bazaar, and Tix on the Square. Through her works, she hopes to invite audiences to pause, step into her imaginary worlds, and feel a sense of comfort and hope.

Gallery - October

October Gallery
Stop, Drop, and Paint + Community Paintings Made by Heart 2025

October Gallery: Stop, Drop, and Paint + Community Paintings Made by Heart 2025

Gallery Exhibition Date: October 2 - November 1, 2025
Opening Reception: Thursday, October 2, 2025, from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm at The Carrot

You are warmly invited to the opening reception of Stop, Drop, and Paint and Community Paintings Made by Heart 2025.

This exhibition celebrates two lively projects created during this year’s Kaleido Family Arts Festival (Sept. 5–7), a beloved Alberta Avenue event featuring music, theatre, dance, street performers, food, artisans, and visual art.

Stop, Drop, and Paint was a two-day live art happening led by Jeff Collins with support from Will Truchon. Four Edmonton artists—Vince Gasparri, Jordan Rule, Tricia Firmaniuk, and Caitlin Richards—took turns working on 4 ft x 4 ft boards laid out on 94 Street. In 45-minute sessions, each artist added their vision before passing the work along to another. Over repeated rounds, their approaches fused into six large multimedia panels—each revealing a surprising unity born from collaboration.

Meanwhile, festival goers were invited to join in the fun through Community Paintings Made by Heart. Large panels, paint, brushes, squeegees, and other tools were laid out for all to experiment with. Participants added their marks, knowing others would continue the process. By weekend’s end, 11 vibrant paintings emerged, reflecting the shared joy and energy of the festival.

Now, these collaborative works come together in one exhibition, presented at Collins Studio Gallery and The Carrot Café from October 2 through November 1, 2025.

For more information, please contact:
Jeff Collins – 780-690-9687 | jcstudiogallery@gmail.com

Gallery - August

Off the Deep End
A Group Exhibition by the Nina Collective

August Gallery: Off the Deep End: A Group Exhibition by the Nina Collective

Gallery Exhibition Date: August 4 - August 30, 2025
Opening Reception: Tuesday, August 12, 2025, from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm at The Carrot

Dive into an underwater world of mystery with Off the Deep End, a captivating group exhibition by the Nina Collective. Inspired by the fascinating creatures and hidden corners of the deep sea, this mixed media show features both brand-new creations and cherished gems from the Nina Haggerty Centre for the Arts archive.

Celebrate the Nina’s artistry and unique perspective with us! Each piece in the gallery is available for purchase—bringing a glimpse of their creative vision into your home.