Latest news with #RotaryClubofCalgary
Calgary Herald
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Calgary Herald
Dream Home artist's designs inspired by nature
Article content The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth launches in just over two months and with it comes the unveiling of the Stampede Rotary Dream Home with all of its design inspiration and, of course, its stunning art. This year, Calgary artist Jamie Kim, a self-taught creative and full-time occupational therapist, has been selected as the 18 th Dream Home Artist. Article content Article content Her work will be showcased in the 2025 Stampede Rotary Dream Home and at the Calgary Stampede Art Show in the Western Oasis pavilion during the 10-day Calgary Stampede, which runs this year from July 4 to 13, offering this emerging artist a one-of-a-kind opportunity. Article content Article content 'Winning is such an incredible honour, and I'm still pinching myself. It's a dream come true,' says Jamie Kim, who says that she really began to focus in on her art projects during COVID. At the time, she was finishing her practicum for her master's degree in occupational therapy. 'So that really led me to start to think about how I could incorporate science into my art. I am still really working on weaving those two together,' says Kim, who was chosen as the Dream Home artist from a pool of over 50 entrants from across Alberta. Article content Article content She dubs her painting style 'abstract realism' with subject matter revolving around themes from nature. Using acrylic on canvas, she creates her work in series. Article content 'My intention is to really explore setting,' says Kim, citing her series Terracotta, which explores the colour terracotta in the context of different places. 'My art is inspired by colours, maybe a season, a hike, the Rocky Mountains, a central theme or emotion. I use many layers of acrylic, some washy layers, some opaque layers, lots of texture.' Article content She'll be pulling some of these themes into her work for the Dream Home, which will consist of between 30 and 40 pieces that blend earthy, moody tones and textural elements. Article content This is the 29 th year that Homes by Avi has had the privilege of designing and building the Dream Home, working in partnership with the Stampede Lotteries and the Rotary Club of Calgary at Stampede Park. It's estimated that close to 100,000 people will walk through its doors to glean inspiration and design tips. The Dream Home will eventually land and be reassembled in the community of Sirocco at Pine Creek, developed by Anthem. Article content This year's farmhouse-style dream home will feature 2,480 square feet of living space, spread over two storeys. Julie Punter, show home selections and presentation manager for Homes by Avi, describes this year's design esthetic as moody, retro and organic, a combination that when finished will be breathtaking.
Calgary Herald
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Calgary Herald
Rotary Club of Calgary hosting 10-day book sale to support children
The Rotary Club of Calgary is hosting a donation drive of books mainly authored by Canadian writers between Friday and May 4 for a 10-day sale that will begin less than a week later. Article content Article content The event, called the Calgary Reads Big Book Sale, lasts from May 9 to 19. Article content The sale will dedicate an entire aisle to hundreds and perhaps thousands of books written by Canadian novelists, said Shirley McIntyre, lead of the fiction section. Article content Article content 'We always have a lot of the new Canadian novels that are popular because they were featured in Canada Reads or the Giller Prize, but we also have so many of those classics that maybe you always meant to read and just never got around to it,' McIntyre said, citing classic Canadian authors such as Carol Shields, Robertson Davies, Stuart McLean and Margaret Atwood. Article content Article content The sale will also give readers an opportunity to explore Canadian history, politics, cooking and travel. Calgarian writers, meanwhile, will fill an entire table. Article content 'You don't have to look to other countries for great writing. We have so many books that tell our story—and many can be hard to find otherwise if they're vintage.' Article content However, the array of books wouldn't be possible without donations. 'If we all fill up a box or two with books we've read—what a difference we can make in ensuring more children can read by Grade 3 and experience the joy of having their very own books,' says Steacy Pinney, chair of Rotary Club of Calgary's Early Childhood Literacy Committee, which leads the sale and distributes the proceeds to early childhood education programs across Calgary. Article content Article content Last year, the event raised $570,000, which was distributed among various initiatives, including bolstering speaking skills among children, literacy among fathers and providing thousands of books to families with low incomes. Article content 'The more quality books we have, the more children we can support so they can reach their potential in school and in life—and getting that extra reading help is more important than ever,' Pinney said. Article content Interested donors could donate during the following hours.
