The Okotoks Art Gallery recently launched two solo exhibitions by artists Neil McClelland and Beany Dootjes, marked by an opening reception on April 11. McClelland’s exhibition, "Earthly Delights," utilizes a multi-layered process of photography, digitization, and painting to personify plants as characters. In the adjacent small gallery, Dootjes presents "Ruin & Reclamation: Re-iterated," featuring oversized sculptures of insects like lice and bed bugs meticulously crafted from repurposed men’s business attire.
These exhibitions highlight the gallery's commitment to showcasing regional talent that explores the intersection of nature and human perception. By transforming unsettling pests into textile art and reimagining flora as sentient beings, the artists challenge viewers to reconsider their visceral reactions to the natural world. The shows provide a platform for experimental techniques in both traditional painting and contemporary craft within the local community.