Art for Sale, Commissions, Pet Portraits and Pet Memorials (including Urns: hollow pet sculpture or portraits), Art Instruction

Deb Laninga

I am an artist living in Redwater, Alberta, Canada. I sculpt with clay, mold my pieces and cast the final sculptures by casting in bronze or cold cast bronze resin.

Art has always been my passion. I loved painting, drawing and being creative throughout my youth and concentrated in Fine Art in University. I didn’t believe I could be an “artist” and I pursued careers in aviation as a commercial pilot, overseas mission pilot and then worked for a non-profit/charity. Caring for my terminally ill parents brought clarity that I wanted to do what I love - make art. After taking a “portrait in clay” workshop I realized sculpture IS my medium.

I have experienced and witnessed the darkest depths of what life can be; grief, war, hatred, abuse, poverty, isolation and discrimination. My art instead focuses on what inspires me; connection, joy, love, family, courage, and hope. I sculpt portraits and figures of animals and people. I want to tell a story through sculpture or capture a treasured moment. I hope my art connects with viewers creating feelings of warmth, fond memories, humour, or happiness.

Please enjoy,

Deb

Awards

AIRE (Annual International Respresentation Exhibition) Federation Gallery, Federation of Canadian Aritsts - 1st place in sculpture, Aug 14 - Sept 3 2023

Allied Arts Council of Spruce Grove Open Art Competition September 2021 - placed First and Third in 3D category

Shape and Form Exhibition - Federation Gallery in Vancouver September 2021 -Honorary Mention Sculpture

ACACA Martha Houston Memorial Award (Best Advanced Artwork in Virtual Show Province of AB 2021)

ACACA winner of Advanced Sculpture - Province of AB 2021

Allied Arts Council of Spruce Grove Online Open Art Competition 2020 - 3rd place for “Dash” for 3-D category

ACACA winner advanced sculpture - north zone 2019

ACACA advanced 2D (acrylic on canvas) - honorable mention north zone 2019

Ice Sculpture, Market Mall Posters, Legion Remembrance Day Art, Art Scapes Summer selection, etc. 1980-1990’s

Member

SAA (Sculptors Association of Alberta)

Federation of Canadian Artists (Active - Exhibiting Member)

Allied Arts Council of Spruce Grove

Strathcona Art Society

Art Society of Alberta (Juried Member)

CARFAC

Gallery@501 (Strathcona County/Sherwood Park)

Galleries and Exhibits

Coming Soon:

• Federation of Canadian Artists - 2024 Active Member Show Jan 2024

• Ice Sculpting and Snow Sculpting February 2024

• Kiwanis Gallery Red Deer Feature Artist Summer 2024

Current and Previous Shows:

Gallery@501 Member Show “Inhabiting Spaces: a Sense of Place” Jan 2024

Alberta Lottery Fund Gallery Dow Centre Fort Saskatchewan - Feature Artist November 2023

ASA with SAA (Nov-Dec 2023) Sculpture Exhibition

Featured Sculptor for the “Pumpkins After Dark” Edmonton Festival weekends running Sept/Oct 2023

Jasper - Habitat for the Arts - Tribute to Cowboy Culture Exhibit Sept/Oct 2023

Federation of Canadian Artists - AIRE Vancouver Federation Gallery August 2023

Wild Skies Gallery (July - Oct 2023) Rennaissance Airport Hotel - Edmonton Int’l

Srathcona Salon/Gallery@501 Strathcona Art Acquisition Show - May/June 2023

Allied Arts Council Spruce Grove - It’s a Tactile World - Apr/May 2023

Online Federation Showcase - March 2023

NOA - Art Walk March 17 - 19, 2023

Gallery@501 Featured Member Artist in Front Window - January 2023

Gallery@501 Member Show “Flourish and Sea Change” December 2002 - January 2023 in Sherwood Park/Strathcona County

Christmas In the Heartland - Ice Sculpture (Angel) at Josephburg Community Church November 2023

Allied Art Council of Spruce Grove “Featured Artist” Oct 24 - Nov 10, 2022

Allied Arts Council - Open Art Competition Spruce Grove, Sept 2022

“On the Edge” virtual exhibit Federation Gallery June 27 to July 17, 2022

SAA Drumheller Exhibit “Creature Comforts” June 2022 at the Western GM Gallery

The Loft Gallery of Strathcona County - Solo Featured Artist March and April of 2022

Art from the Unknown - Featured Artist in virtual show November 4 to 18

Artrium Exhibition with fellow SAA artists at the 501 Gallery in Sherwood Park from November 23, 2021 to February 18, 2022

Shape and Form exhibition at the Federation Gallery in Vancouver (Granville Island) Aug 30 to Sep 12, 2021

Allied Arts Council Open Art Call/Exhibition in Spruce Grove Sep 7 - 24, 2021

ACACA Virtual Juried Exhibition, May 24 to June 5, 2021 (advanced sculpture category)

Body Beautiful virtual exhibit by Multicultural Heritage Centre Gallery May 13 to July 26, 2021 with artist spotlight May 27 on YouTube

Word and Image; Creative Crossovers exhibit at Multicultural Heritage Centre Gallery September 16 to December 14, 2020 with online premiere and artist features in October

Allied Arts Council of Spruce Grove - Open Art competition/show September 8 to October 2, 2020

Spirit of Alberta - CARFAC Gallery Alberta Sept 21 to Oct 26, 2019

ACACA Drumheller provincial show 2019

Redwater Art Walk and Redwater Gallery

Courses/Training

• Horse Sculpture/anatomy workshop with Donna Wilson from Anchor Bar Bronze

• Lost Wax Process - Bronze Casting at Red Deer Polytechnic Summer Series July 2022 (for part of the course)

• TIG Welding at NAIT

• Lost Wax Process - Bronze Casting at Red Deer College Summer Series July 2021

• Co-Curator of provincial Virtual Art Show 2021 for ACACA

• Anatomy Tools

  • Human Anatomy Level 1 2019 (spring 2019)

  • Human Anatomy Level 2 2019 (fall 2019)

  • Human Anatomy Level 3 2019 (fall 2019)

• Apprentice with Ryan Kurylo fall 2019 and early 2020

• Paint Spot Sculpture Courses

  • pets (2018)

  • portraits (2018)

• Red Deer College

  • Portrait in Clay (2014)

  • Sculpture in Wax for Bronze Casting (2017)

• Bissett - stained glass (lead came, fused glass and copper foil)

• Tole Painting - advanced

• Trinity Western University - curator

• Trinity Western University Bachelor of Arts - fine arts concentration

Special Thank You to Ryan Kurylo for his instruction, mentor-ship and encouragement.

Special Thank You to Andrew Cawrse at Anatomy Tools for his instruction, critiques and wisdom.