Okotoks’ latest Sheep River Artists in Residence are more than halfway through their month-long stay at the Okotoks Art Gallery, where they’re combining engineering, sculpture, and painting to spark conversations about Alberta’s waterways.
Gary Briggs and Wendy Madell were chosen for the third annual residency and are spending September creating a collaborative project focused on trout habitats in the Sheep River. Their work explores the threats posed by agriculture, logging, coal mining, and climate change, while giving voice to different perspectives through interactive artwork.
Briggs, who first developed his skills in a high school welded sculpture club before apprenticing under Ottawa artist Bruce Garner, now builds intricate automata: mechanical figures with moving parts.
Madell, an “on-and-off” artist since childhood, paints the pieces in vivid colour. Together, they’re crafting a series of characters, including a scientist, an environmentalist, a coal miner, and a Blackfoot First Nations representative. Each automaton is fitted with cranks or levers that animate their faces.
“The idea is for the viewer to touch the work and turn the cranks or push the levers that make it work and see what it’s doing,” said Briggs. “I think you get a lot more traction on issues like environmental issues if people get a little bit of fun out of it and a little bit of thoughtfulness out of it.”
The pair aren’t limiting their creativity to the gallery. So far, they’ve run natural materials workshops with youth and a pewter casting activity where participants molded small fish. More than 200 students from local schools will take part in upcoming sessions later this month.
Madell said reaching young people was a key goal. “If we can plant a seed with kids and they talk to their friends, maybe they’ll speak up when they see something harmful to the environment. That ripple effect could reach a lot of people through a project that’s been fun and creative to share.”
Despite construction and road closures nearby, the artists say they’ve welcomed an average of 10 visitors a day, with crowds of up to 50 on weekends. Visitors are invited upstairs at the gallery to see the automata in progress, try the interactive mechanisms, and even experiment with painting or natural materials alongside the artists.
While their residency wraps up September 30, Briggs and Madell don’t plan to pack the project away. They’re hoping to exhibit the work at places such as the TELUS Spark Science Centre or Calgary’s fish hatchery, as well as in schools and libraries.
“It’s designed to be a conversation starter,” said Madell. “With the colours, the characters, and the stories, we hope people see it, talk about it, and start thinking differently about the environment.”
Briggs added that they’re open to suggestions. “If anyone knows the perfect place for this artwork to go, give the art gallery a call,” he said.