The Bowman Art Gallery opens two exciting new exhibitions this weekend, Saturday, Jan. 21, which will not only appeal to music lovers, but coulee 
lovers as well.
Lethbridge artist Julie Duschenes has chosen 30 some of her favourite works based on the coulees created over the past decade and a half in the main gallery for her exhibition called “Oldman River Coulee”.
“It’s all oil paintings,” observed curator Darcy Logan noting there are abstracts, oil on textiles and an innovative series of works based on sonograms of bird calls.
“It’s a visual representation of sonograms of bird calls she heard while hiking in the coulees, which she turned into paintings,” he said.
“The series explores the breadth of her experience with the coulees,” he continued.
Chad Patterson, a recent University of Lethbridge graduate, who also works at the University art gallery, premieres his first show at the Bowman, Jan. 21.
“Covers” explores the record albums Patterson grew up listening to — one for each year of his life.
“What he did was put his headphones on and picked up a paintbrush and started to paint his interpretation of the album. When the album was done, he put his paintbrush down and his painting was finished,” Logan explained.
“There is everything from NWA to Judas Priest,” he said.
The works aren’t displayed in order, but there are a variety of familiar album cover representations including Guns N’ Roses’ “Use Your Illusions,” The White Stripes,” “Metallica” and ’80s hair metal groups like Quiet Riot and Twisted Sister, plus the Grease soundtrack and Led Zeppelin IV and about 30 others all represented through the medium of oil on wood.
The opening reception for both exhibits, which run Jan 21-Feb. 25, is 7-9 p.m. at the Bowman Arts Centre, Jan. 21.
