Mike Dendy || Artist Profile

 “The simple act of painting is a joy for me. I hope that is obvious and that perhaps the process of looking at my work will give encouragement to those who take the time to see it.”

"19 August 1942: Dieppe" by Mike Dendy 

Mike Dendy has pursued his painting career full time since retiring in 2006. 

Born into a military family, he spent his childhood moving across Canada. He settled in Alberta and earned a Bachelor of Education from the University of Calgary, after which he taught art for 37 years.  

His works to simplify his subject matter in contemporary landscapes. His aim to share some of the excitement he experiences approaching the scene, with his viewer. Dendy aims for his scenes to be identifiable, though they are abstract.

His major artistic influence is the American illustrator Paul Calle.

His artwork can be found in private collections throughout Alberta.  

Mike Dendy is represented by The Daffodil Gallery to see more of his work check out their website: http://www.daffodilgallery.ca/mike-dendy.html

The Daffodil Gallery

10412 124 St

Edmonton AB

T5N 1R5 

Tony Baker || Artist Profile

Tony Baker "Clear Night Over Cragmontolia"

Tony Baker describes his style as disorganized chaos, where magic happens amid the madness. Baker’s main mediums are paint and pastel. He uses seemingly random mark making and bright colours in a style that at first looks child-like.

The artist is originally from Edmonton, where he first began his career.

Baker learned to draw from comic books. During his art studies, he become fascinated with abstract expressionism.

He and his wife currently live in Cambridge, Boston.


Find his “Artist Bla Bla” on his website: http://www.tonybaker.ca/about

Bri Vos || Artist Profile

“In A Couple Of Months When The Leaves Turn Green”

17x22”

Bri Vos is half of Detour Photography, an Edmonton-based team that have worked all across the country. Vos holds a degree in English Literature and Sociology. She is a self-taught photographer who has been working professionally since 2006. 

The stunning magnitude of Canadian landscapes inspires Vos. She loves to travel and photograph internationally as well.

Vos also has done some non-profit/charity projects. She has worked with Proyecto Aldea Global (Project Global Village), The Christian Reformed World Refief Committee, and SATHI/PARI Bangladesh.

Her work has been on exhibit around Edmonton: At Remedy Cafe (2008), The Sugarbowl (2010, 2011, 2013), Red Ribbon Gallery - HIV Edmonton (2013), and the Art Gallery of Alberta (2013). Her pieces can also be found in private, public, and corporate collections.

She has generously contributed a piece of her work to the Spero Gala every year (2012-2014). Her piece this year, “In A Couple Of Months When The Leaves Turn Green” is part of a larger show called “The Place In Between”. You can find out more information about the show (http://detourphotography.ca/project/the-places-inbetween/).

To view more of Bri's work check out her website: http://detourphotography.ca

Close to Home

Ever driven through Gasoline Alley in Red Deer? Most Albertan’s have. It’s a fairly innocent-seeming stop through en route between Edmonton and Calgary, but it’s also the site of a major human trafficking charges.

Global CALGARY reported April 17, 2015 – “A Red Deer man and woman have been charged with human trafficking, in connection with the alleged abuse of eight temporary foreign workers at a central Alberta hotel. The alleged victims were employed at an Econo Lodge in Red Deer County’s Gasoline Alley.”

For the rest of the story Melissa Ramsay and Karen Bartko follow the link below:

http://globalnews.ca/news/1944890/red-deer-pair-charged-with-human-trafficking-at-central-alberta-hotel/?hootPostID=0d090941a2a06af035aeb11f931803e2 

“Human traffickers exploit the most vulnerable people in society, such as migrant workers, and they prey on despair and desperation,” says RCMP Insp. Darcy Fleury.

We (myself included) like to distance ourselves from the nasty things like “human trafficking”. We like to think these are somebody else problem far away. Even though we may not like hearing it, it is important to be reminded that this is a current problem happening close to home.

“It’s not as uncommon in Alberta as people think,” says Andrea Burkhart ACT Alberta. 

“ACT Alberta helps victims exploit exploitation. It says nearly half of its cases now involve labour abuse.”

“It also takes victims who are vulnerable and who have been exploited t takes a lot of courage for them to come forward too. And then, of course, it takes the community being able to respond to support those victims,” says Burkhart. 

Glen Ronald || Artist Profile

by Glen Ronald

Glen Ronald is the self-proclaimed Chaos Whisperer. He has been an artist for more than 45-years working in fine art, design, painting, illustration, and portraiture. Ronald finds inspiration in chaos, music, nature, spiritual questions, human psychology, and science. He has an Honours BS. and a BEd at UBC. Ronald pursued fine art and then iron working.

He worked as an artist, presenting several shows of original paintings in Thailand, during the three years he lived there in the late 1990s.

After moving back to Edmonton Ronald’s passion for art and branding inspired his current venture, Spark - The Branding Shop. Spark works to help clients develop their image and provide creative ideas to build their brand. They design original apparel and promotional products.

Ronald's primary mediums are ink on paper or wood panels and acrylic on canvas. He uses a variety of pens, including fountain pen, Micron, Pentel Brush Pens, or Artist’s Loft. He uses acrylic and Indian ink in his work. Ronald utilizes several techniques to “create the chaos” including splashing ink, spraying water, and a variety of other unconventional paint application methods.

His painting studio is in the heart of Edmonton's exciting new arts area - Alberta Avenue. He has been on the Board of Arts on the Ave since January 2013, which seeks to promote Alberta Avenue through the arts.

To see more of Glen’s work check out his website: https://glenronald.wordpress.com/

Where do we start?

Human trafficking is a crime that hides in the shadows of society, that easily slips past us pretending to be something else. The unfortunate fact is that it is the most lucrative black market trade globally, second only to drug trafficking, with nearly 30 million people being held as modern-day slaves.

That is staggering. 

For most of us in North America, we cannot fathom that this abhorrent violation of human rights could be going on every day without our knowledge. We get angry, we hurt for the victims, we feel the need to do something, anything to help. But where do we start? It is absolutely overwhelming; these aren't small brothels run by a couple seedy guys, they are highly organized human trafficking rings, financed by millionaires, protected by politicians, that have multiple organizations spreading across the globe. This is a seriously daunting problem. 

One can easily argue that it is untouchable, that whatever efforts we do make will be a small splash in a terribly giant pool. However the awareness for this issue is only growing by the day, there are organizations across the world that work to combat human trafficking and they are succeeding. They are making a difference in the lives of victims, rescuing them from desperate situations, providing counselling and education, and giving hope. 

This is where we start. Humans without hope are lost. So if we start by educating ourselves on the issue, we can go on to support those organizations that make an impact in the lives of victims and work to bring justice to the perpetrators. We can give hope to the hopeless.


Here are some of the incredible non-profit organizations that our Spero Gala team supports:

International Justice Mission - https://www.ijm.ca
ACT Alberta - http://www.actalberta.org
Not for Sale Campaign - http://notforsalecampaign.org
EVE (Exploited Voices now Educating) - http://educating-voices.com
Stop the Traffik - http://www.stopthetraffik.org/canada
CEASE (Centre to end all Sexual Exploitation) - http://www.ceasenow.org

Randy Hyashi || Artist Profile

Randy Hayashi is a three-time contributor to the Spero Gala.

Hilda Glacier by Randy Hayashi  

12" x 36"

Scrolling through the photo gallery of Hayashi’s landscape painting’s, on his website is reminiscent of a drive from Edmonton to Banff. The scenes are familiar, and there is something both exhilarating and peaceful in the recognition.

The artist uses vivid contrasting, in a style reminiscent of the group of seven, to evoke a sense of connection to the landscapes of Alberta. His medium of choice is acrylics because it allows him to layer colour, create texture, as well as allowing flexibility for spontaneous changes.

Born and educated in Alberta’s capital, Hayashi is inspired by the nature around him. He enjoys the outdoors. He seeks to create “tangible reminders of personal experiences and places.” You can recognize Edmonton’s river valley and Rocky Mountains in his landscapes.