Visual arts & new media

Art Hive Open Craft Studio

Art Hive Open Craft Studio | February 28, 2026: 10:00 am - 11:30 am | FREE (Drop-In)
Location: The Carrot Community Arts Coffeehouse 9351 118 Ave NW Edmonton, AB T5G 0N3

Art Hives are a global movement that create free community studios where anyone is welcome to be an artist. Drop by, discover materials, and create something unique to you at the Carrot! 

Sketch Night at The Carrot

Sketch Night | February 24, 2026: 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Location: The Carrot Community Arts Coffeehouse 9351 118 Ave NW Edmonton, AB T5G 0N3

Looking for a supportive space to create art? Mingle with like-minded artists for a sketching session where you can work on projects, discuss new ideas, and unleash your creativity. Don’t forget to bring your own supplies and get ready to dive into the world of art with us! 

Rhythms of the Earth - A Celebration of Black History Month Gallery

Opening Reception: February 12, 2026: 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Location: The Carrot Community Arts Coffeehouse 9351 118 Ave NW Edmonton, AB T5G 0N3

During the month of February 2026, experience a powerful visual art exhibit at The Carrot, honoring Black History Month. Featuring the vibrant works of Khiry Tafari, this gallery explores themes of nature, connection, and cultural pride.

Learn more: https://www.thecarrot.ca/news/2026/02/bhm-februarygallery

Kindred Knits and Crochet Club

Kindred Knits and Crochet Club | February 5, 2026: 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm | FREE (Drop-In)
Location: The Carrot Community Arts Coffeehouse 9351 118 Ave NW Edmonton, AB T5G 0N3

BYOY (Bring your own yarn!) and needles and join a fibre arts circle to share ideas, patterns, and chat over coffee while working on your latest project! All skill levels (including newbies!) welcome.

Work of the Week: Celebrating Black History Month

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In recognition of Black History Month, we feature Dine by Braxton Garneau.

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Black History Month in Alberta celebrates the contributions of Black Albertans to our communities and cultural fabric, including in the arts.

The AFA is pleased to share Dine (2021) by Braxton Garneau. This artwork is currently on display in the New Views exhibition at the AFA art house in Calgary, which has free admission.

About the artwork

Dine is part of a series of five works by Braxton Garneau that was included in the …bring a folding chair exhibition organized by the Art Gallery of Alberta in 2022 for the AFA’s Travelling Exhibitions (TREX) program. The exhibition was curated by Shane Golby. It was inspired by Black History Month and recognizes the significant contributions Black Canadians – particularly Black artists – make to Alberta.

This piece joined the AFA Art Collection when it was purchased as part of the Art Acquisition by Application program in 2024.

Since the mid-1800s, the Black community has had a long and rich history in Alberta. However, even in 1944, many restaurants in Edmonton discriminated against Black people and banned them from their restaurants. 

The year 1944 is when Hatti Melton opened Hatti’s Harlem Chicken Inn in downtown Edmonton, serving up her own recipes of fried chicken, biscuits, hot tamales, steak, and more. The restaurant became a hub for the Black community and became known as the Black gathering spot for travellers, celebrities, and athletes. 

To Hatti, the place was more than just a business. It was a way for her to provide jobs to women in her community who, because of racial discrimination, otherwise wouldn’t be able to find meaningful work. It was also a way for Hatti to provide food for people who couldn’t afford it.

When it comes to the history and experience of Black Canadians, they have always been at the table, but the story hasn’t always been recognized, appreciated, or acknowledged. This artwork, which depicts Hatti Melton whipping up a dish, is about being heard and being seen and the more we tell these unique stories, the more they become everyone’s story.

About the artist

Braxton Garneau is a visual artist based in amiskwaciwâskahikan (Edmonton, Canada). He holds a BFA from the University of Alberta and has had solo exhibitions at the Art Gallery of Alberta, Edmonton (2024), GAVLAK, Los Angeles (2023) and Stride Gallery, Calgary (2021). 

Creative practice

With a focus on painting, sculpture, printmaking and installation, Garneau’s practice is rooted in materiality, costuming and transformation. Working in-between cultures, he combines visual influences from classical and contemporary forms with material investigations to consider cultural, social and historical implications. 

Garneau’s work investigates transformation through both natural cycles and the inherent human tendency for adornment, costuming and masquerade. Connecting materials, customs and clothing, he explores the ability of the natural world, and of the people in it, to adapt and transmute to whatever circumstances they may find themselves in.

Exhibitions and recognition

His work was featured in the retrospective exhibition Black Every Day at the Art Gallery of Alberta (2021), It's About Time: Dancing Black in Canada 1900 - 1970 and Now at Mitchell Art Gallery, Edmonton (2020), curated by Seika Boye, and New Direction, curated by AJ Girard and Artx at Château Cîroc, Miami, Florida (2021). 

In 2024, his work Pitch Lake (Pietà) was acquired by the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego through the Northern Trust Purchase Prize at EXPO Chicago, and he was awarded the Lieutenant Governor of Alberta Emerging Artist Award. He opened a solo exhibition at Efraín López in New York, NY in September 2024, and was accepted into the International Studio & Curatorial Program (ISCP), Brooklyn, NY in 2025.

More information

Learn more about the New Views exhibition at AFA art house

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Work of the Week: Celebrating Black History Month
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In recognition of Black History Month, we feature Dine by Braxton Garneau.

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Work of the Week: Celebrating Black History Month
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In recognition of Black History Month, we feature Dine by Braxton Garneau.

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Artwork by Braxton Garneau titled “Dine,” which depicts a Black woman wearing a beige blouse and a white apron using a whisk on a blue mixing bowl.
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Artwork by Braxton Garneau titled “Dine,” which depicts a Black woman wearing a beige blouse and a white apron using a whisk on a blue mixing bowl.
Artist
Braxton Garneau
Title
Dine
Year
2021
Medium
oil on canvas
Collections Images Slideshow
Artwork by Braxton Garneau titled “Dine,” which depicts a Black woman wearing a beige blouse and a white apron using a whisk on a blue mixing bowl.
Braxton Garneau
Dine
2021
oil on canvas

Museum Skills Workshop: Preserving Your Prized Possessions (Paper Memorabilia)

Our personal stories and histories are often told through the scrapbooks, photos, and letters we cherish. To ensure these memories survive for future generations, we need to provide them with the highest level of care.

Join professional archivists and conservators from the Royal Alberta Museum and the Provincial Archives of Alberta (PAA) to learn the "best practices" for caring for your personal paper collections. This workshop offers a practical introduction to preserving photos, letters, cards, and scrapbooks.

Everyone Has A Story - Songwriting Workshop

Join the Royal Alberta Museum for a songwriting workshop for Albertans of all backgrounds. 

Led by singer songwriter and Alberta Artist in Residence John Wort Hannam, this two-day workshop will guide you through the creative process of songwriting — from idea generation to song creation — culminating in an opportunity to share your original music with other participants.

This workshop is open to all participants, at all levels. As the workshop lasts all day, participants are welcome to bring a lunch and snacks. Pencils and paper will be provided. 

Lunar New Year at RAM

Welcome the Year of the Horse with the Royal Alberta Museum on February 22! 

Join the Edmonton Chinatown BIA's Lunar New Year Celebration beginning with a lively outdoor parade starting at 11 am in the north end of Chinatown. Follow along with the Lion Dancers before finishing at the Royal Alberta Museum. Then warm up from 12 – 3:30 pm with free performances, activities, and celebration.

Please note: Admission to Museum Gallery spaces is not included with this event.

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