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LEILA'S PORTFOLIO

COG connections : Art Show & Exhibition ; Sept 2020
An Art Show discussing the Politics and Challenges facing the Alberta Energy Sector
 


LEILA'S Artist Statement 
"COG connections "
​Art Exhibition & Show


COG connections, Art Exhibition and Show, Western GM Gallery, BCF, 80 Veterns Way, Drumheller Ab, Month of Sept 2020  
Opening Reception TBA
Exhibition Date and Time TBA
Will be updated as we know due to CORVID 19 

I am writing this Artist Statement in hopes it will help you understand whats been happening in Alberta. "Sometimes artworks are depicting certain social, political, and philosophical views of the artist."2 
 I call my art series COG(Coal Oil and Gas) connections. I am talking about  the Coal Oil and Gas Industry, in Alberta through my paintings. Firstly, I wish to state that the woman and men in this industry are  the best in the world at what they do. In the past few years the industry in Alberta has taken  a big hit from both the working men and women  and their livilhood. Alberta has  become landlocked, and unable to get our resources to market efficiently with people outside of the industry  and many levels of governments attacking the Alberta oil industry. They insist on tying the energy sector up  with redtape in the courts and protestors blocking  the pipelines. Alberta Energy Workers  work all over the world in Canada, USA, Russia, Mexico etc and are in high demand because they are one of the best in he industry.
In Alberta I have friends and family that work in the industry over 20 years . People put their lives at risk everyday . No one knows that more than I do when a close friend of mine at  work in the oil patch, took out the other stop sign, they had a close call one day, walked away without a scratch.
In Alberta, The workers in the Energy Sector meet demands of providing  electricity  and heat in winter months; down  to -35C or colder, for over a week. They work in all kinds of weather conditions and often are  away from family for at least one or two weeks at  time or longer. Many oil company's have been bought and resold due to the political termoil and unstable market. Several oil company's just packed it in and left. It happenning all over Alberta to the point of no return. This issue has  left  7% of Albertans  unemployed ( today I think  it is closer to  being 13% of Alberta being unempolyed regards covid 19 virus) with this  lack of work. Crime and theft has  spiked. Due to finacial hardship many familes have split up. Forcing some places to become a ghost town. This situation has been sad to see happen. I am hopeful that communities will come together to find solutons however this will take time and effort.  My point  is that everyone in Canada depends on our natural resources (COG), including all levels of governments, everyone that uses farm equipment, truckers,  and rural town/ city equipment for snow removal,  National Defence military vechiles, Police, policing vechiles and transportation of goods, frieght and people. I would like to express that maybe society and our levels of governments should recognize, what Alberta is doing to find solutions to our problems.  I have written to MP's with my concerns and some of them have replied trying to help Alberta oil industry projects to get approved and  to get our resources to market. They have also  acknowledge what good things Alberta does do to help the enviornment. In Alberta we plant trees, plant crops, recliam our  land after its been mined and  improving it.  We have invested in solar panels and wind turbines,  recycle all types of waste using green bins and recycle our bottles. Last year Canadian oil and gas contributed $108 billion of Canada's GDPas well as employed over 500,000 Canadians directly. They have contributed; on a annual average of;  $8 billion in taxes to governments in Canada which further  contributed to the citizens of Canada. Year after year,oil  is this country's number one export. 16
In addition to the difficuty and grief  this Trudeau Government is giving the COG industry, this  liberal government is openly thinking of making itself the official censor of what can and cannot be said about COVID-19. Pure brilliance again, don't you agree? Well actually no. It was only weeks ago that PM barred the leader of the Oppostion Andrew Scheer, from joining talks with other oppostion leaders in Ottawa, because , in Trudeau's own words. Andrew Scheer "disqualified himself from constructive discussions with his unacceptable speech earlier today." Yet it is not from Trudeau, nor is it proper for this minority government, which has enough struggles of its own over misinformation to decide what the rest of us can and cannot say or write about this crisis. 17 
The Liberals see their campaign pledge to reach net-zero. 19
I have been reseaching,( I had a couple footnotes refering here , &  I  have been echoing  in this series of artworks what has taken palce in the media and also asking MP of parliment questions about getting our Alberta resources to market)  what has transpired in my community, my country. I am responding to  what I have seen while living in Alberta. And let me tell you I have heard enough enough negativity regards, Alberta and its energy sector! And I will draw my own conclusions. I would like to see people and levels of governments work together to find solutions. To take care of each other and work together. The women and men are the best in the world at what they do. I was inspired to do this series of artworks called COG, because it is a essential service, that provides a service to everyone. I would like to remind people these women and men that work in the Alberta energy sector, they risk their lives everyday doing their job, no  one knows that more than I do. I had almost lost someone very dear to me and it was one of th reasons. I was moved to create this series of artworks.



Figurative Works


LEILA'S  COLOUR FIELD PAINTING

Leila's Color Field Painting
Are currently on display and for your pleasure at
Chiropratic Wellness Center
​Dr. Dharshi
281 Centre Street
​Drumheller Ab

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