Marnie Blair M.F.A.
Marnie Blair is an artist from northwestern Ontario. She received a BFA with distinction from Lakehead University and an MFA from the University of Calgary.
Marnie has studied at the Royal College of Art in London, UK, the Studio Art Centres International in Florence, Italy and has interned at Manhattan's Lower East Side Print Shop. She has worked as the Print and Paper Facilitator at the Banff Centre; taught at Thompson Rivers University and is currently an instructor at Red Deer Polytechnic.
Marnie has exhibited in numerous exhibitions nationally and internationally.
2008 MFA - Mixed Media - University of Calgary
2006- BFA - Printmaking - Lakehead University
2008-Printmaking - Royal College of Art
2005-Print Intern - Lower East Side Printshop, NY
2003- Print & Painting - SACI, Florence
2001- Painting - Sir Sanford Fleming College
Thesis: Re-Presenting the Built Environment, Nickle Arts Museum, Calgary, Alberta
Contemporary 2D Strategies and Technologies, Professional Practice, Drawing, Visual Fundamentals
Current Research
Marnie Blair’s current research recontextualizes early modern flap anatomy through analog and digital print media methods. She employs computer-operated carving machines to create painted woodcuts and intaglio prints.
Solo Exhibitions
2023 TBA, SNAP, Edmonton, AB
2022 Nervous Systems, McMullen Gallery, Edmonton, AB
2015 Terminal Work, Alberta Printmakers Society and Artist Proof Gallery, Calgary, AB
Group Exhibitions
2023 Roe 2.0, Woman Made Gallery, Chicago, IL
2022 People’s Portrait Prize, Contemporary Calgary, Calgary, AB
2021 Our Daily Bread, (Erin Boake), Viewpoint Gallery, Red Deer, AB
2021 The Body Beautiful, Multicultural Heritage Centre, Stony Plain, AB
2021 Distance, A Retrospective on the Space Between People, Liminal Gallery, University of Toronto
2021 Collaborate, Creative Guts, Exeter, New Hampshire
2021 Collaborate, Lyceum Gallery, Manchester, New Hampshire
2020 Our Daily Bread, (Erin Boake) Red Deer Museum + Art Gallery, Red Deer, AB
2020 The Other Passport (Heather Huston and Jill Ho-You), Crowsnest Pass Art Gallery, Frank, AB
2019 Look What You Made Me Do, Rocky Mountain Printmaking Alliance Symposium, Salt Lake City, Utah
2019 FUTUROLOGY, 30th Anniversary Print Portfolio, Alberta Printmakers, Calgary, AB
2019 The Body Electric, International Conference on Residency Education, Royal College of Physicians and
Surgeons of Canada, Halifax, Nova Scotia
2018 The Body Electric, Associated Medical Services, AMS Phoenix Conference, Toronto, Ontario
2018 Thinking of Place Too, Impact 10, International Printmaking Conference, Santander, Spain
2018 Printed Bodies, Kimura Gallery, University of Alaska, Anchorage, AK
2017 White Light (Tara Franco and KJ McAlister), white Gallery, Red Deer, AB
2017 The Other Passport (Heather Huston and Jill Ho-You), Red Deer Museum + Art Gallery, Red Deer, AB
2015 Terminal Work, Alberta Printmakers Society and Artist Proof Gallery, Calgary, AB
2015 New Works, Corridor Gallery, Red Deer, AB
2015 Expectation of Privacy, Curator Justin Diggle, Southern Graphics Council International Conference, Knoxville, Tennessee
2014 Public School Project, Alberta Printmakers Society and Artist Proof Gallery, AB
2014 Pipelines and Borderlines: Collected Works, Beverly Arts Centre, Chicago, IL
2014 Self Portraits – Within the Artist, Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium, Edmonton, Southern Alberta
Jubilee Auditorium, Calgary, Crowsnest Pass Public Art Gallery, ASA Gallery, Walterdale Theatre
2013 Terminal Work, Impact 8 International Printmaking Conference, University of Dundee, Scotland
2013 A Token Gesture, Impact 8, Curator Stefanie Dykes, Dundee, Scotland
2013 918 Letterpress Ephemera Show, Samford University Art Gallery, Birmingham, AL, USA
2013 Paper Exchanges, Lake Country Art Gallery, Lake Country, BC
2012 Connecting the Dots, Thompson Rivers University Gallery, Kamloops, BC
2012 Curiosities, Fast and Dirty Collective Project, Edmonton, AB
2012 Works on Paper, National Arts and Heritage Academy, Kuala Lumpar, Malaysia
2011 Lineage, Arnica Artist Run Centre, Kamloops, BC
2009 Pipelines and Borderlines, Traveling Exhibition of Prints (Canada, United States and Mexico)
2009 Exchange Exhibition of Prints by Young Artists in Japan and Calgary, Kyoto City University of Arts,
Kyoto, Japan
2008 Culmination: MFA Thesis Exhibition, The Nickle Arts Museum, Calgary, AB
2008 Printmaking & Sculpture Interim Exhibition, Royal College of Art, London, UK
2008 Prints from the University of Calgary, Alberta College of Art and Design, Calgary, AB
Grants
2022 Cultural Activities Trust Fund, Agora Undergraduate Conference, Faculty Co-Sponsor (Stephen Brown and Jaqueline Cowan), Red Deer Polytechnic, Red Deer, AB, $745
2019 Alberta Foundation for the Arts, Visual Arts and New Media Individual Project Funding
2012 Comprehensive University Enhancement Fund, Faculty Co-Sponsor, Undergraduate Field Trip to Southern Graphics Council 40th International Printmaking Conference, New Orleans, LA, $5000
2010 Comprehensive University Enhancement Fund, Faculty Co-Sponsor, Undergraduate Field Trip to Printopolis International Printmaking Conference, Toronto, ON, $5000
2008 Tim Mara Printmaking Scholarship, Calgary, AB
2008 URGC Special Projects Grant. Community Outreach Publication, Calgary, AB
2007 Graduate Research Scholarship, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, $4100
2006 Graduate Research Scholarship, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, $4100
Curatorial Experience
2016 Co-Curator with Erin Boake, Prairie Contemporary, Red Deer Museum + Art Gallery, Red Deer, AB
2013 Curator, Cyborgs & Posthuman Culture, Arnica Artist Run Centre, Kamloops, BC
2011 Curator, Right Behind You, The Speakeasy Gallery, Kamloops, BC
2010 Co-Curator with Ashok Mathur, Mondegreens, The Speakeasy Gallery, Kamloops, BC
2008 Co-Curator with Heather Huston for viewpoint gallery Constructed Geographies, Impress: Prints, Artists and Ideas, www.glenbow.org/impress. Glenbow Museum, Calgary, AB
Artist Talks
2022 Nervous Systems, with Dr Liane McTavish, McMullen Gallery, Edmonton, AB
2021 Over My Dead Body, Artist Talk, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY
2021 Artist Talk, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT
2020 Artist Talk, Prairie Impressions, Society of Northern Alberta Print Artists, Edmonton, AB
2020 Artist Talk, Alberta University of the Arts, Calgary, AB
2007 Non-Traditional Silkscreen Surfaces, Artist Talk, Alberta College of Art & Design, Calgary, AB
Juror
2022 Juror, Red Deer Arts Council Gallery, Red Deer, AB
2017/22 Juror, Red Deer Museum + Art Gallery, Red Deer, AB
2020 Juror, Eldon and Anne Foote Edmonton Visual Arts Prize, Edmonton, AB
2018 Juror, Alberta Foundation for the Arts, Alberta
2013 Juror, Rooted in the Arts, The City of Red Deer, Red Deer, AB
2012 Juror, Central Interior Regional Arts Council (CIRAC), 100 Mile House, BC
2008 Juror, The Banff Centre, Thematic and Self-Directed Residencies Summer 2009
Professional Experience
2022 Public Art Commission, City of Red Deer, Collaboration with Red Deer Polytechnic students $4280
2022 Red Deer Gallery Connections Committee Member, Red Deer, AB
2021-present Vice Chair, Red Deer Arts Council Board, Red Deer, AB
2021 Artist Residency, Gushul Studio, University of Lethbridge, AB (one month)
2013-19 Gallery Committee Member, Harris-Warke Gallery, Red Deer, AB
2017 Curriculum Development, ART 391/393 Contemporary 2D Strategies and Technologies I & II
2014-15 Part Time Faculty Representative, Faculty Association, Red Deer, College, Red Deer, AB
2014 Consultant, Marjorie Wood Gallery Advisory Committee, Kerry Wood Nature Center, Red Deer, AB
2012 Getting to the He(art) of Living With Inherited Cardiac Rhythm Disorders. Living with Cardiac Rhythm Disorders and Congenital Heart Disease. The Canadian SADS Foundation Conference. Edmonton, AB
2012-13 Board Member (Vice President), Arnica Artist Run Centre Board, Kamloops, BC
2010-12 Gallery Committee, Visiting Artist Committee, Visual & Performing Arts Department, Thompson Rivers University, Kamloops, BC
2009 Volunteer Studio Technician & Board Member (2006-2009), Alberta Printmakers’ Society and Artist Proof Gallery, Calgary, AB
2008 Mentor, Work Study Mentor Program at The Banff Centre, Banff, AB
2008 Photograveure Printing Assistant for David Morrish, Martens Visiting Scholar in Art Series, University of Calgary, AB
2008 Consultant for Impress: Prints, Artists and Ideas website for Glenbow Museum, Calgary, AB. www.glenbow.org/impress
2008 Santo Mignosa Portfolio Exchange, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB
2005 Print Intern, Lower East Side Printshop, NY. With Master Printer James Miller and artist Jean Shin
Collections
2022 Alberta Foundation for the Arts
2015 Zuckerman Museum of Art, Kennesaw, Georgia
2012 Headbones Gallery, The Drawers, Vernon, BC
2008 Center for the Study of Political Graphics, Los Angeles, California
2008 Velvet Antler Print Shop, The Banff Centre, Alberta
2008 The Glenbow Museum, Calgary, Alberta
2008 University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta
2006 Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, Ontario
Press and Reviews
Issue 5: Sanctuary, Tendon, John Hopkins Center for Medical Humanities & Social Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.
https://hopkinsmedicalhumanities.org/sanctuary/
Agnieszka Matejko, Five Artists Ponder the Pandemic, Galleries West, March 2021.
https://www.gallerieswest.ca/magazine/stories/five-alberta-artists-ponder-the-pandemic/
Maryann Valentine, A Hybrid of Old and New Art and Anatomy, Using a CNC Router, Tech Directions, January 2020.
http://www.omagdigital.com/publication/?m=6340&i=650109&p=20
Julia Krolik, Creators – Marnie Blair, Art the Science, June 2019.
https://artthescience.com/blog/2019/06/10/creators-marnie-blair/
Maryann Valentine, CNC’s Anatomy: Marnie Blair and the Textbook Art of Carving, Sign Builder Illustrated, September 2018. https://www.signshop.com/dimensional/equipment-materials-a-software/blair-cnc-anatomy-carving/
Daniel Cleghorn Bloom, Fade, Repeat. Alberta Printmakers Society. October 2015.