Airsheds and Artists:
Raising Air Quality Awareness
ACA has partnered in a creative initiative with Canadian Women in Design (CWID). We’ve commissioned original artworks by talented CWID designers and local artists to beautify four of our air monitoring stations.
By transforming an industrial-looking monitoring station into a captivating focal point, ACA hopes to engage its Airshed communities in creative ways that inspire conversations about air quality.
Why Station Art?
“We believe that air monitoring stations not only provide reliable air quality data, but can add beauty and inspiration to our surroundings.”
~Gary Redmond, ACA Executive Director
“Air quality data from the station allows the community to understand the overall air quality and to make choices regarding their outdoor activities on poor air quality days.”
~ Robert Chrobak, ACA Operations Manager
“Alberta is facing another scary wildfire season. My mom is a double lung transplant recipient, making air quality a pretty consistent topic in our family. It’s important to advocate for a world where everyone can enjoy the outdoors safely.”
~ Amanda Schutz, CWID Artist
Meet the Artists
Amanda Schutz
Amanda Schutz
AMANDA SCHUTZ, Fellow of Design Professionals of Canada
Amanda graduated from MacEwan University’s Design and Illustration program before founding Curio Studio in 2002. Over a decade later, Curio has blossomed into a graphic design firm recognized for creative and memorable work. Amanda has created everything from print to branding to advertising campaigns, with a passion for illustration often weaving into her work. Amanda’s personal projects are diverse but most often inspired by the colours and patterns within nature. Her latest undertaking was creating over 30 original drawings, paintings, and surface patterns depicting Edmonton’s River Valley Lichen Species.
Amanda’s work will be featured on ACA’s Lendrum Station.
Rachel Beyer
Rachel Beyer
Rachel Beyer is an Edmonton-based graphic designer, illustrator, animator, and woodworker. She attended MacEwan University and holds a diploma in Design and Illustration. She has a love for working with her hands, and in her spare time, she draws, carves wooden spoons, and experiments with a variety of new media. Rachel works at a boutique studio in the city.
Rachel’s design will be featured on the St Albert Station. “My illustration aims to capture the simple, yet profound moments of joy found in everyday encounters with nature. Inspired by daily walks with my dog, these scenes depict familiar sights: my neighbor’s garden, the park down the street, the pond where my dog watches the ducks, and picnics in the ravine”.
Serena Tang
Serena Tang
Serena Tang started off in Hong Kong, China, and then moved to her current city of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada to grow up & learn about the world. Attending the University of Alberta in 2009, she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Art & Design. The journey has only just begun, connecting with the local & international art community, and exploring digital illustration at the Edmonton Digital Arts School. Serena also previously worked with ACA, lending her creativity to our brand as the Social Media Coordinator.
Serena’s artwork will be featured on the McCauley Station in Edmonton‘s Chinatown. This station choice is a great fit given Serena’s community work in Chinatown. She is excited to add art to this public space and bring attention to air monitoring stations. “Advocating for better air quality is also connected to advocating for socioeconomic equity because not everyone has equal access to spaces or environments that have better air quality.”
Valery Goulet
Valery Goulet
Valéry Goulet is a French-Canadian multidisciplinary graphic designer and design educator. Originally from Québec, she was educated at the Université Laval where she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Visual Communication Design and a Master’s Degree in Graphic Design and Multimedia. At the beginning of 2015, Valéry decided to leave the agency life after 14 years, and she opened valérydesignwrks, a multidisciplinary design studio in Edmonton, Alberta. Valéry has an immense passion for branding, illustration and crafted design, resulting in national and international recognition in numerous publications and design competitions.
Valéry’s artwork is featured on the Edmonton East Station. For this station, located in an industrial area, Valéry purposely created a colourful illustration to draw attention to its significance in monitoring air quality. “I wanted to highlight the importance of the human element in collecting and analyzing air quality data. Often, people think of data collection as purely mechanical, but there’s a dedicated team behind it. This is why I included an illustration of a person on the front of the trailer. The artwork for the station wrap combines nature-inspired elements with representations of data. The design aims to evoke a sense of harmony between nature and human activity, emphasizing the importance of clean air for the health of our ecosystem. I chose a vibrant colour palette to create impactful images that contrast with its surroundings and draw people’s attention to the important role the Alberta Capital Airshed plays.”