NWP Fine Arts Department

10/15/2026

Critique Day for Project 1: Experimentation with materials and supports

10/01/2026

We look forward to welcoming our next Visitor in the Arts, Scott Bertram, on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, at 11:30 AM in Room D208.

Scott Bertram () is an abstract painter whose practice centres around ideas of improvisation, finding meaning within unintended stimuli, and playing with the dynamics of perception. He has a BFA from the University of British Columbia Okanagan and an MFA from NSCAD University. He was a finalist in the 12th RBC Canadian Painting Competition and has received many other awards including funding from the BC Arts Council and the Canada Council for the Arts. His work has been shown in solo and group exhibitions across Canada as well as in the USA, Australia, Mexico, and the UK. Scott Bertram currently lives and works in the Comox Valley on Vancouver Island, BC, Canada.

This summer, Scott Bertram was one of two artists working at NWP’s Studio Space as part of the 2026 Prairie North Artist-in-Residence Program. We’re excited to see his work featured in the upcoming group exhibition “The Shape of Shape” at the Art Gallery of Grande Prairie (Art Gallery of Grande Prairie). ✨

09/08/2026

Please join us on Wednesday, September 16, at 11:30 am in Room D308 as we kick off our 2026/27 Visitors in the Arts series with guest artist Walter May.

Although primarily known as a sculptor, Walter May’s practice has also included drawing, digital photography, installation, and on occasion, performance art. He has an extensive exhibition record with over thirty solo and collaborative exhibitions and numerous invitational and group exhibitions at the regional and national level including the 1998 and 2010 Alberta Biennials.
Walter May

05/29/2026

Back after 21 years, the Art Gallery of Grande Prairie and Visual Art Department of Northwestern Polytechnic are pleased to announce the return of the Prairie North Artist Residency!

Starting in June, artists Scott Bertram and Les Ramsay will be working in the NWP Fine Arts Studio towards two exciting exhibitions opening this fall at the gallery. We look forward to were them to the Peace Region for a summer of creative exchange.

For more information about the artists and the residency visit aggp.ca

We are grateful for the ongoing support of Canada Councils for the Arts .council
Alberta Foundation for the Arts .1991 , the City of Grande Prairie , the County of Grande Prairie, and the Municipal District of Greenview

04/21/2026

Huge thanks to everyone who made our Year-End exhibition and student awards celebration a success! We're incredibly proud of our students' hard work and fantastic artworks! A special shout-out to all the patrons and art supporters who uplifted our students' creative spirit by purchasing their pieces – that's the best way to support young artists! We hope you enjoyed the show! And, here are some shots from the drawing practices and projects :)

04/02/2026

Snowy and gloomy outside, vibrating with colours inside Studio A

04/02/2026

We are so appreciative of the recent visit from Annie Briard to facilitate a projector mapping workshop as well as giving a stellar artist talk!

03/21/2026

Project 2 from the Intro to Painting course explored the challenge and complexity of painting the human figure from direct observation, building foundational skills in gesture, proportion, and anatomy while investigating colour, value, and form through studies completed from a live model; through gesture drawings, tonal work, and limited-palette exercises, the class developed a deeper understanding of how the figure occupies space, culminating in these final paintings that balance observation and expression while exploring light, structure, and individual artistic strategies. **e **eart

03/18/2026

Congratulations, David 👏

🎨 Congratulations to our very own David McGregor on being named a finalist for the 2026 Rewilding Arts Prize.

The Rewilding Arts Prize, presented by the David Suzuki Foundation and partners, recognizes artists whose work explores the relationships between nature, culture, and community, and encourages new ways of thinking about environmental stewardship.

David’s selected project reflects his multidisciplinary practice, exploring the relationships between people, forests, and changing ecological systems in northern Alberta. Through sculpture, photography, printmaking, and installation, his work invites deeper reflection on land, wildfire, and our shared responsibility for the environment.

As a Visual Arts instructor at Northwestern Polytechnic, David brings these perspectives into our classrooms, encouraging students to explore the connections between art, place, and community.

We’re proud to see his work recognized on a national stage. Congratulations, David! 👏

You can learn more about David's project here 🔗 www.davidmcgregor.ca

03/17/2026

Visitor in the Arts speaker, Annie Briard, joins us on Wed, April 1st.
11:30 am - 12:30 pm/ Room D208
Free admission to attend - everyone welcome.

Annie Briard’s expanded photography and media art installations have been the object of exhibitions at Royale Projects (Los Angeles), AC Institute (New York), the Quebec Biennale, Burrard Arts Foundation (Vancouver), MKG127 (Toronto) and Joyce Yahouda Gallery (Montreal) among others. Group exhibitions have spanned North America, Europe and China, including The Three Shadows Photography Centre (Beijing), the Lincoln Film Centre (New York), the Switzerland Architecture Museum (Basel), the Canada Council for the Arts and the Vancouver Art Gallery. Her 2024 artist book The Glow of 100 Moons is distributed in Canada and the US. Briard is a Lecturer in the Faculty of Art and the Department of Graduate Studies at Emily Carr University on the unceded ancestral territories of the Coast Salish people.
www.anniebriard.com

https://www.nwpolytech.ca/about/campus-maps