Local artist Mickenzie Friesen has taken her aspiring talent to a new level this summer, submitting pieces for the Calgary Stampede art competition which were displayed throughout the week of the annual exhibition.
Friesen’s art placed high in two categories prior to the Stampede, which won her the honour of having her art displayed to the public. Over 1.1 million people visited the Stampede in July 2010.
“I got a first and a second place in the Junior Art categories,” said the 16-year-old. “It’s a once a year thing, they put the pictures on display during the actual Calgary Stampede–they’re judged before, and then they put them on display.”
Friesen works in various art genres, and submitted two pieces for the competition.
“I submitted a pastel painting–a pastel of my horse, and a clay sculpture. I like working with pastels, it’s one of my main things. And I like oil painting.”
Art is something that has always held a natural attraction.
“I’ve been drawing for a long, long, time. I’ve mainly done pastels for the last year. I’ve always enjoyed drawing and painting–I’ve been drawing ever since I could hold a pencil,” said Friesen.
Friesen hasn’t yet decided if pursuing art as a career might be an option for her, but she isn’t ruling anything out for the future.
“I’d like to maybe go to an art school when I graduate (high school). Stick with it, and see where it goes.”
She does have interests in the art world she might attempt to develop on her own.
“I’d like to try bronzing, which would be really cool, I haven’t done that yet. I think that would be awesome.”
Getting some publicity and making her art available to everyone is a goal for the future, adds Friesen.
“I’d like to see if I could get it on display. There’s a store in Lethbridge that has said they would sell pieces of my work for me if I wanted. So I’d like to get it out there, and try to enter whatever contests come up.”