Bio

Nikki Gour was born and raised in Peace River, Alberta. In 1996 she moved to Calgary, Alberta where she currently resides. While enrolled at the Alberta College of Art and Design, Gour had the opportunity to create works of Art for the Calgary Science Center and the Down Town Charity Garden Auction, where she won The Best Overall Design Award.  In 2006, she completed her Bachelors of Fine Arts Degree. Shortly after, she developed her own studio and gallery space; it was time for Gour to take a leap of faith and start her creative journey.

Having spent some time as a visiting Artist throughout Alberta, has brought her the opportunity of teaching with The Alberta Teachers Association in 2008 and the Bowness Community Association. As the doors of opportunity opened, Gour spent some time working with her community of Bowness, creating large murals with the Boys and Girls Club and Urban Youth Worx.

These experiences fostered Gour’s interest with public art which motivated her to focus her time on further developing her ideas within her art practice, with the intent of applying it to the public art realm at some point in time. Over the years Gour has exhibited her works of Art throughout several galleries within Alberta including Art Central, Dade Arts and Design Lab, the Triangle Gallery, the Fairview Fine Arts Gallery and Time Raiser. Currently, she exhibits and sells her work at the Evanescence Gallery in High River, the Endeavor Arts Gallery in Calgary and her own private gallery. Her involvement with several different art collectives, such as Art!Bowmont and ab-straKt 373 has enhanced her experience of working with other Artists.

Several of Gour’s paintings have been donated to different fund raiser events throughout Alberta to help raise funds for important causes. Articles of Gour’s exhibitions have been published in Stephen Magazine, Calgary Journal, Peace River Record Gazette, Educating Tomorrow’s Citizens Today and the Bowst’ner.

Currently, Gour works with resin, glass and metal materials creating paintings and sculptures. The main focus of her work is letting the material transform into a new form of Art. Gour continues her creative journey with the intent of furthering her knowledge and experience of exhibiting her work throughout the world.

"Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere." Albert Einstein

Curriculum Vitae

Education:

2001-2006       Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree Sculpture Major, Alberta College of Art & Design,

                        Calgary, Alberta

Awards/Scholarships:

2010    Most Original Tree, Festival of Trees 2010, Peace River Alberta

2008    Certificate of Recognition, Alberta’s Teachers Convention Association 2008, Red Deer, Alberta

2003    Jason Lang Scholarship, Alberta College of Art & Design, Calgary, Alberta

2003    Best Overall Design Award, The Downtown Chair-ity Garden Party, Calgary, Alberta

Exhibitions:

2011    “Home & Hearth”, Evanescence Gallery, High River, Alberta

2011    “Home for the Holidays”, Java Domain, Peace River, Alberta

2011    “Less Than 1000 Exhibit”, Dade Gallery, Calgary, Alberta

2011    “Canadian Artists: Group Exhibition”, Endeavor Arts Gallery, Calgary, Alberta

2011    “Nikki Gour Exhibit”, Nikki Gour Gallery, Calgary, Alberta

2011    “Open House Art Exhibit”, Nikki Gour Gallery, Calgary, Alberta

2011    “4th Annual Timeraiser, Vancouver, B.C

2011    “The Works Festival”, Art Market-Sir Churchill Square, Edmonton, Alberta

2011    “Art!Bowmont: Art in The Park”, Shouldice Park, Calgary, Alberta

2011    “Group Exhibit”, Endeavor Arts Gallery, Calgary, Alberta

2011    “Summer Group Exhibit”, Resolution Gallery, Calgary, Alberta

2011    ”6th Annual Timeraiser”, Calgary, Alberta

2011    “FOUR”, Endeavor Arts Gallery, Calgary Alberta

2011    “Western Art with a Twist”, Endeavor Arts Gallery Calgary, Alberta

2011    “Calgary Communities Against Sexual Abuse” Group Exhibit, The Stoneworx Gallery, Art

                        Central, Calgary, Alberta

2010    "Restoration", Resolution Gallery, Calgary, Alberta

2010    “Group Exhibit”, Endeavor Arts Gallery, Calgary, Alberta

2009    “Cochrane Ecological Institute Fundraiser”, Cochrane Wild Life ReserveSociety, Cochrane,

                        Alberta

2009    "Worn Armour and Ghost of Dreams", Vicious Circle, Calgary, Alberta

2009    "Studio Art Sale", Triangle Gallery, Calgary, Alberta

2009    "Nikki Gour, Post Exhibit: Art Central, Calgary, Alberta

2009    "IGNITE", Pumphouse Theatre, Calgary, Alberta

2009    "New York Dreams", Bell Petroleum Center, Peace River, Alberta

2008    "Art Works", Bilton Contemporary Art Gallery, Red Deer, Alberta

2008    "Nikki Gour", Belle Petroleum Centre, Peace River, Alberta

2007    "Grasslands Love Jubilee", Bieseker, Alberta

2005    "Thriller", Temporary Exhibition, 31 Ave 32 Street NE, Calgary, Alberta

2003    "The Downtown Chair-ity Garden Party", Calgary Eaton's Center, Calgary, Alberta

Public Commissions:

2011    “Bowness Railway Community Gardens”, Urban Youth Worx, Calgary, Alberta   

2010    "Community Belongings", Bowness Boys and Girls Club, Calgary, Alberta           

2010    "Community" Terrace Road Paint the Pavement Project, Montgomery, Calgary, AB

2010    “Numbers Painting”, TaXcetra, Peace River, Alberta           

2009    "Boogies Burgers", Boogies Burgers Calgary, Alberta          

2006    "Logo Design", Country Sunshine Promenade, Peace River, Alberta

2004    "Mind Storms", Calgary Science Center, Calgary, Alberta   

Private Commissions:

2011    “Sun Dance 2”, Calgary, Alberta

2011    “Homage to the Wood that Caused Such Distruction”, Calgary, Alberta    

2011    “Snowboarding NYC”, Calgary Alberta       

2009    “Dream Catcher”, Rain Bow Lake, Alberta  

2009    "Farmers Feed the World", Festival of Trees, Peace River, Alberta

2009    “Metal Fish”, Peace River Alberta     

2009    “Windows”, Peace River Alberta      

2009    "The Highs and Lows", Calgary, Alberta

2009    "Past Present Future", Alberta           

2009    “Jack Thomas”, Calgary Alberta        

2009    "1960’s T.V Coffee Table", Calgary, Alberta

Memberships & Collectives:

2009     art!Bowmont, Calgary, Alberta

2011     ab-straKt373, Calgary, Alberta

2012     Alberta Craft Council, Edmonton, Alberta

 

Professional Activities:

2011    Donation, “H.O.P.E. Opportunity for People Everywhere, Silent Auction”, Calgary, Alberta

2011    “Sales & Exhibit”, Suncatcher’s Design Studio, Bragg Creek, Alberta

2011    Donation, “Kicks ART”, Calgary Communities Against Sexual Assault, Stone Worx Gallery,

                        Calgary, Alberta

2011    Donation. The Philharmonic Orchestra Calgary, Alberta

2010    Founder/Teacher. "Artin Out Art Program", Bowness Community Association, Calgary, Alberta

2010    Workshop. "Public Sculpture: Community", Boys and Girls Club Youth Block Party, Calgary,

                        Alberta

2010    Visiting Artist. "Process Art", Lindsay Thurber Comprehensive High School, Red Deer, Alberta

2010    Donation, The Philharmonic Orchestra, Calgary, Alberta

2009    Curatorial Duties: Endeavor Arts Gallery, Calgary, Alberta

2009    Demonstrator: "Nikki Gour Paintings", Art Walk, Calgary, Alberta

2009    Volunteer: Triangle Gallery, Calgary, Alberta

2009    Visiting Artist: "Process Art Using Found Objects", Lindsay Thurber High School,

                        Red Deer, Alberta

2008    Visiting Artist: "Process Art Using Found Objects", Peace River High School, Peace River,

                        Alberta

2008    Donation, "Burden Bears Silent Auction", Peace River, Alberta

2008    Visiting Artist: "Art Works Visual Art Conference", Red Deer College, Red Deer, Alberta

2008    Presenter: "Process Art & Found Objects", 2008 Central Alberta Teachers Convention

                        Association, Red  Deer, Alberta

2007   Visiting Artist: "Process Art", Lindsay Thurber Comprehensive High School, Red Deer, Alberta

Publications:

2011 Jun         "Calgarians Pledge 7,000+ Volunteer Hours at 6th Annual Timeraiser", 

                                            http://www.avenuecalgary.com/blogs/calgarians-pledge-7000-volunteer-                                      hours-at-6th-annual-timeraiser#

2011 Sept        “Calgary Herald”, “Back to School, back to the Arts”, Written by Kathleen Renne,

                                    Calgary Herald, Calgary, Alberta

2011 Mar        “Bowst'ner”, “Art in Bowness Railway Garden”, Written by: Joan Shearer, Calgary,

                                    Alberta.

2010 Nov        “Peace River Record Gazette”, “Festival of Trees Raises Funds Despite Smaller

                                    Crowd at Gala”, Written by: Kristjanna Grimmelt, Peace River, Alberta

2010 Nov        “Bowness Vital Actions Report”, “Creating a Vibrant Neighbourhood 2010”

                                    Written by: Bowness Community Association, Calgary, Alberta.

2010 Sept        "Educating Tomorrow’s Citizens Today", "Terrace Road School and Partners

                                    Gather to Promote Strong Community Values", Web Admin by Laura Diemert,

                                    Calgary’s public school system, Calgary, Alberta.

2010 Sept        “Bowst'ner”, "A Toast to Good Times Past, Present and Future", Written by Derek

                                    Podlubny, Calgary, Alberta.

2010 May       “Stephen Magazine”, "Open Spaces: Window to a view", Written by:Dianne Quan,

                                    Epcor Centre for Performing Arts, Calgary, Alberta.

2010 Jun         “Calgary Herald: Neighbours”, “Art in The Park: art!Bowmont Collective”,

                                    Written by: Kathleen Renne, Calgary, Alberta.

2010 Jul          “Bowst'ner”, “Boys and Girls Club Unveils Collaborative Youth Art Project”,

                                    Written by: Tina Buikema, Calgary, Alberta.

2009 Oct         "Calgary Journal", "Local Artist Exhibit Downtown Train Station",

                                    Written by: Aaron Chatha, Calgary, Alberta.

2008 Nov        “Peace River Record Gazette”, "Sculpting an Artistic Future", Written by: Ivan

                                    Danielewicz, , Peace River, Alberta.

2006 Apr        “Peace River Record Gazette”, "Nikki Gour Finds Meaning in the Masses",

                                     Written By: Krisjanna Grimmeltby, Peace River, Alberta.

 

 
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