Episode 59: Art Bus
Host Adora Nwofor gets the story behind the seven Calgary Transit buses wrapped with original artworks
Seven Calgary Transit buses are bringing art and whimsy to different routes around the city this fall through Calgary Arts Development’s Art Bus project. Living a Creative Life host Adora Nwofor recently checked out the buses and chatted with some of the artists and others involved in the project at a public launch event at Olympic Plaza.
According to Project Lead Natasha Jensen, it was an interesting concept for these artists to navigate. “We had this incredibly weird canvas to figure out how things wrap, how to design around a bus. A lot of those artists were incredibly skilled at designing around the weird parts of windows and doors and creating, like, really whimsical moments.”
Each bus tells a different story — artist Lyndon Navalta’s artwork was inspired by flowers and the colours and nature found on Nose Hill, something that he hopes will inspire those who see it when the weather starts to turn cold.
“(I want people to feel) definitely just the warmth and comfort of just the colours, especially in our winters where it’s grey and, you know, miserable sometimes, and long for sure. That’s why the flowers kind of came about, this idea of hope, having something to look forward to when spring comes.”
The artwork designed by Natalia Ionescu explores a different theme on each side of the bus.
“(On one side) it’s more about those hopeful or imaginative dreams or daydreams you might have while you’re sitting on the bus, maybe listening to music, maybe kind of zoning out, it’s more of a peaceful thing, thinking about the future and optimistic possibilities,” she says. “Whereas the other side it’s more about being one with nature, visiting a public park and kind of experiencing a sort of tranquility while being out in one of our many public parks and just more a theme of introspection I guess.”
It is estimated that these buses will be viewed more than 10 million times over the next few months, with 78 per cent of Calgarians seeing the buses seven times.
Tune into this episode of Living a Creative Life to learn more about the Art Bus project and those involved in bringing it to life.
About the Living a Creative Life Web Series
As a salute to the thousands of Calgarians who are living creative lives, Calgary Arts Development has launched this web series to celebrate creative living in our city.
The Living a Creative Life web series, hosted by local activist and comedian Adora Nwofor and produced by Bamboo Shoots, will release a new episode each month, featuring stories of Calgarians living creatively.
Have a story to share? Email us at submissions@calgaryartsdevelopment.com.
Tune in and be sure to subscribe to the #yycLCL channel on YouTube for premiere reminders.
