Art at Sled Alley: Stacey Bru
Arroy (AJ) Jacob, Web Editor |
The Sled Island Music & Arts Festival seeped through the city streets from Wednesday, June 19th, until Sunday, June 23rd. Venues ranging from the Palomino, to the Alcove Centre for the Arts, allowed Calgarians to celebrate expression through music, comedy, and art exhibitions.
A popular venue in downtown Calgary was Sled Alley, which featured all three mediums. Food trucks were stationed close to tents, which housed city-based services for artists. The ambience of this outdoor extravaganza was paired with live music, attracting more and more Calgarians to visit with each song.
And for visual artists, many from across the country came to set up shop and promote their illustrations, merchandise, and creative portfolios.
One of these vendors was Stacey Bru (@staceyleebru | staceybru.com), a self-taught illustrator based in Calgary who also runs Recess, a popular art supply store in Inglewood.
“Ever since I was really little I always wanted to be a painter, and so I guess I became a painter. I’m 32, and I didn’t start producing work that I was proud of until my late 20s. If I went to school it might have been earlier, but it’s either school or stubbornness, and that’s what got me through the door.”
“I love making art. Even if I didn’t make money off of it, I would still do it.”
Artists like Bru are among the many we’ve seen at this year’s Sled Island Music and Arts Festival. When asked about their experience setting up shop for Sled Alley, Bru commended the organizer’s choice of location.
Stacey Bru’s display of stickers, graphics and various other products at Sled Alley 2024. Photo by Bruk Zewdie.
“It’s just a really nice environment. I’m very comfortable here, there’s lots of space for everyone. I think we had a lot of foot traffic, and brought a lot of people who maybe wouldn’t normally attend art markets, like those in the music scene rather than the visual arts, so Sled Alley was a good opportunity to mix in both kinds of people.”
Bru was one of the many artists who enjoyed Sled Island’s welcoming opportunity to showcase Canadian expression and solidify its importance within our society.
Visit the official Sled Island Music & Arts Festival website to showcase your work for Sled Alley 2025.
Learn more about Stacey Bru’s services through their Instagram, @staceyleebru, and website (staceybru.com) and visit their art supply shop, Recess, in Inglewood.
