Wednesday, October 30, 2013

A r ti s t a n d W r i t e r h o n o u r e d to b e i n c l u d e d a m o n gs t E d m o nt o n ' s T o p 4 0 U n d e r 4 0
E d m o n t o n , A B Any time a person finds themselves on a list of 'top anything', it's usually a good thing. But when that recognition comes from the place and people that fuel and nurture the work itself, that acknowledgment is all that much sweeter. So Alexis Marie Chute's inclusion in Avenue magazine's 2013 "Top 40 Under 40" sits high amongst the honours she has received for her work as an artist, writer, and volunteer. Chute hasn't been told who nominated her, but it's difficult to see how she wouldn't be recognized as one of Edmonton's best and brightest. Chute has been a high profile artist in the city for many years, exhibiting in dozens of venues at home and abroad, teaching children about the importance of art in their lives, being named an Emerging Canadian Photographer by PhotoLife Magazine, and most recently acting as Harcourt House's Artist-in-Residence. Through it all, Edmonton has been central to Chute's personal and professional development. The city has been so good to me, both directly and indirectly. I don't think of Edmonton just as my home, but as my community something that runs much deeper and is so much more important. Chute's involvement in the Edmonton community also extends into the personal realm as she reaches out to bereaved families since the loss of her own son Zachary in 2010, just moments after his birth. Instead of retreating into her grief, Chutes instinct was to encourage others who have experienced a similar loss. Apart from inspiring her own visual art, the experience saw her helping others use artistic expression as a way of coping with loss and becoming involved with recovery groups in the area along with speaking and teaching engagements. There are many people I may never meet that form part of my community here in Edmonton, whether they know it or not. People who have viewed or purchased my art, people who have connected with my blog, all these people also constitute a part of that greater whole that makes up this city. It's my honor to give back to a place that has given me so much. Alexis' blog on child loss can be viewed at www.wantedchosenplanned.com For information on her visual art, visit: www.alexismariechute.com -30To book an interview contact: Rachel Sentes, Publicist rachel@gal-fridaypublicity.com 604-366-7846

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