Our Disappearing Grasslands – Jean Blackall
Our Disappearing Grasslands – Jean Blackall
Opening Reception:
Saturday, January 24, 2026 – Music and refreshments from 7pm – 9pm.
The gallery will be open from 5pm – 9pm that evening as part of the Gallery Hop with LA Gallery 2.0, Trianon Gallery, the Southern Alberta Art Gallery, and Legend Art Gallery.
The gift Grasslands National Park gives to me is that first deep breath of prairie wind (sweet sage and grass) as I step into the dawn from my camper. That essence of grasslands carried on the morning wind goes somewhere primordial inside me. It causes me to ache to capture the energy of that primitive awareness with my paints. As I contemplate this, I feel sadness rise knowing that more and more of our remaining grasslands are being turned by the plough or eaten up by development.
Provincial Parks and National Parks are doing the work of preserving this important element of our western Canadian landscape. Alberta has preserved a network of parks and protected areas that conserve grasslands, but the pressure is always there to bend to economic need to make land financially productive. The larger parks like Grasslands National Park can give visitors a concrete sense of what it is to live on pure grassland. This is something which speaks to our deepest selves.
Grasslands are always endangered by invasive species and overgrazing. However, the largest threat to our remaining grasslands is human greed. Humans want the land to produce dollars. Emotional and historic experience is never enough for the expanding economic needs of humans.
We need to stand in the grasslands and give praise to The Creator.
Following secondary school, Ms. Blackall attended H.B. Beal School of Special Art in London, Ontario (School of Jack Chambers, Greg Curnoe, Murrary Favro) where she studied sculpture, painting, drawing from the human figure and elements of design. Later, Ms. Blackall pursued further training in drawing, watercolour and portraiture at Capilano College, North Vancouver, transferring to Simon Fraser University to complete her Bachelor of General Studies. Ms. Blackall has continued her art education through Continuing Studies with Emily Carr University and through courses organized by the Fed. Of Canadian Artists.
While living in Saudi Arabia, (2000,2001) Ms. Blackall won the People’s Choice Award and the Juries Choice Award at the Canadian Embassy Exhibition in 2001. Ms. Blackall has used sketch books continuously during her travels and her life. These sketch books have become a cornerstone source for paintings as well as her teaching of travel drawing and nature study. She was juried to active status Federation of Canadian Artists (2002) and Juried to full membership Alberta Society of Artists (2008)
Date:January 24th, 2026 - March 13th, 2026
Location:Casa - Passage Gallery
Casa Program Guide
The Casa Program Guide is produced three times a year; Winter, Spring/Summer and Fall. Inside the guide find listings for the upcoming class and workshop schedule, upcoming exhibitions at The Gallery, information about artists in residence and seasonal events in the building. Program guides are free. Pick-up guides at Casa or at facilities throughout the city.