R. Fern Langemann
1937-2011
Biography
R. Fern Langemann particularly loved to paint in the mountains of Banff National Park, Kananaskis Country, and all the way south to Waterton Lakes National Park.
Fern’s characteristic light touch and adept use of bright color combine with her poetic sensibility to offer the viewer not only a literal view but also an intuitive interpretation of the landscape. She painted eau plein air, often for extended periods of time, returning to the same spot to capture the varying nuances of that particular scene. On the days she could not be out painting Fern finished the works in studio. When in southern Alberta, she often painted out of the Gushul Studio – an artist’s retreat in Blairmore administered by the University of Lethbridge. As she stated:
“We see nature in glimpses, even as we live within it. Painting is a way to experience and share deep feelings for the land, the need for awareness, and caring for the earth. Landscape painting is something other than the reality it portrays…a ‘mindscape,’ more about color, line, pattern, and form than ‘place’ alone. Sometimes it is a narrative. The rhythms and colors of the land create their own stories, sing their own sons, and dance to their own rhythms. They present a glimpse into an essence of the earth’s beauty and wildness-freezing time and change so we can view the fascinating complexity of the earth’s patterned disorder.”
Originally from Coaldale, Alberta, Fern Langemann lived and painted in many parts of the world, including Botswana, Central America, and Australia. Fern retired from a contributory career in art education, curriculum development, and educational administration. She had a M.A. from Simon Fraser University in Program Development, an Education Diploma from the University of Calgary (UofC) where she majored in Art Curriculum Development, and a B.Ed. from the UofC with majors in Art and French literature. She was involved with ongoing studies in painting and graphic art at the Alberta College of Art and Design and the University of Calgary as well as workshops such as “Prairie North,” Grande Prairie. Fern has taken workshops from such artists as Joe Abrecia, Yoka Hart, Brent Laycock, and Charles Movali. She was a member of the Fine Arts Specialist Council of the Alberta Teacher’s Association, and the Visual Edge, a painter’s collective.
Selected Exhibitions
2007, From One National Park to Another, solo exhibit, Willock and Sax Gallery, Banff National Park
2002, Glory of the Great Hills, solo exhibit, Willock and Sax Gallery, Waterton Lakes National Park
2002, Solo Exhibit, Ablett-Fosbrook Gallery, Calgary
1995-1999, ArtShow Gallery, Calgary
1993-1998, Leighton Centre, group exhibitions
1991-2000, Visual Edge exhibitions
1991-1995, Federation of Canadian Artists exhibitions
1991, Sunshine Show, Whyte Gallery, Banff
1989, Landscapes, SAIT, Calgary
1988, Muttart Art Gallery, Calgary
1988-1991, Alberta College of Art Gallery, Calgary
1967, Graphic Arts, Student Art Gallery, University of Calgary
Private Collections: Australia, Botswana, Canada, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Artist Statement
I paint because I have to.
I paint outdoors, on site, spending as much time in nature as possible. Working in the sun, wind, and rain intensifies my perception and pleasure.
It is earth-art.
There is exhilaration, a joy in looking and experiencing the moods and seasons of the land.
The disciplines of painting and drawing allow me to rediscover nature. I communicate my love of the land through the lovely language of color, form, line, and pattern. Paint and brush, instead of words, are how I say the land is important. They allow me to share my ‘inner landscape’, my way of seeing, and my response to place.
Painting is a bridge.
I realize the extraordinary when I draw and paint the ‘ordinary.’ I experience a joyful awareness of the amazing nature of things. This is a source of pleasure and replenishment. I have to create; it is an essential part of my life.
R. Fern Langemann