When you’re headed towards your first classes this term, you’ll likely pass a colourful window painting. Sporting NAIT’s blue and yellow colours, this new window art can be found in the CAT building on the ground floor. Its playful subjects evoke a lighthearted return to school and a welcoming social environment.
NAITSA hired artist Alixandra Jade, an Alberta-based muralist, to create the temporary work for this year’s orientation, and the Nugget talked to her about her work and background.
Jade worked on chalkboard displays with Lululemon for years before she began larger projects.
“Someone just reached out to me and was like, ‘Hey can you paint a mural and a show-home wall for a brand new building in Calgary?’”
After some brief research, Jade agreed, and modestly said that she’s “just been pretending ever since.”
The artist behind the brush
A quick look at her work clarifies that she is no pretender.
Her portfolio includes commercial work with schools, restaurants, events, halls and retail locations, along with residential work and chalk, canvas and street art projects across Canada and US cities.
Though she is familiar with the neighbourhood and knows a lot of people who went to NAIT, Jade noted that this was her first visit to the campus.
“So it’s exciting for me to be here — and I did a mural literally two blocks from here on 118th Ave behind Serenity Funeral Homes … I’ve worked a lot in this area, like for Arts on the Ave I did a lot of pop-ups.”
She now works extensively in painting, but that wasn’t always the plan. Her background includes a Bachelor of Design in Visual Communications and a minor in Business Marketing from the University of Alberta.
“I get to do what I get to do for a reason. Business is a big part of it.”
“Basically just like a fancy name for graphic design, essentially,” Jade explained. “But yeah, I kind of fell into painting. I was never a painter by trade or anything … I kind of avoided more of the fine arts stuff.”
Despite Jade’s unexpected venture into painting, her design and marketing abilities have played an important role in her success.
“I always say I run as a business first and an artist second … I get to do what I get to do for a reason. Business is a big part of it.”
While Jade’s mural will only remain until late October, students can find lots of permanent art across NAIT campus. You can find more art, such as Sheila Hardy’s 60-year old mosaic of the original NAIT logo at the entrance to the E-Wing on NAIT’s main campus or the handcrafted display of Indigenous works near the entrance to the Nîsôhkamâtotân Centre at E121.
This article was originally published in our Sept. 9 print issue.
Feature image by Alleah Boisvert/The Nugget
