June 1, 2023 Art and Reclamation

For tickets to this event, go to Eventbrite.

Shannon Carla King has been creating and selling art since she was 13 years old. She grew up on a farm in the foothills of central Alberta and painting was her pastime outside of doing farm chores.

 My career in the energy industry was an opportunity in disguise when I discovered a purpose for my art: to share a message and educate others by depicting the beautiful landscapes created through reclamation, preservation and conservation. I am a product of my environment, growing up in a small farming community and having a long career in the energy industry as well as in the arts.

 I believe art can be used as a tool to advocate where reclamation and conservation typically does not have a voice in public spaces. If done well, this work is invisible to the public. It is also typically in spaces the public cannot access – yet it provides a home to many diverse species of vegetation (plants) and animals.

 My art means being true to myself, taking the most authentic amalgamation of all my experiences and ensuring I am not filtering out a part of me that is anything less than the sum of all my experiences.

Cody Battershill is an accomplished Calgary-based realtor and passionate energy advocate. Cody is a leading voice in the Canadian natural resource industry as the founder of Canada Action, a non-profit natural resource advocacy initiative.

Cody has become widely recognized for his unwavering commitment to promoting responsible energy development while championing a balanced approach to economic growth and environmental sustainability.

In addition to his outstanding work in real estate and energy advocacy, Cody is a devoted community leader, passionately involved in numerous organizations and initiatives in Calgary. In 2023, he received the prestigious Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal (Alberta) for his contributions to the province and Canada.

Tanya Richens is a Professional Agrologist with a Bachelor of Natural Resource Science. She’s worked in the field of oil sands reclamation for 23 years as a researcher, a regulator with the Government of Alberta, and with industry.

While much of her career has been focused on reclamation of oil sands mines, she now enjoys reclaiming borrow pits and sand & gravel pits used to support in situ oil sands development, and subsequently returning them to the Crown. Tanya’s experience in multi-stakeholder forums, policy development, and regulation of oil sands reclamation supports valuable conversations regarding regulator and stakeholder expectations for the reclaimed landscape.

Tanya is proud of the reclamation that is completed in Alberta and is always open to sharing information with whomever is happy to listen. Tanya is a dog-loving foodie who plans her vacations and motorcycle trips around food because it's a great way to learn about local people and cultures.

Deborah Jaremko is the Director of content and website management at the Canadian Energy Centre. The Canadian Energy Centre’s mandate is to promote Canada as the supplier of choice for the world’s growing demand for responsibly produced energy. It is an independent provincial corporation that is primarily supported by the Government of Alberta’s industry-funded Technology, Innovation and Emissions Reduction (TIER) fund.

Deborah is the former editor of jwnenergy.com and oilsands editor for the Daily Oil Bulletin. She was editor of Oilsands Review magazine from its founding in 2006 to its close in 2017. Colleagues have described her as passionate about her role and has the ability to produce a cutting-edge publication that is as palatable as it is informative.

Her editorial judgment is excellent, and she has been described as unusually passionate about the oil sands as an essential and viable petroleum resource.

Doug Swinton has been emersed in the arts since he was a kid, as documented in his grade school math books, which were embellished with countless doodles and drawings. The spectacular prairie and mountain landscapes of Calgary is where he has lived his entire life, where it also has provided endless inspiration for his bold, uninhibited style.

Doug is no stranger to the energy industry where his dad was employed as an engineer and was involved in many aspects of reclamation.

Doug’s paintings are housed in private and public collections around the world. In addition to being one of the most approachable and charismatic painters I have met – he generously shares his craft with amateur and professional artists alike.

His podcasts “Art and Gibberish” and “Straight Outta the Tube” are foundational to the arts community and its emerging artists. Swinton's Art Supply & Instruction is Alberta's largest, privately owned art facility. With over 10,000 products, having a working knowledge of these items is very important. It has been their practice to hire working artists in the store thus giving customers leading advice on what materials to use and how best to use them.