SIMONE ELIZABETH SAUNDERS
EDUCATION
2016-2020 Bachelor of Fine Arts Major in Fibre
*with Distinction* Alberta University of the Arts, Calgary, CA
2013-2016 Courses: Photography, Auto-Cad, Interior Decorating.
George Brown College, Toronto, CA
2002-2006 Bachelor of Fine Arts in Performance
The University of Alberta, Edmonton, CA
SCHOLARSHIPS / AWARDS
2020 National Winner - BMO 1st Art Competition - Canada
Board of Governors’ Graduating Student Award
AUArts’ Fibre Forward Award for Leadership and Community Involvement
AUArts' Research Scholarship
Surface Design Association Outstanding Student Award - rated #1 by Jury
Barbara and John Poole Family Scholarship
Illingworth Kerr Scholarship for Academic Achievement
Janet Mitchell Award - The Calgary Foundation
2019 Alberta Government Laurence Decore Award for Student Leadership
2018 Meredith Helgeson Textile Fibre Arts Scholarship
2017 Jason Lang Scholarship for Academic Achievement
2016 Alberta University of the Arts Students’ Association Award
2016-2020 President’s Honour Roll
2004/5 Jason Lang Scholarships for Academic Achievement
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2021 "u·n·i·t·y", Contemporary Calgary, Calgary, CA
2020 “TUF(t) LOVE”, Sled Island Music Festival, Calgary, CA
2019 “Duppy Dupplicity” Marion Nicoll Gallery, Calgary, CA
2019 The PolyEster Gallery, AUArts, CA
2017 “She” Solo Exhibition, Ignite! Theatre Festival, Calgary, CA
2014 “Desolate” Solo Exhibition, LemonTree Creations, Toronto, CA
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2021 "Rituals of Resilience", Minneapolis Institute of Art, Minnesota, USA
2021 “Threading Black”, Alberta Craft Council, Edmonton CA
“Threading Black”, Alberta Craft Council, Calgary, CA
2020 "BMO 1st Art!" Art Museum University of Toronto, CA
“Grad Show Exhibition” Alberta University of the Arts, CA
2019 “Odds@Ends”, Group Exhibition, King Edward C-Space, Calgary, CA
2019 “Annual President’s Art Exhibition”, Group Exhibition, AUArts, CA
2016-19 “AuArts SA Show & Sale”, Group Exhibition / Sale, AUArts, Calgary, CA
2018 “Print Exchange” Group Exhibition, Metropolitan State University, Denver, USA
2018 “Fibre Fortnight” Group Exhibition, AUArts, Calgary, CA
2017 “Textile: Contextural Celebrates Ten” Group Exhibition, Contextural, Calgary, CA
COLLECTIONS
2021 Minneapolis Institute of Art, Minnesota, USA
2021 The Mint Museum, Charlotte, North Carolina, USA
PUBLICATION
2021 Calgary Herald - "Every Fibre of Being" Feature, 11/06/21
Studio Magazine - Vol. 16 #2
Love Embroidery - Issue #17 , UK
Textiel Plus- Netherlands
Create Magazine - Women's Issue #25
UpperCase Magazine Yarn-Thread-String Edition - Canada
House&Home Magazine Jan/Feb Edition - Canada
Black Artist Research Space - Carryin' On Collection 1- Baltimore USA
Canadian Theatre Review - Spring Edition, Canada
2020 Pom-Pom Quarterly Magazine - London, England
Canadian Art Magazine, Fall Edition
FAIRLADY Magazine, Cape Town, South Africa
Surface Design Association - Quarterly Print Publication Feature, Fall Edition, Global
The Kit - Toronto Star - Feature Online and Print, Canada
The Calgary Herald - YOU Cover Story, Calgary, CA
MEDIA
2020 CBCq Interview with Tom Power, Canada
CBC Radio Interview with Adrienne Pan, Edmonton, CA
CBC “Opening Up” curated video, Canada
@INSTAGRAM - #ShareBlackStories Weekly Feature to 353 Million Followers
@CBCArts Instagram - Feature Artist 3 posts
Yahoo!Life - Artist Feature, Online
CBC Primetime - What’re You At? With Tom Power- S.1. E. 10, Canada
CBC Radio One - Homestretch Live Interview
CBC ARTS - featured artist - Long Distance Art Series
Ragged Life Rag Rug- Interview / Featured Artist, Great Wymondley, England
2019 Makersyyc.com - Interview by Karen Klassen, Calgary, CA
2019 CTV, Global, CBC Primetime News - AUArts Students’ Association President,CA
2017 CTV Morning Show – Show and Sale, AUArts, Calgary, CA
2017 CBC Homestretch – Show and Sale, AUArts,Calgary, CA
2017 Breakfast Television City TV – Show and Sale, AUArts, Calgary, CA
DIGITAL FEATURES
2021 Mashable - NYC
THIS Magazine - CA
SheCurates
2020 Caroline Kipp - Artist Feature - George Washington University Museum and Textile Museum.
Colossal - Artist Feature - Chicago based
Design Milk - Artist Feature - Pittsburg based
Booooooom - Artist Feature - Vancouver based
Galleries West - Artist Feature - Calgary based
Nia Centre for the Arts - Toronto - CA
HookingRugs.Com- Feature Podcast with Deanne Kirkpatrick, Nova Scotia
Long Distance Art Series - The Social Distancing Festival Collaborative Series - Toronto based
Social Distancing Festival - Featured Artist - Global Online Exhibition
RELATED EXPERIENCE
2006-Now Professional Actor, Theatre and Film, CA
2018- 2019 President of the Students’ Association, AuArts SA, Calgary, CA
2017- 2018 Student Group’s Coordinator, AUArts SA, Calgary
2007-2011 Founding Member Ellipsis Tree Collective, Theatre Company, Calgary, CA
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
2020-21 Surface Design Organization Member
Alberta Craft Council Member
2013- Present Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists, ACTRA, CA
2008-Present Canadian Actors Equity Association, CAEA, CA
COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIPS
2018-19 AUArts Board of Governors Member, Calgary, CA
Advancement Committee, BOG AUArts, CA
Student Leadership Committee, Chair, AUArts SA, Calgary, CA
Executive Committee Chair, AUArts SA
Policy Committee Chair, AUArts SA
President’s Student Advisory Committee Member, AUArts
Honorary Degree Committee Member, AUArts
Finance Committee Member, AUArts SA
University Transition Committee Member, AUArts
Sexual Violence Working Policy Committee Member, AUArts
Ad Hoc Sexual Violence Committee, Alberta Students’ Executive Council, Calgary, CA
2017 Student Groups Jury Chair, AUArts Students’ Association, CA
RESIDENCIES
Contemporary Calgary, Field Trip: Across Canada
Contextural Studio Residency
Ignite! Festival Artist in Residence
LemonTree Studio Residency
One Yellow Rabbit Summer Intensive (x2)
ARTIST TALKS
2021 The Nickle Galleries
Alberta Craft Council
2020 Alberta University of the Arts Alumni Speaker
WORKSHOPS
“Felting” The Wool Mine, Calgary, CA
Elder Casey Eagle Speaker, Lodgepole Centre and Stoney Nakoda First Nation
CONFERENCES
“The Gathering” Cult Branding, Banff, CA
“StudentCare” Montreal, CA
“The Art of Leadership for Women” Calgary, CA
“Ruined” Theater Conference Speaker, Denver, USA
