Regent Gas Station and Sleek Modern Design

July 2, 2017 By Brett in Alberta, Books / Literature, History, Ontario, Photography, Society Tags: Architecture, Calgary, Canada, Industrial Design, John Parkin, Panda Associates, Toronto, Vintage 36 Comments

Regent Gas Station (Left View), Toronto (1949),

Designed by John Parkin, Photo by Hugh Robertson

Although these vintage images only showcase a humble gas station they’re amazingly good! That’s because they combine the modernist industrial design of distinguished Toronto architect John Parkin and the often-dramatic photography of Hugh Robertson and his team at Toronto’s former Panda Associates firm, both of whom helped popularize modern design in Canada during the 1950s and 60s.

Regent Gas Station (Right View), Toronto (1949),

Designed by John Parkin, Photo by Hugh Robertson

A trove of other vintage architectural photos can be seen at the Panda Associates Digital Image Collection, Canadian Architectural Archives, which is maintained by the University of Calgary, and in the book John C. Parkin, Archives and Photography: Reflections on the Practice and Presentation of Modern Architecture (University of Calgary Press 2013).

(Image Credits: Hugh Robertson/Panda Associates, Canadian Architectural Archives, University of Calgary)

The Calgary Stampede: “A Romping Rangeland Rumpus”

June 25, 2017 By Brett in Alberta, History, Society Tags: Calgary, Canada, Cowboy, Cowtown, Festivals, Rodeo, Stampede, Vintage 25 Comments

Poster from First Calgary Stampede in 1912

Many people associate Calgary, affectionately nicknamed “Cowtown”, with its annual summer Stampede in the same way that a place like New Orleans is tied to Mardi Gras. The character of those places seems inextricably linked to these major civic festivals. Prior to the area’s post-WWII oil boom, Calgary was predominantly an agricultural area and held a traditional yearly agricultural fair called the Calgary Industrial Exhibition.

The Stampede was conceived in 1912 by an American rodeo promoter, Guy Weadick, as a way to add a cowboy-themed element to the fairly staid farm-focused Exhibition. After some fits and starts the two events combined in 1923, with the Stampede under Weadick’s longtime guidance eventually overshadowing the Exhibition. Ever since, the cowboy theme has stuck with Calgary even though agriculture, farming and ranching are now only a very small part of its economy. This year’s Stampede will take place July 7-16 and, as can be seen on the official Stampede site, will be quite a spectacle with something to offer just about everyone.

Image Credits: Calgary Stampede Archive, University of Calgary

Lisa Brawn’s Vibrant Woodcuts

May 17, 2015 By Brett in Alberta, Art Tags: Alberta, Animals, Art, Calgary, Canada, Illustration, Inspiration, Woodcuts 31 Comments

Lisa Brawn, “Bluebird”

Lisa Brawn is a Calgary-based artist who painstakingly creates exquisitely vibrant woodcuts. Her subject matter ranges from wild animals to celebrities to pop culture icons. Shown here are some of her amazing images of wild birds, each with an abstract background carving that nicely complements the main subject. Brawn’s annual “Wild Bird Woodcuts” wall calendar is gorgeous and is a hot collector’s item, having quickly sold out its 2014 and 2015 print runs. More of her fabulous art can be seen at her website here.