
ABOUT
With an eye for the odd, Amber Solberg is an illustrator, artist, craftsperson & instructor. Hailing from the prairies, she headed east to the ocean and now splits her time between Alberta and Nova Scotia.
Since receiving a Visual Arts Diploma from Red Deer College (AB) and an Interdispiclinary BFA from NSCAD University (NS), she's evolved her practice to revolve around nature, conscious creation and storytelling. That, and that humour is her jam (although not what she'd want on toast).
With watercolours, ink, and embroidery thread, she makes work that spans from the technical to the expressive, all with an underlying creativity. To do good is a large part of her work, whether it's creating opportunities to encourage others or to fundraise for various organizations. The classes she teaches give voice to her various interests: from monsters to atmosphere, from world marvels to making stories.
CV
EDUCATION
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2018 Hand-Lettering with Kristen de Palma, with NSCAD Extended Studies (Halifax, NS)
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2017 Screenprinting with Maria Doering, with NSCAD Extended Studies (Halifax, NS)
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2013 NSCAD University, Bachelor of Fine Art, Interdisciplinary degree (Halifax, NS)
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2009 Red Deer College, Visual Art Diploma (Red Deer, AB)
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
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2016 Birds of Nova Scotia, The Nook on Gottigen Cafe (Halifax, NS)
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2015 Birds of Central Alberta, Ellis Bird Farm (Lacombe, AB)
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2014 Wandering: Experiences/Anxieties of a Recent Grad, Microgallery (Halifax, NS)
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2012 We Make Our Own Myths, Anna Leonowens Gallery (Halifax, NS)
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2011 Art In the Yard, Bentley Community Square (Bentley, AB)
SELECT GROUP EXHIBITIONS
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2019 Off the Wall, Dart Gallery
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2019 Nocturne Art At Night: Penny Lane HFX Mural (Halifax, NS)
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2019 Nocturne Art At Night: Heroes & Villains , Argyle Gallery (Halifax, NS)
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2018 Put a Bird On It, Dart Gallery (Dartmouth, NS)
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2018 Hygge, Argyle Fine Art (Halifax, NS)
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2017 10th Annual Art Under $100, Art Spot (Calgary, AB)
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2017 Rørpost, The Discovery Centre (Halifax, NS)
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2017 Maritime Convention Artists, Plan B (Halifax, NS)
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2016 Pre-Shrunk 2016, Argyle Fine Art Gallery (Halifax, NS)
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2015 David Suzuki, Hot Art Wet City Gallery (Vancouver, BC)
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2015 Silver and Gold, Eyelevel Gallery (Halifax, NS )
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2014 Nightshift, Nocturne Art at Night (Halifax, NS)
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2014 The Owls Are Not What They Seem, The Dart Gallery (Dartmouth, NS )
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2014 Cat Person Dog Person, Argyle Fine Art Gallery (Halifax, NS )
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2013 Silver and Gold, Eyelevel Gallery (Halifax, NS)
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2013 Nightshift, Nocturne Art at Night (Halifax, NS)
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2013 NSCAD Grad Exhibit, Anna Leonowens Gallery (Halifax, NS)
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2013 Khyber CXXV, The Khyber Centre for the Arts (Halifax, NS)
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2012 Final Vinyl, Craig Gallery (Halifax, NS)
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2012 Book-Art Exhibition, Blue Heron Books (Uxbridge, ON)
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2012 Pre-Shrunk 2012 , Argyle Fine Art Gallery (Halifax, NS)
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2010 Cabbages and Kings, Red Deer College (Red Deer,AB)
SELECT PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
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2019 Illustrator for Surviving Parenthood by Dr. Ayala Gorodzinsky (Halifax, NS)
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2019 Poster design for Sled Island Music Festival (Calgary, AB)
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2018 Book illustration for The Healing Compass (Benalto, AB)
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2017 Digital imagery design for publishing company, Scale Quail (Halifax, NS)
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2017 Meatballs illustrated comic review article, The Coast newspaper (Halifax, NS)
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2017 Chalkboard design and signage for Darrell's Restaurant (Halifax, NS)
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2017 Illustration design for “Re-Sip-Rocate”, a campaign through Alt-C (cross-Canada )
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2017 Logo rebranding for the Cross-Eyed Giraffe cafe (Bentley, AB)
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2016 Logo design for The Stud Muffins, Alberta-based burlesque troupe (Edmonton, AB)
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2016 Illustration of You Matter by Lisa Desgagne, a self-care book (Calgary, AB)
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2015 Poster illustration for the Festival D'Homme Orchestre (Montreal, QC )
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2015 Logo design for The Velvet Cupcakes, a burlesque troupe (Edmonton, AB)
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2015 Article illustrator for Discorder magazine (Vancouver, BC)
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2015 Logo design for Double Take Doughnuts, a sister-team snack company (Edmonton, AB)
SELECT RELATED EXPERIENCE
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2019 Project manager for Penny Lane HFX mural (Halifax, NS)
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2018 Painting performer at the Canada-wide Corona Sunset Party (Halifax, NS)
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2018 Live art entertainer at Dart Nights, The Dart Gallery (Dartmouth, NS)
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2017 Workshop coordinator with Trainyard General Store (Dartmouth, NS)
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2017 Youth workshop leader with the Discovery Centre (Halifax, NS)
& NSCAD Extended Studies -
2017 Workshop coordinator at Downtown Dartmouth's (Dartmouth, NS)
summer community events -
2017 Featured guest at the Spring Geequinox art market (Halifax, NS)
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2017 Drawing instructor for the Lacombe Art Guild society (Lacombe, AB)
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2016- C. Program coordinator for youth classes, NSCAD Extended Studies (Halifax, NS)
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2016-C. Yearly participant in NSCAD's Artist for a Day festival (HRM, NS)
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2016 Art workshop coordinator for the HFX Pop Explosion festival (Halifax, NS)
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2016 Event guest at The Discovery Centre for “Mom's a Superhero” event (Halifax, NS)
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2016 Drawing instructor with Alberta Art & Drafting Supplies (Red Deer, AB)
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2015-C. Self-taught event coordinator, making work as I travel includes:
DIY Postcards (Berlin Circus Hostel, Berlin DE)
Facepainting event (OH ME OH MY cafe, Liverpool UK)
Bookbinding workshop (Cow & Co. Cafe, Liverpool UK)
Still Life Drawing workshop (Cafe Grande, Edinburgh, UK)
Bookbinding for Beginners (Edinburgh Trade School, Edinburgh, UK)
About Face! (Edinburgh Trade Schoo,l Edinburgh UK)
Portraiture (Cafe Grande, Edinburgh UK)
Sketch with Friends (Nice FR) -
2015 Featured art guest at Leaf Cafe, part of LightNight Art Festival (Liverpool, UK)
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2014-C. Art instructor with Halifax Trade School (Halifax, NS)
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2013-C. Adult and youth art class instructor with NSCAD Extended Studies (Halifax, NS)
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2012-2014 Summer Youth Art Camp assistant, NSCAD Extended Studies (Halifax, NS)
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2012 On-site manager of the Seeds Gallery waterfront kiosk (Halifax, NS)
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2011-2013 Gallery assistant at Seeds Gallery, part of NSCAD University (Halifax, NS)
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2011-2013 Saturday Youth Art Class assistant, NSCAD Extended Studies (Halifax, NS)
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2010-2011 Post-secondary art history tutor at Red Deer College (Red Deer, AB)
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2010 Saturday art assistant to the Red Deer Museum + Art Gallery (Red Deer, AB)
PUBLICATIONS & PUBLIC MENTIONS
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2019 Surviving Parenthood by Dr. Ayala Gorodzinsky (ISBN 9780228502777)
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2019 "Halifax Beautification Project is Defaced by Graffiti", CTV News, Aug 15 5:19pm
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2019 "New Mural Brightens up Blowers Street", The Chronicle Herald, July 27
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2018 “Shop This: Cursive Pins”, The Coast Shoptalk feature, Nov 15
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2018 The Healing Compass, by Angie Schickerowski (ISBN 9781985405424)
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2017 “A Profound Call to Serve”, Understorey Magazine, issue 11
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2017 “Review: Meatballs” article by Tara Thorne, The Coast, August 10
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2017 Interview by Caora Mackenzie, The Signal podcast, January 13
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2016 "Dartmouth Comic Arts Festival is the Big Draw in Comics", The Coast, August 11
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2016 “Interview with Amber Solberg” by Sarah Poko, Periscope TV, July
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2016 “Trade School” segment with Accessible Media Inc., June 24
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2016 "Capturing Still Life", The Red Deer Advocate newspaper, January 28.
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2015 “Big Joy Barber & Salon” article, Discorder magazine, November 2
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2015 " DIY Postcards @ The Circus Berlin", The Berlin Circus Hostel, July 28.
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2014 "Trade School'ers Come for the Skills", University News, Kings College
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2013-2015 Old Heart, a weekly comic strip printed in the Dalhousie Gazette, Halifax
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2013 NSCAD Exhibition Graduation Catalogue
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2012 Seeds Waterfront Kiosk Development, NSCAD News, June 26
RESIDENCIES
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2018 MTC Subsidized Studio Space with Visual Arts Nova Scotia (Halifax, NS)
AWARDS/ SCHOLARSHIPS
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2014 Behance Portfolio Award, E3C Halifax
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2012 Alex and Christie Hunt Award, NSCAD University
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2009 Campus Management Green Scholarship, Red Deer College
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2009 Norma E. McNamara Scholarship, Red Deer College
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2008 Jason Lang Memorial Scholarship, Red Deer College
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2005 Alexander Rutherford Scholarship, Red Deer College