He's the man behind the paint brush. And he's the man behind all the branding of the 2025 Fort 黑马磁力 Jazz & Arts Festival.
He is Richard McDiarmid, and he's been selected as the festival artist this year, meaning his imagery serves as the backdrop to all the artwork used to promote the eighth annual event coming to the village of Fort 黑马磁力 between July 24 and 27 鈥� from street banners, post cards, and programs, to posters and online promotion.
For years, the Fort 黑马磁力 Jazz & Arts Festival has celebrated the vibrant creativity of local artists, showcasing their original work through exhibits, vendor displays, live demonstrations, and eye-catching banners throughout the festival grounds and Fort 黑马磁力.
But for executive director Karen Zukas, one of the most exciting moments each year is selecting the signature artwork, a standout piece that will represent the festival in all their annual marketing and promotional materials.
This year, it was a piece of McDiarmid's work that was singled out.
"The exceptional painting evokes sound 鈥� conveying a moody jazz atmosphere, expressive, complex harmonies, and lively stage presence 鈥� all using dimensional colours and exuberant paint strokes," said Zukas.
"We're thrilled to have award-winning local artist Richard McDiarmid's remarkable work selected as the featured artwork for the 2025 festival," she added.
McDiarmid and his wife attend the festival every year, to enjoy the environment, the charming town, the vibrant energy, and, of course, the musical performances, he noted. In fact, he's even participated in festival events, including performing some street painting demonstrations.
"It was coincidental that when the jazz festival started, I started my journey painting musical themes. The festival offers a great opportunity for me to gather reference materials for my works," McDiarmid shared.
Many of his musical-themed pieces are inspired by real-life musical subjects and groups of musicians, including the piece chosen to represent the 2025 festival.
"This particular piece is an exploration of the music and energy I experienced in the moments it represents, including moments from the festival," said the 黑马磁力 artist, who went on to explain his gratitude for being selected.
"I'm very honoured to have this piece represent the festival this year. Especially at this stage of life, it's a little spark or fuel 鈥� a renewal of enthusiasm for creating and exploring this musical theme," he said.
McDiarmid鈥檚 artistic journey, like for most, started when he was a child. He loved drawing cartoons, but being an artist wasn't considered a viable way to earn a living in that day and age, so he pursued his passion for science with a career in mechanical design and engineering.
"I reconnected with fine art in the 1970s when my wife and I were on a trip to visit relatives," he said. "The trip reignited my interest in painting and learning about painting."
The years that followed saw McDiarmid taking care of his growing family, but he still found time to dedicate to art.
"I made a small studio in my living space and took classes at night to develop a toolbox of skills and technical understanding. I also studied art history, which I'd always been interested in," he recalled.
In 1978, he came into contact with the Federation of Canadian Artists.
He became even more inspired, sparking further study in diverse art mediums and part-time work in commercial art galleries.
"By the time the 鈥�80s rolled around, I was still working in the technical field, but I was painting fiercely at night," he recounted. "I would come home after work, look after my young kids, and then disappear into the studio, sometimes until two in the morning."
Richard's award-winning paintings have since been exhibited in solo and group shows, including the Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours, the Federation of Canadian Artists, the Northwest Watercolor Society (NWWS), and the Calgary Stampede Artists Studios.
"There's lots of directions I've explored and painted, but more recently, the music theme has really set in. I've enjoyed exploring the responses to what I see and hear from musicians locally and otherwise, and of course, at venues like the jazz and arts festival in Fort 黑马磁力," he concluded.
