About The Art of Farming

Unveiled for the first time at the Edmonton Expo Centre during Farmfair International, The Art of Farming offers visitors a fresh perspective on agriculture.

This is an exciting new collaboration between The Works Art & Design Festival, Farmfair International, and Explore Edmonton that brings together the worlds of agriculture and visual art in a dynamic and unexpected way. This pilot project reimagines the bounty of Alberta’s agriculture through the lens of contemporary art, celebrating the materials, skills, and stories that sustain our food systems. It invites exploration of the diversity, detail, and design shared by both farming and art, bringing together foods grown by local farmers into a colourful representation of Alberta’s bounty.

DESIGNED BY ARTIST THEODORA HARASYMIW

Theo is a Canadian visual artist whose practice bridges mosaic, painting, and ceramics to create vibrant, story-rich works rooted in community and culture. She graduated from the University of Alberta in 1996 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts, majoring in Painting and minoring in Classics, a foundation that continues to inform her deep engagement with history, myth, and narrative. In 2010, Harasymiw embraced mosaic as her central focus, studying extensively in the United States and Italy. This immersion opened new ways of storytelling through colour, texture, form, and material, allowing her to connect contemporary community voices with timeless traditions.

Sneak Peek

Before the show-stopping food-themed installation takes its place, the display itself has to be built and that’s where the magic begins! These behind-the-scenes photos capture the early stages of constructing the structure that will soon showcase a visually stunning masterpiece.

THANK YOU TO OUR COLLABORATORS

Little Potato Company

We grow our little potatoes for you on family farms, and we consider our farmers to be our partners. We seek to create long-term, generational relationships with them and their families so we can continue to grow and innovate together. Our little potatoes are easy to prep, and ready to cook. They are naturally buttery in taste, highly nutritious, and ready in as little as five minutes. We provided red, yellow and blue little potatoes to the “Art of Farming” display.

Edmonton Corn Maze

Come experience the best of farm life at our farm just outside of the city. We are so much more than a Corn Maze! Interact with our adorable farm animals including goats, pigs, rabbits, and chickens or take a ride on the corn cob express. Test your aim with our spud gun, play exciting games and putt your way through our mini golf course. Perfect for families and groups, and perfect for making lasting memories.

Old Strathcona Farmers Market

Since 1983, the Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market has been a cornerstone of Edmonton's local food and artisan community. Located in the historic heart of Old Strathcona, the market hosts over 130 vendors offering a wide range of products, celebrating local, Alberta Farmers and artisans. The market continues to evolve while celebrating community, supporting local businesses, and contributing to the vibrancy of Edmonton’s core.

Alberta Sugar Beet Growers

We proudly represent the 200 families who grow Canada’s last source of homegrown sugar, all across 28,000 acres in Southern Alberta. Since 1925, Alberta Sugar Beet Growers has supported these farmers through advocacy, education, and sustainable practices, ensuring a high-quality, ethically produced sugar crop for Canadians. Look for the '22' factory stamp on Rogers Sugar bags, which indicates the sugar was processed in the Taber, AB plant from sugar beets.

GRO

GRO is pleased to support the "Art of Farming" initiative. Increased visibility, viability and profitability of producers is in all our best interests. GRO is a member of the Agricultural Research and Extension Council of Alberta (ARECA), and collaborates with and mutually supports other applied research and forage associations across our province.

Rainbow Acres Pantry

RAINBOW ACRES has been selling quality Fruits and Vegetables direct to happy consumers at The Old Strathcona Farmers Market for over 40 years. Come check out a wide variety of nutritious foods as well as delicious jams, crisp old fashioned-pickles, relish and so much more handmade goodness!

Maplewood Acres Greenhouse

MAPLEWOOD ACRES Market Garden and Greenhouse is a family run business owned by Doug and Margaret Lyseng. Our popular greenhouses in our quiet rural getaway northwest of Camrose is staffed with wonderful "green thumb" kind of people who are local to the area. We have one of the busiest booths at the Old Strathcona Farmer’s market in Edmonton, which we attend every Saturday.