As the welders cool and the chisels are laid to rest, Common Sense Gallery in North Edmonton prepares for its curtain call. Common sense nomore is the final exhibit at the gallery, marking the end of a creative era for a collective of sculptors who have called this space home for over 15 years. The gallery, located in north Edmonton, has been a haven for these artists, who formed the North Edmonton Sculpture Workshop (NESW), sharing not only a physical space but also a shared language of critique and creation.
Sculptor Rob Willms, who has been a long-time member of the NESW, reflects on the unique atmosphere that the collective fostered. “We shared a vocabulary… we shared a willingness to be critical, to receive criticism of our own things, but to share that criticism with each other without taking it personally.”
This collaborative spirit allowed them to challenge and refine each other’s work, always striving to transform raw, often discarded materials into something beautiful.
Sculpture, particularly in steel, is not a fleeting endeavour. It requires time, patience, and a willingness to embrace both the beauty and the flaws inherent in the process. For the NESW, the mission was internal, a shared language of critique and creation that fostered a deep bond among its members. “We weren’t just making art; we were exploring the difficulty of making something beautiful out of garbage,” Willms explains. “Our mission wasn’t externally driven but rather an exploration for ourselves, trying to find something extraordinary within the ordinary.”
The final exhibit serves as both a celebration and a farewell — a gathering of 30 large sculptures as well as fragments that reflect the collective’s legacy.
But as the neighbourhood evolved, the gallery’s days became numbered, with rising costs cutting into the workshop’s once-solid foundation. “The market is forcing us to go our separate ways,” Willms says, with a mix of resignation and gratitude. “We’ve been incredibly fortunate to have had this space to create freely, with very little oversight. It’s been an incredible venue and a collective effort that we’ll always cherish.”
While the future remains uncertain for the members of the NESW, the Aug. 17 exhibit offers a rare opportunity to witness the culmination of years of creativity, collaboration and community. It’s a bittersweet moment, as the collective members, who have balanced their artistic pursuits with day jobs, now prepare to part ways. Yet, as Willms put it, “You have to just be glad for having had that opportunity as long as we did.”
