Gushul Studio Historical Sign to be unveiled

Crowsnest Heritage Initiative

Press release

Community Futures Crowsnest Pass and Crowsnest Heritage Initiative request the pleasure of your attendance at an Historical Sign unveiling:
Gushul Studio
13301 19 Avenue, Blairmore, Crowsnest Pass
Thursday, April 5, 2012 at 2:00 pm



The Crowsnest Pass Heritage Initiative will unveil the Gushul Studio’s Heritage sign on Thursday, April 5, 2012. The Gushul Studio is one of the many treasures within the historic Crowsnest Pass and is part of the Crowsnest Heritage Initiative’s Driving Route and Historical Walking tour.

The Gushul Studio and Cottage reopened in 1988 as a site for creative residencies for professional artists and writers. Owned by the University of Lethbridge and managed through the Gushul Studio Residency Program Committee, Faculty of Fine Arts, this facility has hosted over 200 artists, scholars and other professionals, and has offered inspiration and sanctuary for the production of their work.

Special Guests at the unveiling are representatives from The University of Lethbridge Faculty of Fine Arts department Dr. Desmond Rochfort, Katherine Wasiak and current Artist in Residence Kazuko Kizawa who is visiting from Japan as well as local and provincial politicians. A reception and tour of Gushul Studios will follow the unveiling.


Thomas Gushul (1891-1962) immigrated to Canada in 1906 from the Ukraine, gradually developing into one of Alberta’s most prolific photographers, and eventually becoming very well known in the Crowsnest Pass. The Studio was built in 1902 and moved in 1918 by Gushul from the abandoned town of Lille to Blairmore to be used as a photographic studio, and although Thomas and his wife Lena opened their first photography studio east of Coleman in 1921, by 1928 all of their work was done out of the studio in Blairmore. Gushul’s photographs document the area and its people, the mining industry and the spectacular natural surroundings. He won numerous awards for his photographs, and many of his photos have been published in newspapers, brochures, and books.

By 1945 the Gushuls were using the studio as their home and after Thomas’ death in 1962 Lena continued to work in the studio. Lena passed away in 1981, at which time the Gushul collection was distributed to heritage sites around Alberta. The largest collection resides in the Crowsnest Museum and Archives constituting close to 60,000 Gushul images, negatives and artifacts. Approximately 18,000 negatives and prints are also housed at the Glenbow Museum.

In 1985 the Gushul Studio was restored and renovated by the Alberta Historical Resources Foundation at a cost of $160,000 and in 1986 was registered as a historical resource. Materials used in this restoration were the same kinds as the original materials. The Studio’s architectural significance is that it is a residue of the original structures. The floor is the same wood. The clerestory windows, though new, occupy the same space. The floor plan remains the same as the original except for a few modifications such as the upstairs loft, which was added during restoration. The “Photo Studio” sign on the roof is the original sign installed by Thomas Gushul.

The new sign outside the Gushul Studio is part of a system of outdoor interpretive heritage kiosks, signs and plaques throughout the Municipality of Crowsnest Pass that brings the history of the Crowsnest Pass to both visitors and residents. Signs containing text and historic photographs are located to enhance both the self-guided Heritage Driving Route and Blairmore’s Historical Walking Tour, but will also bring information to casual passers-by. All signs are in the same distinctive colors and carry the Discover Crowsnest Heritage logo.

The text and photographs on each kiosk, sign and plaque were meticulously researched by a volunteer committee of the Crowsnest Heritage Initiative. The sign structure design was developed by students at the Blairmore campus of the Nippon Institute of Technology.
The signage project commenced in 2009 and is expected to be complete by 2014.  It is a component of the Crowsnest Heritage Master Plan (2002).

The Crowsnest Heritage Initiative is a community group interested in preserving and promoting heritage in Crowsnest Pass, Alberta. Its principal goal is to enhance cultural and heritage tourism opportunities in the Crowsnest Pass in order to preserve important heritage resources, increase community involvement and awareness, and increase tourism traffic and business revenue. Its principal function is to act as a coordinating agent in marketing, fundraising, project implementation, research and planning. For the most part the community partners, heritage organizations, and volunteers will be responsible for the implementation of projects.

The present Gushul Artist in Residence is Kazuko Kizawa who was born in 1968 in Japan and lives and works in Tokyo, Japan. Kizawa graduated in 1999 from Tama Art University with a Master of Fagurlist and has exhibited in Canada, USA, Japan and Europe. Color-Light has been a consistent theme in the artist’s work.

www.crowsnestheritage.ca for more information