If you came of age in the '80s, there's a good chance that Wayne White had a role in at least one of your favourite memories. From Pee-wee's Playhouse and Shining Time Station to music videos for Smashing Pumpkins and Peter Gabriel, White has lent his visual expertise and boundless creativity to some of show biz's most beloved fringes. Not bad for an amateur puppeteer from rural Tennessee.

In Beauty is Embarrassing, White narrates his own journey from struggling artist to cult phenom and his current foray into “legitimate” art. Taking viewers into his home, studio and childhood haunts, and behind the scenes of some of his most famous projects—along with a few more eccentric detours along the way—the film is as colourful and creative as White's work, and an inspiration for any aspiring artist.

Preceded by:

BAD PORTRAITS
Director Laura O'Grady, Alberta, 2012, 4 minutes

A look at Calgary visual artist Mandy Stobo's ongoing Bad Portrait project, which has attracted attention around the world.