Inspirational stories about the Saskatchewan arts community.
Sheila Orr's artwork Returning Tainted Gifts, 1999, was recently donated to SK Arts' Permanent Collection by the estate of Orr’s friend and former co-worker, Carolyn Cardinal. The mixed-media work captures Orr's signature dreamscape vision style and consists of a miniature bark canoe – anchored by bear claws – that is filled with stacks of bound wool blankets. The canoe is floating in front of a painted aerial view of Canada's east coast. The artwork was conserved to remove dust, dirt and smoke residue upon donation before being placed in a protective custom-built Plexiglas box and frame, a process that took almost two years.
Julia Krueger, Registrar at SK Arts, says the piece is an excellent example of Orr's aesthetic as she is known for incorporating various materials within a single work.
If you asked a group of rural students what an artist is, you might get many different answers. “‘Artist’ can be a vague idea to students—something we see in movies or in books, but not often in real life in a small town,” says Deadra Oblander, a teacher at Bulyea Elementary School. Fortunately, students in the community recently had the opportunity to work with Regina artist Shaunna Dunn on a special project funded by an Artists in Schools—Projects Grant from SK Arts.
“The project allowed students to work with a practicing artist and develop their creative skills. Shaunna’s answers and methods were different than those of ‘regular’ teachers, which allowed students to learn and develop in new ways,” says Oblander.
Saskatchewan-born, multifaceted Dene artist Dakota Ray Hebert has burned a trail of her talent across North America in the last few years. She is an actor, comedian, painter, and writer. In 2023 alone, Hebert appeared in the first season of the original CTV workplace sitcom Shelved as Jacqueline 'Jaq' Bedard and on Netflix's Unicorn Academy. This 2023 release spent two weeks on the streaming giant's global top 10, racking up over 40 million hours in watchtime, voice-acting as Ms. Rosemary. Hebert also appeared on numerous comedy shows, including a tour by a group of Indigenous artists funded through a SK Arts' Indigenous Peoples Art and Artists grant.
On Monday, May 27, 2024, the Saskatchewan arts community convened at Darke Hall in Regina to celebrate the artists, arts leaders and arts organizations recognized in the agency's introductory installment of Arts of Celebration. Performances in different art forms throughout the evening and the hosting of MC Dakota Ray Hebert made for a vibrant evening, and the diversity of guests added to the excitement of the event.
JingLu moved to Canada in 2013 with her family and since focused on caring for her three children. Then the pandemic hit, and like many other people and creatives, she found herself stir-crazy. So, she picked up a paintbrush and put the two MFAs she had earned to work. A Chinese native, JingLu felt a special connection in the Saskatoon landscape that reminded her of her homeland. From photos of breathtaking landscapes to oil paintings on canvases, the love of art pulled her back in, and she began pursuing her art full-time in 2021.
A small town in southwest Saskatchewan is doing big things, providing support and community for Saskatchewan artists. Gravelbourg Artisan Co-op, also known as GAC, was formed in 2018 with an interest in being a retail and event space to help artists grow and scale their physical practice, particularly those who did not have the ability or finances to have their own storefronts or webpages. Their plans were, however, interrupted by the pandemic. Forced into a virtual space, the Co-op experienced an organic shift into being more community oriented.
Above a coffee shop in Shaunavon, Saskatchewan, is the inviting, cozy studio of emerging visual artist Andrew Robertson. The studio fosters art talks with strangers, commissioning and the artistic magic that goes into his work. Like many others, Robertson found his creative streak during the great pause of the COVID-19 pandemic. With 12-hour stretches of quiet time on a night shift as a youth worker, he began teaching himself to draw.
SK Arts acquired The Buffalo Hunt by Henry Beaudry through a donation in 2022. One of the lesser-known contemporary artists of his time, SK Arts is pleased to have Beaudry included in the expansion of the collection to include more Indigenous artists. The painting was commissioned as a Christmas gift to Macknak and her late husband, Dennis, from John Warner. Sandy fondly recalls their visit with Beaudry and his wife. The 1971 artwork had yellowed discolouration due to a thick, insoluble layer of polyurethane varnish, dirt and grime.
The Waterlilies Portrait Project, a commemorative art exhibition featuring the portrait of 19 Afghani women forced to flee the Taliban in 2021, opened at the 330G exhibition gallery in Saskatoon on August 15, 2023.
We sat down with Saskatoon-born and raised visual artist Zachari Logan, who now resides in Regina with his husband. He identifies as male, cis-gendered and queer. We chatted about who Zach is as a person and an artist and how that shapes the themes presented in his work. Zach's identity collides beautifully with his practice. His belief that there is an interconnection between the human body and land is the vanguard of his artistic practice.