COMMUNITY EXHIBITIONS

This exhibition features landscape images by Kenneth Lochhead, Ted Godwin and Arthur McKay from the Government of Saskatchewan and Moose Jaw Museum & Art Gallery collections. Members of the Regina Five, Lochhead, Godwin and McKay were critically acclaimed internationally for their abstract works. Within their art practices, these artists also engaged in landscape imagery, being inspired by the light, lines, shapes, textures, colour and elements of abstraction found in natural and urban landscapes.

This year’s exhibition, titled Sparkle, will feature work made by the Moose Jaw Art Guild’s members in 2023.

The Moose Jaw Art Guild exhibition is the longest-running continual annual exhibition at the MJM&AG. Every year, this exhibition brings together the emerging and professional artists of the community with the public, to celebrate the practice of making art in the community of Moose Jaw.

Opening Reception: Thursday, November 9, 2023, 5:00-7:00 PM

These four prints from Beam’s “Columbus Suite” series feature Beam’s iconic, layered imagery and references, which speak poetically, conceptually, metaphorically and politically to the ongoing impacts of colonialism in our contemporary world. Beam writes, “My works are like little puzzles, interesting little games.  I play a game of dreaming ourselves as each other.  In this we find out that we’re all basically human.”

Carl Beam (1943-2005), born Carl Edward Migwans in 1943 in West Bay, Manitoulin Island, ON (now M’Chigeeng First Nation); died 30 July 2005 in M’Chigeeng First Nation. The first contemporary Indigenous artist whose work was acquired by the National Gallery of Canada, Beam is considered one of Canada’s most ground-breaking Indigenous artists. Beam’s signature photo-collages used various approaches, including silkscreen, photo-etching, Polaroid instant prints, and a solvent transfer technique used by American artist Robert Rauschenberg. Beam’s use of mixed media allowed him to juxtapose different ideas and images, including historic photographs of Indigenous peoples, self-portraits, texts, and drawings.

This year’s exhibition, titled, Sunflower Power, features 20 works made by the Art Guild’s members in 2022.

The Moose Jaw Art guild exhibition is the longest-running continual annual exhibition at the MJM&AG. Every year, this exhibition brings together the emerging and professional artists of the community with the public, to celebrate the practice of making art in the community of Moose Jaw.

Artist Susan Shantz created a project in 2017, We are the River, in Saskatoon to encourage awareness with Saskatoon residents of their water source, the South Saskatchewan River. Here in Moose Jaw, our water source is Buffalo Pound Lake. City water is drawn from Buffalo Pound and treated for use. Most of us turn on a tap and think little of where our water comes from. We Are The Lake proposes to raise public awareness of our physical, embodied connection to the lake which we drink and which becomes 70% of our body. In an era of climate change and ecological challenges, this project will encourage participants to reflect on our essential connection to water.

Participants in the project are encouraged to have a photo portrait taken with a sign acknowledging our water source. These images will be altered in Photoshop to include a background image of Buffalo Pound Lake. Resulting images will be displayed in a virtual exhibition on our website, on Instagram and presented on a digital billboard here in Moose Jaw.

Curated & organized by the Moose Jaw Museum & Art Gallery in partnership with the Moose Jaw Cultural Centre. This exhibition is currently touring Saskatchewan through the Organization of Saskatchewan Arts councils (OSAC). This exhibition was featured at the Mosaic Gallery, Moose Jaw Cultural Centre. Click for more details

This exhibition was featured in the MJMAG Lobby. This exhibition featured landscapes of Moose Jaw & area by Saskatchewan women artists Vaughan Grayson, Anne Heeney, Alice Macredie, Gladys McKenzie, Anne Meggitt, Yvette Moore, Yvonne Pearson, Anne Wilson

MOOSE JAW ART GUILD: VISIONS 2020

November 27, 2020 -January 10, 2021

CURRENTLY ON EXHIBITION IN THE LOBBY

Artists: Roxanne Chesney, Beth Crabb, Jean Crozier, Lee Fast, Rebecca Gutek, Patrick Hall, Jerry Kaiser, Cindy Perreault, David Stymeist, Karen Walpole, Karen Whitney, James Windley, Pauline Zelensky.

Visions 2020 is the theme for this year’s annual exhibition, having the art guild members reflect on their vision of 2020. The artists have responded creatively through their own creative processes and through various mediums, resulting in a very diverse display of artworks and interpretations. 

The Moose Jaw Art Guild was formalized in 1949, but its roots go back to 1929 to the Moose Jaw Branch of the Women’s Art Association of Saskatchewan, a precursor to the guild. Successful in promoting the artwork of local artists in its annual exhibitions, the Moose Jaw Women’s Art Association was also involved in offering local art classes. It was from one of these classes in 1949 that ten Moose Jaw women moved to form a new group, the Moose Jaw Fine Art Guild.

Its goals, which are still ideals of the guild today, involve encouraging awareness and appreciation of art, bringing artists together, and working with other groups to increase these opportunities. The Guild has held annual exhibitions at various locations in the community throughout its history, such as the Y.M.C.A. in 1952, the Public Library in 1958, and the Moose Jaw Art Museum in 1967 when it officially opened its doors. The Moose Jaw Fine Art Guild was a key supporter of the establishment of the Art Museum in Moose Jaw. In 1984, the guild changed its name to the Moose Jaw Art Guild.

Today the guild is home for regional artists of all skill levels pursuing individual art paths. This supportive community welcomes professional, novice, emerging, and leisure artists. The membership work in a wide variety of mediums including mixed media, photography, watercolor, glass, oil, fiber art, acrylic paint, basketry, and clay. For more information: visit: mjartguild.blogspot.ca or email: mjartguild@hotmail.com 

Dancing Spirit in Isolation

October 9 - November 15, 2020

Artists: Lori Deets, Bernice LaRose, Maryanne Machiskinic, Jazenta Saultier, Ashley Young, Karen Young, Jody Henderson, Karen Anderson, Emily Perreault, Marlene, Perreault, Cindy Perreault, Mavis Olson

Organized by Barb Frazer; Sponsored by the Moose Jaw Museum & Art Gallery

The exhibition, entitled Dancing Spirit in Isolation, featuring a series of beaded images of Jingle Dress dancers, is the result of a community outreach project, sponsored by MJM&AG.  Facilitated by Indigenous traditional artist and cultural educator, Barb Frazer, the project has involved 30 Indigenous women. 

The impetus for this healing project arose, during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, out of a request by Jazenta Saultier for activities of ancestral practice within the city of Moose Jaw.  The period when winter turns into spring, has, traditionally, been a time when individual cultural projects are completed, and therefore, during this time of isolation, it was a natural to have this project unfold. Teen artist, Alexis Bell, was commissioned to design a template depicting a Jingle Dress dancer, as this is a healing dance, for each participant to interpret through beading.  Woman were to bring their own meaning into their piece, with the intention to show how their spirit danced in isolation.

WACA Women’s Cape Project

February 7 - August 30, 2020

Artists: Wonda Alton, Karen Andersen, Bernice La Rose, Maryanne Machiskinic, Mavis Olson, Jazenta Saultier, Ashley Young, Karen Young

Curated by Barb Frazer, Cree traditional artist and cultural researcher

The Women’s Cape Project was facilitated by Barb Frazer over a period of nine weeks, introducing participants to traditional beading practices and resulting in the creation of a stunning collection of capes. This project was coordinated by the Lori Deets, Chair of the Wakamow Aboriginal Community Association (WACA) and was made possible by SaskCulture.