Watrous and Area Arts Council

Rum Ragged brings a bold take on Newfoundland folk music, combining deep roots with a contemporary twist. As leading performers of their vibrant tradition, they play instruments like bouzouki, fiddle, banjo, guitar, and accordion, captivating audiences with their unique style. Known for their honest, thought-provoking, and often humorous live shows, they have quickly become fan favorites. Their impressive vocal harmonies and storytelling deliver unforgettable concerts. Despite a demanding tour schedule, Rum Ragged has performed at top global folk venues and recorded five acclaimed albums.

Kate Ryan, the world-renowned Canadian circus artist, discovered her true home under the big top. Specializing in Hula Hoop, Face Balancing, and Physical Comedy, Kate has inspired audiences in 26 countries across 6 continents. From notable clients like Cirque du Soleil, Cirque Dreams, Cartoon Network, and Princess Cruises, her talent leaves a lasting impression. In "DomestiKATE," Kate invites the audience on an exhilarating journey of laughter. Jumping through hoops, juggling, and magic, Kate showcases her versatility as a comedian, acrobat, and performer. This unforgettable show emphasizes the significance of creating your own home, no matter where you find yourself, leaving cherished memories etched in hearts.

Tommy Charles is bringing a classic touch to Country with a soulful tone. Tommy Charles throws listeners back to a "Golden Era", while carrying sounds reminiscent of Marty Robbins, and crooners. Born in the Montréal area and recently calling the Nashville of the north (Calgary) home, Tommy appeared on the hit TV show, "La Voix" (The Voice). His talent and acclaim from the competition allowed him to build a fan base, and play to audiences live across the country. Performing both in Canada and in Texas, Tommy Charles is eager to deliver performances that honor the rich heritage of North American music in variety of languages and influences.

Labours of Love, Under Lamplight is an exhibition featuring art from Indigenous artists in Saskatchewan, showcasing a diverse array of experiences and interpretations of Indigenous Art. The exhibition celebrates the various practices in Indigenous art, ranging from contemporary aesthetics and materials to those rooted in familial traditions. In today's fast-paced world, the dedication and labour of love invested in art can be easily overlooked. The concept of "Labour of love" in art emphasises the extensive labour involved in the creation process, often infused with familial stories, teachings, and practices passed down through generations. These expressions of love for the practice and culture are condensed into the final artworks, representing hours of devotion and labour. We invite viewers to turn the lamplight on, consider the time and knowledge behind each piece as the artists skilfully worked with familiar and lesser-known materials, revived from their cultural heritage or passed down through mentorship within the art community. For many Indigenous artists, their love for their culture serves as a significant motivation in their artistic journey, enriching the contemporary art scene with an inherent connection to their roots. This exhibition is curated by Holly Aubichon from recent acquisitions to the SK Arts Permanent collection and features the following artists: Stacey Fayant, Marcy Friesen, Sally Milne, Brandon Roy, Cherelle Williams, Audra Blais-Boulianne, Maureen Ledoux, Russel Iron, Elaine McArthur, and Jordy Ironstar.Labours of Love, Under Lamplight is an exhibition featuring art from Indigenous artists in Saskatchewan, showcasing a diverse array of experiences and interpretations of Indigenous Art. The exhibition celebrates the various practices in Indigenous art, ranging from contemporary aesthetics and materials to those rooted in familial traditions. In today's fast-paced world, the dedication and labour of love invested in art can be easily overlooked. The concept of "Labour of love" in art emphasises the extensive labour involved in the creation process, often infused with familial stories, teachings, and practices passed down through generations. These expressions of love for the practice and culture are condensed into the final artworks, representing hours of devotion and labour. We invite viewers to turn the lamplight on, consider the time and knowledge behind each piece as the artists skilfully worked with familiar and lesser-known materials, revived from their cultural heritage or passed down through mentorship within the art community. For many Indigenous artists, their love for their culture serves as a significant motivation in their artistic journey, enriching the contemporary art scene with an inherent connection to their roots. This exhibition is curated by Holly Aubichon from recent acquisitions to the SK Arts Permanent collection and features the following artists: Stacey Fayant, Marcy Friesen, Sally Milne, Brandon Roy, Cherelle Williams, Audra Blais-Boulianne, Maureen Ledoux, Russel Iron, Elaine McArthur, and Jordy Ironstar.

Omentum is a series of 10 paintings that touch on several of the major experiences faced by Indigenous people in this country within recent memory. These paintings, influenced by the works of both Norval Morrisseau and also Pablo Picasso, speak to some of the major struggles and triumphs that are part of our everyday life as Indigenous people, such as the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Cultural Appropriation, the legacy of Residential Schools, the Rise and Honour of the Two-Spirited in the LGBTQ, the Return of Traditional Indigenous Tattooing, the Rise in Systemic Racism Online, and, of course, the Murder of Colten Boushie. John Brady McDonald is a Nehiyawak-Métis writer, artist, historian, musician, playwright, actor and activist born and raised in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. He is from the Muskeg Lake Cree Nation and the Mistawasis Nehiyawak. The great-great-great grandson of Chief Mistawasis of the Plains Cree, as well as the grandson of famed Métis leader Jim Brady, John’s writings and artwork have been displayed in various publications, private and permanent collections and galleries around the world, including the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa.Omentum is a series of 10 paintings that touch on several of the major experiences faced by Indigenous people in this country within recent memory. These paintings, influenced by the works of both Norval Morrisseau and also Pablo Picasso, speak to some of the major struggles and triumphs that are part of our everyday life as Indigenous people, such as the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Cultural Appropriation, the legacy of Residential Schools, the Rise and Honour of the Two-Spirited in the LGBTQ, the Return of Traditional Indigenous Tattooing, the Rise in Systemic Racism Online, and, of course, the Murder of Colten Boushie. John Brady McDonald is a Nehiyawak-Métis writer, artist, historian, musician, playwright, actor and activist born and raised in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. He is from the Muskeg Lake Cree Nation and the Mistawasis Nehiyawak. The great-great-great grandson of Chief Mistawasis of the Plains Cree, as well as the grandson of famed Métis leader Jim Brady, John’s writings and artwork have been displayed in various publications, private and permanent collections and galleries around the world, including the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa.

The Burden of Street brings together paintings that depict contradictory compositions to provide distinct visual experiences while exploring the complexities of our surrounding built environment. The element of the wall plays a significant role in this body of work as public sites for dwellers to engage with the political and social fabric of society. These paintings aim to explore the dichotomy of walls as both tools of control and platforms for resistance. They delve into how authorities use these walls to impose their ideologies and values upon the people, while also emphasizing the agency of dissidents who transform these spaces into channels of protest and expression. A diverse range of artistic techniques and mediums, including collage, painting, drawing, and graffiti, are used to create satirical and ironic situations that reference the deep dualities, disparities, and hypocrisies inherent in ruling systems. Iranian born visual artist, Mohadese Movahed focuses on painting in her studio practice. She graduated with a Bachelor of painting degree from the University of Science and Culture (USC) in Tehran and an MFA from the University of Regina, SK, Canada in 2020. Currently based in Vancouver, Movahed has exhibited her work nationally, internationally and is a recipient of Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation.The Burden of Street brings together paintings that depict contradictory compositions to provide distinct visual experiences while exploring the complexities of our surrounding built environment. The element of the wall plays a significant role in this body of work as public sites for dwellers to engage with the political and social fabric of society. These paintings aim to explore the dichotomy of walls as both tools of control and platforms for resistance. They delve into how authorities use these walls to impose their ideologies and values upon the people, while also emphasizing the agency of dissidents who transform these spaces into channels of protest and expression. A diverse range of artistic techniques and mediums, including collage, painting, drawing, and graffiti, are used to create satirical and ironic situations that reference the deep dualities, disparities, and hypocrisies inherent in ruling systems. Iranian born visual artist, Mohadese Movahed focuses on painting in her studio practice. She graduated with a Bachelor of painting degree from the University of Science and Culture (USC) in Tehran and an MFA from the University of Regina, SK, Canada in 2020. Currently based in Vancouver, Movahed has exhibited her work nationally, internationally and is a recipient of Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation.

This body of work highlights the diversity, beauty, importance and plight of northern Saskatchewan muskegs, land that is being threatened with strip mining. Peat mining involves draining the water out of the muskeg then mulch the cover vegetation (sundews, pitcher plants, Labrador tea, black spruce, birch, willows, alders, cranberries, bunchberries, cloudberries, bog laurel, leatherleaf, and dozens of species of mosses). Muskegs/peatlands are very old landscapes, it takes 10 years for one centimeter of peat to form. It is important to Vanessa’s culture, and to the survival of traditions and knowledge to keep wild areas intact and undisturbed by resource extraction. Many people are unfamiliar with these areas, and this is Vanessa’s way of bringing the muskeg to the public. Vanessa is a Canadian artist of Woodlands Cree and Norwegian ancestry. She is a member of the Lac La Ronge Indian Band and her community is nemepith sipihk (Sucker River). She holds her Bachelor of Arts with distinction from the University of Saskatchewan. Vanessa is interested in utilizing memory, tradition and themes of nature in her work. Land conservation and land sovereignty are at the heart of her work, with her painting and beadwork focusing on the richness of the land, and in turn, the threats to the land.This body of work highlights the diversity, beauty, importance and plight of northern Saskatchewan muskegs, land that is being threatened with strip mining. Peat mining involves draining the water out of the muskeg then mulch the cover vegetation (sundews, pitcher plants, Labrador tea, black spruce, birch, willows, alders, cranberries, bunchberries, cloudberries, bog laurel, leatherleaf, and dozens of species of mosses). Muskegs/peatlands are very old landscapes, it takes 10 years for one centimeter of peat to form. It is important to Vanessa’s culture, and to the survival of traditions and knowledge to keep wild areas intact and undisturbed by resource extraction. Many people are unfamiliar with these areas, and this is Vanessa’s way of bringing the muskeg to the public. Vanessa is a Canadian artist of Woodlands Cree and Norwegian ancestry. She is a member of the Lac La Ronge Indian Band and her community is nemepith sipihk (Sucker River). She holds her Bachelor of Arts with distinction from the University of Saskatchewan. Vanessa is interested in utilizing memory, tradition and themes of nature in her work. Land conservation and land sovereignty are at the heart of her work, with her painting and beadwork focusing on the richness of the land, and in turn, the threats to the land.

Curated by Melanie Monique Rose Nisto is the Cree word for "three", which holds abundant cultural, religious, and spiritual significance throughout Treaty Territories 4 and 6, Abya Yala 1, and across the world. The braid, made of three strands, carries teachings of the unity of mind, body, and spirit, and connects us to our ancestors and heritage. Artists Cristian Barreno (Maya K’iche’), Maria Rose Sikyea (Yellowknives Dene), and Emma Noyes (Sinixt) are three Indigenous artists rooted both in their homelands and in diaspora, with deep connections to water, sky, and land. Their families lived here long before the names "Canada", the medicine line, borders, or walls existed. Indigenous peoples had lifeways, paths, and relationships sustained through trade, celebration, and war. For example, before Canada declared the Sinixt 2 "extinct" in 1956 and before the creation of the Canada - US border, they freely harvested and hunted on their ancestral homelands. In 2021, their territorial rights were restored, yet they still face obstacles crossing the border to return to their homelands. Despite the enduring challenges of colonialism, these three artists affirm their presence and relationality through their work. They honor, celebrate, and assert that they are here, always have been, and always will be. 1Abya Yala: the entire land mass currently known as North & South America 2Sinixt: descendants of the Arrow Lakes people, West Kootenays

The exhibition Wóknaga1, Nakoda for "He Tells His Own Story"2, features paintings by Métis, Nêhiyawak/Nakoda/Anishinaabe/Scottish artist, Dave Pelletier, of môso-tâpiskan3, now known as Moose Jaw. Working within a Woodland School style, Pelletier honours Indigenous intergenerational transfer of knowledge through storytelling within these canvases, while offering his own imagined narratives that play out through the graphic and colourful compositions of animals and figures of Turtle Island. Inspired by the work of Norval Morriseau, Pelletier’s compositions, of stylized, abstracted forms, bold colours and crisp, black outlines and energy lines, offer narratives that speak to the artist’s own search for traditional knowledge and his journey to place himself and connect with his Indigenous cultures. 1 Pronounced WOKE-nah-gah in Nakoda. 2 Translated by Nakoda speaker, Matthew Spencer, May 12, 2024. 3 Pronounced moh-so-TAHP-skun in nêhiyawak (Cree).

Invisible Winds: Stories You Can Not See, Journeys toward wholeness Curated by Dean Bauche, featuring Iris Hauser, JingLu Zhao, Carol Wylie, Holly Hildebrand, Rebecca Toderian, Dani Bauche, Emily Johnson, Leah Dorion, Mary Anne Baxter and Susan Gordon, Dean Bauche, Bonny McNabb, Lyndon Tootoosis, Roger Jerome, Paul Trottier, William Philpott, Jon Philpott Invisible Winds is a timely and inspiring exhibition featuring the work of established and emerging artists from across Saskatchewan. It invites us to stop and listen, to see and hear invisible stories carried by so many around us. Accompanied by the thoughts of David A. Robertson, author of 'All the Little Monsters' and winner of the Governor General's Literary Award, this exhibition explores issues such as mental health, grief, and the invisibility of trauma in our lives. It highlights the importance of sharing one's story and the necessity of being seen for one's pain to start healing. Invisible Winds "honors those with Lived Expertise, [it] uses art to speak that experience to others". Rebecca Rackow, Assistant Executive Director Canadian Mental Health Association Saskatchewan Division