Red Lake Art Show

On November 17th the Red Lake Regional Heritage Center and the Red Lake Arts Council opened up the second annual Red Lake Art Show. It featured 18 artists with local ties. Many types of art were included in the show including paintings, glass work, drawings, and photography. The Red Lake Arts Council was able to acquire the services of local musicians Strings and Things to perform in the front lobby. The IGA supported the event by donating cheese, crackers and other snacks and refreshments.

The opening event drew an amazing 125 people! Many more visitors also came to visit during the pre-Christmas period. As part of the exhibit visitors were allowed to vote for their favourite work. Votes were tallied in 2017.
 

Click on an artist to find out more...

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Artist Bio: Sandra Martone
 
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Artwork
​Sandra Martone has been learning and experimenting with fused glass for several years. She applies her background in design and colour throughout her pieces. Working with glass is fascinating, much like figuring out a challenging puzzle as the pieces fit together. It is an adventure that brings joy.

Woven

Ripples
Woven was created through cutting and stacking strips of glass that are fused together. The resulting thick, long, rectangular bars are then sliced and positioned to form a new design. Working with fabric is another passion and this piece brings the concept of weaving into the glass.
Ripples was created by randomly piling various shapes and colours of glass and then fusing all into one solid block. The block is thinly sliced with the pieces repositioned to form the design.

The randomness of this process creates an unpredictable design in the newly formed glass. The pattern and colour brings to mind images of gentle ripples in the water of the lake.
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Artist Bio: Janet Hager

                      Artwork
​Janet Hager is a northerner, born and bred in the Northwest, and lover of all things art. Some of her most poignant childhood memories are of finding ways to express herself artistically. Formal training in theatre arts and film led to a career as an arts educator.

One of her favourite tools to use, and to share with her students is Adobe Photoshop. Unlike quick photo editing apps which many people rely on to enhance their photos, Photoshop is a more complicated, time consuming process allowing the practitioner to manoeuvre individual parts within a photograph, especially when working with pixels. Photoshop allows her to play with images through distortion, colour manipulation, and layering. She loses many hours experimenting, trying to find the picture within the original picture, and giving it new meaning.
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Artist Bio: Patrick Hunter
 

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​Patrick Hunter's (Kewadinaang, North Star) passion for art and community has motivated him to continuously strive to pursue his dreams and empower those around him to do the same. Hunter was born a two-spirit Ojibway, in the Red Lake District and grew up in the small community of Madsen, in Northwestern Ontario.  He attended the graphic design program at Sault College, in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario and recalls the difficulty and costs of living between these two communities. However, Hunter has always strove to put forth the extra effort to make his art career a success. 

Hunter now resides in Toronto, a far cry from his humble beginnings in Madsen. Patrick Hunter is inspired by Norval Morrisseau and the Woodland artists, who came out of Red Lake, as well as Daphne Odjig and members the Native Group of Seven.  His formal education introduced him to the Group of Seven, who share connections to the land of Red Lake, Sault Ste. Marie, and Toronto. 

Hunter has continued to maintain his connections to Red Lake, returning to educate a new generation of Woodland Artists, with help from partnerships he formed with the Red Lake District High School, and the Wilderness Arts Council to support youth and adult art classes.​

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​Find out more about Patrick Hunter at his website.
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Artist Bio: Adrienne Mesto
 

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Adrienne was born and raised in Red Lake and has been passionate about creating art for as long as she can remember. After graduating high school, she attended Nipissing University for Visual Art. Adrienne transferred to the University of Manitoba the year after and will be graduating with a Bachelor of Art History Degree in the Spring of 2017. Adrienne is primarily interested in drawing from life or photographs and finding a way to incorporate her personal style. Her preferred artistic medium is pen or graphite.

Artist Statement: Adrienne Mesto
 

​Untitled 1” and “Untitled 2” are the beginning of a collection that focuses on animals reinterpreted in a very stylized way that puts emphasis on their original detail. The goal of this collection is to draw attention to the importance of individuality and how it correlates with beauty. Animals and aspects of nature are often overlooked and grouped together but it is important to recognize that each individual being is unique and should be  appreciated as such
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Artist Bio: Brooklyn King
 

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​Brooklyn King was born in 1999 in a suburb of Toronto and has moved to the Northwestern area eight to nine years ago, roughly. Preferring to draw using a pencil, she has tried other mediums, such as watercolor and digital art. Her style is inspired by the Japanese style called “Manga” or “Anime”, whichever people refer to it. She likes the fantastical and unique elements of it. Her love of drawing is her way of putting something beautiful and expressive into the world.
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Artist Bio: Cheryl Wilson-Smith
 

                  Artwork
​I am a full time sculptor, working with glass. I was born and raised in the Boreal forest of Northern Ontario. I live in Red Lake where the hi-way ends, surrounded by the manifestations of nature relatively untouched by humans.

The north influences how I see, and express through my work, which I have only begun to truly understand. I am constantly made aware of our transience. The rocks, trees and lakes around me are a daily reminder that I am only passing by briefly. They were here long before me, and will be here long after. My work is layered glass powder (frit). I build each sculpture layer by layer and fire it a whole in the kiln.

I am enamored with the evocative lines I am able to create, that for me, reiterate the passage of time. I am self taught. My awards and residencies include the RBC award for Glass in 2014 The Craft Ontario volunteer award, and honorable mention in the Emerge international glass competition. I have also been included in the Pilchuck glass residency 2014, a residency in Norway in 2015, and I will be traveling to a residency in Scotland in 2016 and I am also a finalist in the 2016 Emerge competition.

Artist Statement: Cheryl Wilson Smith
 

​I live in the far north surrounded by the manifestations of nature relatively untouched by humans. I am constantly made aware of our transience. The rocks and trees and lakes around me are a daily reminder that I am only passing by briefly. They were here long before me and will be here long after.

​I strive to reflect their graceful strength in my work. Through this work I contemplate the passage of time and the evanescence of life as it relates to the natural world that surrounds me. At the same time examining the central irony, the contradiction in this which connects to the nature of legacy we leave as humans.  In this piece, I have included the sand from Kinseman beach.

Find out more about the artist on their website. 
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Artist Bio: Cindy Huston
 

Born and raised in Red Lake. Finding an inner peace with the new discovery of creating art.
 

Artwork
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Butterfly Wings A Healing Journey Through Art

​She became my healing spirit and awakened my passion, creativity and a connection with my inner self. 
Annebelle
I believe in the magic of butterfly fairies.
Charlie
A folktale from a thousand years ago. Elves still live deep in the forests of our imagination.
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Artist Bio: Hidehiro Otake
 

Artwork
​Nature photographer. Born in 1975. Graduated with a degree in sociology from Hitotsubashi University in Tokyo, Japan. Since 1999, my main field of photography has become the boreal forest of North America called “the Northwoods” (and now expanding to the Canadian arctic). Main themes are the significance and diversity of the wilderness including wildlife in their natural habitat and landscape.

I am also pursuing several projects about traditional culture connected to the landscapes such as First Nation culture, canoe trips, and winter snowshoeing. My photographs and stories have been published in many magazines and articles in Japan and abroad including National Geographic Japan and has been featured in a major television documentary on NHK “Wildlife” in March 2011. Six children books about the nature of the Northwoods and my adventure have been published from Fukuinkan Shoten Publishers, Inc..

You can find my recent works on:

Facebook@HidehiroOtakePhotography
Instagram@hidehirootake
Website: www.hidehiro-otake.net

​3. Silent Steps - A Winter Trip in the Northwoods

This is my latest children book about our 2 week winter trip in Woodland Caribou Provincial Park just published in November in Japan. This monthly book series "A World of Wonders", specialized in nonfiction stories are very popular in Japan and have been running for over 30 years. During our winter trip, we appreciate the traditional toboggan and snowshoe which is very well designed to travel this kind of terrain in winter. After we enjoyed ice fishing and freshly baked bannock on a wood stove, we saw a true wild wolf on frozen lake and find a moose hunted by them. One of our dream was to see the winter caribou heard which once inhabit in Minnesota where my friend come from. We finally encountered it at the very last day of our trip. The sounds of their foot steps were completely silent absorbed by powder snow. They were gone like a wind…we wished they could find their home in this beautiful old growth forest into the future.
1. ​Peeking Red Squirrel
 
When I was walking in a deep forest in the Woddland Caribou Provincial Park in the fall, I heard some noise ahead of me. I looked at the direction where the noise came from and found an eye looking at me through the hole on a Jackpine which was made by woodpecker. It was a nest for a red squirrel. I tried to be very quiet and stand still not to give her a stress. She finally stick her head our from the nest hole and started checking me and surroundings. She must be very busy correcting pine cones for the coming winter.

2. Woodland Caribou Antler

My friend and I found an caribou antler during our 3 week canoe trip in the WCPP in very early spring. It was very fresh and looked beautiful like a master piece of sculpture. We tried hard to look for the pair but we couldn't find it and had to keep going. A couple month later, I planned to go back to the same area in the fall and I did. A month camping alone to feel the nature and look for the missing pair. 10 days later, finally I found it. It was very close only 166 steps away from each other. It was covered by fallen spruce tree and very well camouflaged so that it was very difficult to find it. It is always wonderful to feel the sense of presence of wildlife. This majestic antler tells me a lot of story about this symbolic animal of the Northwoods.
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Artist Bio: Janet Power
 

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​Janet has lived in the area since 1969 when she came up to teach on McKenzie Island. She married & raised 2 children here. She has tried a variety of crafts & arts... always returning to painting in various mediums. She was a founding member of Artisans North of 51*, helped organize & participate in the first Christmas Crafts Market which moved eventually to its' current home in Cochenour.

Artist Statement: Janet Power
 

Art is as much a part of life as reading, math, sports, and gaming. Sometimes ones has to be shown how what they do is really art as they have been taught only certain things are art. I would like people to find their own art & have fun with it.
 
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Artist Bio: Lauren Furman
 

Artwork
​Lauren is a Toronto based artist and graphic designer.  Her work experiments with unconventional canvases, organic line-work, and borrows textures and patterns found in nature.  Growing up in Red Lake, Lauren was surrounded by the work of Woodland artists Norval Morrisseau and Carl Ray.  This led her to develop a strong connection to the Woodland Art Style, which continues to influence her today.

​Check out Lauren on Behance.
1. Pickerel Bay

This piece is a study of the ripples in a body of water.  It is based on a photo I took of Pickerel Bay

​2. Season Series

This series pays homage to the many colours that are found within Northern Ontario’s seasons
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Artist Bio: Trevor L. Yutzy
 

Artwork
Trevor L. Yutzy started painting when he was in his high chair! As a toddler, Trevor took advantage of any opportunity to steal his moms paints and brushes. Born in Red Lake, Ontario, 10 year old Trevor Yutzy loves the outdoors and playing hockey. You can also find him in the art room at home working on his next idea or painting!
Midnight Robins

Midnight Robins was created for the Red Lake Art show. Pussy Willows and Robins in the light of the moon.
 
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Artist Bio: Valerie Blab
 

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I grew up in rural Manitoba appreciating the panoramic expanses and “Big Sky” of the prairie.  Though few opportunities existed for formal art training, drawing and painting became a favourite pastime.  While working towards a B.A. Honours degree in French at the University of Manitoba, I met and married my husband.  We moved a lot in the early years predominantly in Northwestern Ontario, settling eventually in Red Lake, where I find the rugged beauty of the Canadian Shield deeply inspiring.  Though family and work commitments have been my focus, I am now able to devote more time to my artistic endeavours.  Finding myself both terrified and excited at the prospect of re-engaging with my old passion, I am eager to embrace adventure!
 

Artist Statement: Valerie Blab

I am inspired by the vibrantly coloured glory of Nature and the capacity of the ever-shifting dance of shadow and light to capture moods which alternately soothe, excite, exude wishful sorrow or exuberant joy.  As an environment and climate concerned Artist Activist, I am deeply committed to the protection of Mother Earth and her power to sustain future generations. ​

My art reflects my desire to capture fleeting moments which pay homage to her beauty and honour Creator.  The intense study and contemplation of detail as I work becomes a prayer for preservation and of gratitude for what I behold as sacred. Though I have come to especially appreciate the luminous and whimsical nature of watercolours, I also enjoy exploring a variety of mediums, tools, grounds and subject matter. Sometimes I control the process and sometimes it leads me—a journey full of surprises!

                 Boral Beauties

                 Mink Creek Falls
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Artist Bio: Wendy Yutzy
 

Artwork
In the thick of the chaos and turmoil of life, we long for inner peace. Using acrylic paints on canvas, artist Wendy Yutzy captures the gentle beauty of the woodlands, loons and simple sunsets to whisper the unspoken language of peace and hope to all who need it. Wendy knows chaos and turmoil well.
Following a heartbreaking childhood resulting from the death of both of her parents, Wendy Yutzy found herself in the middle of a cold hard winter season of life, with no desire to create. She moved to Northwestern Ontario from Pennsylvania soon after her father’s death, 20 years ago.

​Over the years, Wendy has moved out of that hard winter and has found healing and peace from the painful experiences of her life. In 2013, she found herself being drawn to art to express the peace she had found. A friend, artist Patrick Hunter, inspired her to pick up her paint brushes and try her hand at a canvas. With his direction, she learned how to create beautiful backgrounds which provided a new way to express her thoughts. In much the same way, Wendy’s difficult childhood of pain and loss provides a stunning backdrop for the art of the deep inner peace from God that she experiences today.
 

In the Stillness

“Eddie’s Red Roof Cabin” is the setting of this vibrant sunset on Twin Lakes, Ontario. Artist Wendy Yutzy describes it as a special place. “Quiet, peaceful hours alone in the bush provide the peace that my soul longs for in this chaotic world.” This 24” x 18” acrylic canvas invites you into that sweet place of peace.

​Loons at Twilight

Inspired by her surroundings in Northwestern Ontario, artist Wendy Yutzy created the calming scene of the majestic loons in their peaceful habitat. This 24” x 30” acrylic canvas piece is the first of its kind.
 

Out of the Ashes

Even when you find yourself in a season of your lives that can compare to the destruction of a blazing, forest fire, artist
Wendy Yutzy believes it does not have to destroy you. Like blueberries that flourish in the burnt stubble left after the fire, you can rise out of the ashes. Out of the old stump will grow a fresh shoot. This 18” x 24” acrylic canvas reflects the hope of new growth after devastation.
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Artist Bio: Rhonda Beckman
 

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Rhonda (Bobinski) Beckman left Red Lake, Ontario, after high school to obtain her Bachelor of Fine Arts Honours Degree, then continued on to receive her Bachelor of Education Degree at the University of Manitoba. She then taught Visual Arts at RLDHS for almost 20 years while continuing to make her own art on the side. 

​In 2014, Rhonda established herself as the sole proprietor of The Clever Corvid Art and Art
Workshops, where she runs artistic workshops for all ages and abilities in the community and beyond. She can also be found at local festivals and on Facebook, peddling her creative wares that are inspired by the beautiful nature that surrounds her.
 
Check out the artists official Facebook page.
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Artist Bio: Amy Newport
 

Artwork
Amy Newport originally from Mount Pearl, Newfoundland moved to Red Lake as Geologist nine years ago. She has been pursuing her love of photography as a hobby and is inspired by the mining history, wildlife and landscapes of the area
​Stepping Back in Time—Reliving Life on the Red Lake Homestead
 
This piece was inspired by the first pioneers to settle in the Red Lake area in the Gold Rush of the early 1900's. Some of the
antiques used are from this area. The vintage costume was
locally made; modelled by Jocelyn Copeman.
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Artist Bio: Arlene Johnson
 

Artwork
I started sewing when I was 12 years old and made all my own clothes and toys for the family while growing up. We moved to Balmertown in 1975 and I became the librarian the next year. I became involved with the set up of the Artisan Group and craft shows. I work with several different mediums but quilting is one of my favourites.
Animal Fun

Hand embroidered quilt squares pieced together and quilted
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Tumbling Bears

Inspired by will work for fabric from “More Quilts For Babies”
 

Ombre Magic

Created from Bargello in “More Fat Quarters Quilt” which pays homage to Bargello needlework
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Artist Bio: Harriet Carlson
 

Artwork
Born in Red Lake and back living here, Carlson is an underground mine surveyor by day and photographer by night. Photography has been an ongoing passion for 15 years. Having gone to both mining school and film school, her experience is diverse.

Carlson worked in the art department for television and film for 7 years. During this time, she showed her independent photography work in group exhibits. Her solo 2012 photography show at the Art Gallery of Sudbury drew record visitor numbers. The same show traveled to Red Lake where it was shown at the Heritage Centre, as more than half the work was created in Red Lake.

Another career highlight was the opportunity to photograph the World Economic Forum in Switzerland in 2012. Today, she  mostly keeps photography as a selfish hobby, photographing the nature, adventures, places, and people she considers special to her. 
Wood Chips & ​Portrait

I enjoy the textures, patterns, colour, and complexities found in both nature and people. 
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Artist Bio:  Wendy Hanson
 

Artwork
Wendy Hanson is a local artist.  It was with her grandmother’s (Theresa Aiken) encouragement and direction that she started painting as a hobby.  These paintings are her gift to me (her mother) as her love and appreciation of art was my mothers gift to her.

​(Submitted by Edna Aiken)
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Artist Bio: Mauricio Neri
 

Artwork
Mauricio moved his family from Mexico to Canada almost five years ago. His growing passion for photography perfectly captures the spirit of the Red Lake area with many of his pieces focusing on the natural beauty of the land and the dominant industries for which we are known.

​Check out the artists portfolio on 500px.
Ready To Fly

The beauty of the float plane, a recognizable sound and symbol in Red Lake, is reflected in the vivid colours of the sky and lake while the yellow plane adds a pop of excitement thinking of the new adventures that await.


​A Glimpse of Spring On Red Lake

This piece captures what some might think as the sometimes mundane mute colours of winter, but the opening of the river suggests that a new season is on the horizon.