The Estevan Art Gallery and Museum (EAGM) held a reception for its two artists in residence on Oct. 25.
Even though Ruth Langwieser and Sarah Timewell were EAGM鈥檚 creative residents for only two weeks, they've accomplished a lot, interacting with the community, sharing their talent and also working on their own art.
During the reception, artists talked about the pieces and projects they created while working at the EAGM.
Langweiser, who is a Swiss鈥揅anadian ceramist who arrived in Estevan in May of this year, displayed some pieces that have never been shown to the public before. For example, her 鈥淢ichelin鈥� teapots.
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She started working with clay back in the 90s 鈥渂y chance.鈥� She was visiting a friend, who was working in Italian manufacture, producing handmade pottery using ancient techniques.
鈥淚t was just 鈥極ooh, wow!鈥� I was just overwhelmed. I was hooked ever since then. I did a little bit on my own, and after a while I thought, why wouldn鈥檛 I go a bit further and I went to Geneva (Switzerland) for art school,鈥� said Langweiser.
She used to work with people with special needs back in Europe doing dishes, which she recalls as a great experience.
鈥淎t that time this institution was searching for a change so the personality (of the people working on dishes) shows more鈥� So together with them, I could really develop forms and objects that are really related to their personalities,鈥� said Langweiser, recalling this experience as a very 鈥渄eep鈥� one.
She also had a chance to work with people with special needs at the EAGM, which was one of her favourite experiences. Besides, Langweiser hosted a number of public workshops, teaching a beautiful and creative clay lantern technique.
Even though in general, she is not a very intense artist, her residency at the EAGM turned out to be quite intense, but she was really pleased with it.
鈥淣ice surrounding here, so I really got concentrated, went into a process,鈥� said Langweiser. 鈥淚 had an idea for personal work, I wanted to make some stackable items that can (turn into) a pole.鈥�
The project didn鈥檛 work out the way she wanted, but instead, due to a 鈥渂lessing accident,鈥� turned into a different collection, which once finished, probably will be displayed in Estevan.
The other resident, Timewell, who has recently completed a bachelor of fine arts in Indigenous art at the First Nations University of Canada in Regina, works in many mediums, focusing on Indigenous fine arts and drawing.
鈥淚鈥檝e always been an artist, and for a long time I鈥檝e appreciated Indigenous arts, but I learned later in life that I鈥檓 M茅tis, I鈥檓 M茅tis and Hungarian ancestry. So when I learned that, I wanted to explore that part of my heritage as well,鈥� said Timewell.
At the reception, she had a few beading pieces on display demonstrating different traditional First Nations techniques, which she learned through university.
But while being a resident at the EAGM she decided to dedicate most of her spare time to the red M茅tis capote that she started at an independent workshop in Saskatoon.
鈥淚 prioritize my projects, and I just felt that it was the time to finish my capote, so I brought my capote to stitch it up,鈥� said Timewell.
Traditional capotes, similar to the one she is currently working on, were made of Hudson Bay company blankets and were wore by trappers and traders.听听
A lot of Timewell鈥檚 tenure in Estevan was also dedicated to community interactions and the children community project that took a lot of thought.
鈥淚 thought about Halloween, and I thought about the types of work that I would do being M茅tis beadwork, M茅tis arts, and I came up with this plan to make a quilt in a way, but also like M茅tis beadwork,鈥� said Timewell.
For the project kids who attended the Halloween Haunt at the gallery created pieces related to the holiday, which Timewell later connected using a traditional M茅tis beadwork pattern and turned into a panel picture.
Timewell鈥檚 residency turned out very intensive as well, and the community project took the most of her independent time. She also did a number of workshops for different age groups and said that her first-ever residency turned out well.
鈥淚t was a lot of fun. I really enjoyed myself. Even though I didn鈥檛 get the time I thought I would get to do my own project, I really enjoyed connecting with different audiences,鈥� said Timewell. 鈥淚 would do it again in a heartbeat. It was very nice and the community was very welcoming.鈥�
The funding for the residencies was provided by the 麻豆视频east District for Recreation, Culture and Sport.
