The Humboldt and District Gallery brought in a new exhibit to display the work of local artists from St. Peter’s College.
The exhibit started with an open reception on Feb. 24 at the Gallery and features work from first and second year fine arts students and has different mediums like ink, charcoal, and painted works.
Amber Beingessner has always been interested in developing her art. She decided in high school that this was something she really wanted to do.
Beingessner, who is in her first year at St. Peter’s College, has three pieces of work on the walls of the Gallery: her self-portrait, which was used for the event poster, and two paintings.
Her self-portrait was actually the first time using ink and she found she liked using it.
Her other two pieces are from a painting class, one as a midterm project and the other as a still life painting.
“They just turned out so well. The paint flowed really easily and the colours worked out great, so I figured those would be good ones to put in.”
Janelle Edwards, a first year student, is artistic by nature but the class also fits with her Nursing degree as a required elective.
“I love it. I might even take it next year.”
Edwards has two pieces of work on the walls in the Gallery. One is a self-portrait that she says turned out very well in ink, the other is time spent with a model.
Ink may sound like a boring medium because it is just black, says Edwards, but she finds it relaxing to work with.
“I’m really enjoying how you can layer it and start with a lighter grey and add it in and building something very complex and interesting.”
Ink can have its challenges, says Beingessner. If the artist makes a mistake, it is difficult to wipe up so the artist then needs to incorporate the “mistake” into the piece.
Paint does have its own challenges. It can dry faster so can be harder to manipulate, says Beingessner.
Included in the open reception was guest authors from the Saskatchewan Writers Guild, all of which had spent time at St. Peter’s College at writer retreats.
This gave both the writers and the artists something in common as they all have been influenced by the St. Peter’s landscape.
“For a lot of writers that go out there, the quietness is an escape from the busy city life or their jobs and it just allows them that time to focus on their writing in an environment where everyone else is pursuing the same goals. That’s the same for the students who are here today,“ says Caelan Reilly, Saskatchewan Writers Guild Youth Program Co-ordinator.
Writers and artists both also share a passion for creativity, says Reilly, and both groups got to display their work at the reception.
“This is a great partnership where we were able to draw the attention of writers, as well as artists, into one location and have respect for both those mediums.”
