TISDALE — When the Doghide Gallery opened its doors last Friday evening, the place was immediately filled.
Each year, the Tisdale Visual Arts Club, in collaboration with the gallery, offers member artists the opportunity to exhibit their new work. As in previous years, the people of Tisdale and area responded enthusiastically with their presence and their interest.
Marion Ritter, gallery owner, expressed her delight in the size of the crowd.
“The main things about this arts community are the friendships we develop and the fact that we have grown together.”
Club President Margaret Mehler offered greetings on behalf of the members, and expressed her desire that people mingle and meet, and enjoy the many pieces on display.
The Visual Arts Association provides opportunities throughout the year for local artists to refine their skills. Workshops are held spring and fall, and well-known artists from the area and beyond are invited to teach club members new techniques. The benefits of these programs were evident in the variety of the types of paintings on display. In addition to watercolors and oil paintings, there were works in acrylic, acrylic pour painting, alcohol ink and encaustic or hot wax painting.
Local artists also speak of mutual learning within the club itself.
“There is a lot of knowledge among group members,” said Marlene Orban. “We learn from each other and this benefits the club and enriches the community.”
Helen Carson has been with the Tisdale Visual Arts Club longer than anyone else and has made a name for herself in art circles.
“I was here from the beginning,” she said, pointing to one of her paintings and exclaiming with a smile, “Lately I have been trying abstract painting, but have found it a challenge to maintain my interest. I think I may move on to other things.”
Janusz Bizewski had come all the way from Hudson Bay where he is the “Artist in Residence”. He is originally from Prague, and he has traveled extensively and exhibited widely. Some of his paintings will soon be on display at Daisies Dream and Décor in Melfort. Bizewski said he “celebrates the local arts and the hidden treasures they reveal.”
Among this year’s special Visual Arts Club events was a bus trip to Remai Modern, the new art gallery located at River Landing in Saskatoon. Club members were able to see Picasso prints and try their hand at print-making. The day-long outing also included a stop at Studio 20 to observe working artists. This Saskatoon adventure concluded with dinner in a city restaurant before the bus trip home.
If you are interested in the Tisdale Visual Arts Club and the opportunities it offers to both members and the community, you are invited to contact Marion Ritter at the Doghide Gallery at 1010 Main Street.
This year’s exhibit is both a show and a sale, and the new art works will be on display until Friday, May 18.
