Shirley Galloway is highly impressed with the artistic talent that exists in Oxbow and in other communities in southeast Saskatchewan.
Galloway was an organizer of the Art Exhibit Gala that was held on Nov. 18 at Safe-Tee Management’s building in Oxbow. The show featured nine area artists, as well as contributions from students at the Oxbow Prairie Horizons Schools (OPHS).
The number of artists meant that a variety of artistic disciplines were on display.
“We had a lot of people there, and they had some really, really great art,” said Galloway. “Artists sold their work. We collected over $400 that went to the Oxbow Prairie Heights School art program.”
Artist Kori Blommaert brought a variety of acrylic landscape works to the show. Debbie Fraser had eclectic folk art. Jim Galloway displayed some of his photography.
Fran Hood had water colours at the gala. Mike Jozsa had some of his metal sculptures, and Cindy Melllom had a variety of water colour paintings. Starr Mercer displayed some mixed media efforts.
Abstract artist Michelle Sinclair and painter Judy Swallow were the other artists in the show.
“It was wonderful,” said Galloway. “I couldn’t believe that we had that many artists just in such a small area.”
Blommaert, Jim Galloway, Hood, Josza, Mercer and Sinclair hail from Oxbow. Swallow is from Alameda, Fraser is from Alida and Mellom is from Kenosee Lake.
Shirley Galloway said some of the people are known in the area for their artistic abilities. Josza, for example, is the art teacher at the OPHS. Her husband, Jim, is known for both his musical and visual arts abilities. But others came out of the woodwork, and didn’t have a reputation for producing quality artwork before participating in the gala.
“These were people who recently started painting, or who had never really displayed their work before, and we kind of clipped them out,” said Shirley Galloway.
In order to host the show at Safe-Tee Management, Galloway said they had to clear out all of the safety apparatus and materials.
“You wouldn’t have known it was the same office,” she said. “But Jim and I are both artists. We’re both musicians. So we really have a love for arts and culture. Jim has taken up photography as another artistic outlet.
“So being artists ourselves, we know it’s important to have a creative outlet and to really support other artists in our own community and the surrounding community, and also to expose people who may not ever get to go and see artists work in a gallery setting, and give the community at large some exposure.”
Galloway said it took them a day to clear out the Safe-Tee Management office, a few hours to set up the art inside the building, and time to return the office back to normal.
More than 150 people attended the show, and Galloway was impressed with the turnout. The people who attended were thrilled with the show. And the artists were excited with the opportunity to display their works, and sell their artwork if they wanted to.
“I think most of the artists sold something, and the people were really appreciative to have opportunities to just wander around and look at the art,” said Galloway.
Some people who attended the gala were stunned with the level of artistic talent that can be found in Oxbow and in other communities.
“It’s really amazing when you look at Oxbow and Alameda, and that small surrounding area, how much musical and artistic talent we have,” said Galloway.
Galloway noted a similar art show was held three years ago. That show in 2014 was the first time trying to host an event like this, and it proved to be a successful evening.
Thanks to the success of that show in 2014, the Galloways thought now would be time to do another one.
People have been asking them whether they would try turning the gala into an annual event, and it’s something she said they’re going to have to consider.
