The large collaborative mural created as a part of a workshop for Culture Days was unveiled on Wednesday evening at the Signal Hill Arts Centre.
The 16-panel mural was based on a photo by local photographer Amanda Payne, who was on hand for the unveiling, along with Regan Lanning of the Weyburn Arts Council and some of the artists who were involved. A total of 15 artists gathered, each working on one section of the photo, with Lanning doing two as an artist was not able to attend the workshop. The panels were then assembled and were unveiled as a whole piece.
Payne has been a photographer since 2008, and explained the photo showed Kenosee Lake overlooking the water in the fall.
One of the contributing artists, Krista Klemmer, said she’s been painting since around 2006, and studied some painting at university where she focused on abstract expressionism, colour and movement.
Artist Trina Lachance noted she isn’t very experienced, as the panel she worked on was only her fourth painting since starting.
Artist Deanna Pierce-Colbow, a member of the Arts Council, said she has been dabbling in art since she was three, but has been more seriously into painting since she semi-retired.
With her mural panel piece, Pierce-Colbow said even though she is a little more experienced she found it a challenge to work on her small section of the mural.
“I found it a little challenging with all the branches and the colours were difficult to match,” she said.
Artist Elizabeth Lambe noted she has been involved in art work on and off since she was in junior high school. Her main challenge was that her preferred medium of expression is in pottery, but found that working with the other artists was very interesting.
“I found it was enriching to visit and to see how everything fit together, and to see the different personalities come together in painting,” said Lambe, adding the atmosphere was very relaxed and informal.
Lanning agreed the workshop was quite informal, and said the hope is to do the mural painting every year as a part of Culture Days.
“We always do something local,” said Lanning, noting a project like this showcases not only the artists who took part but the photographer who supplied the original image. She will have the mural installed for a year, alongside a print of Payne’s photo and a list of the artists who collaborated on the mural. A new photo will be selected next year and will be a project at Culture Days in 2018.
