Tag Archives: Gallery

“Looking Back, Looking Out, Looking In” – at the Humboldt Art Gallery this summer!

Looking Back, Looking Out, Looking In 
Paige Mortensen and Jess Richter
July 3 – August 31, 2018
Humboldt Art Gallery – 601 Main Street, Humboldt SK
Opening Reception Thursday, July 5 at 7 p.m

WOW! Between life and art there is never a dull moment! I am excited to share the details about my summer show Looking Back, Looking Out, Looking In at the Humboldt Art Gallery! The show will be up from July 3 – August 31, 2018. You are invited to our opening reception on Thursday, July 5 at 7 p.m..

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Dotting the Prairie 4 18 x 36″ Watercolour Batik ©Paige Mortensen


Looking In

My focus on architecture came about after a trip to Europe where I was fascinated by all the doors. These may have been ordinary doors and windows for those who live there, however I was looking in with all sorts of questions. Who built this? How did they do it? Who lived here originally (now)? What were/are their lives like? 


Looking Out

Back in Saskatchewan we seem to do a lot of driving and I was now looking out. What I see is elevators, homesteads, barns and granaries built by the settlers and reminding us of the past. This prairie architecture takes me inward to thoughts of ancestors who came to this country, to  those who lived here long before that and to how different life looks depending on which side of the window you are on. 

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Patched 24 x 18″ Watercolour Batik ©Paige Mortensen


Looking Back

I am excited to be sharing the gallery with Jess Richter whose intricate paper cut sculptural works are looking back at the tumultuous histories of immigrant populations in mid-twentieth century Saskatchewan, specifically her German grandparents.  Using wintery fairy tale imagery and German folk influences, she explores displaced womens’ processes of rebuilding shattered lives and homes in an unfamiliar and often unwelcoming country. 

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Paige Mortensen - Going, Going, Gone

Going, Going, Gone 24 x 36″ Watercolour Batik ©Paige Mortensen


Construction Zone

Construction Zone

 

Speaking of architecture – we are in the midst of having our roof replaced, and skylights removed so now back to the construction zone.


So, I hope to see you in Humboldt on July 5th – or that you can plan a trip that way sometime over the summer!

In the meantime, enjoy the season!

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“And Art Gallery” opening in Davidson, and more gallery news!

I have exciting gallery news to share!

AND ART GALLERY

 

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The first piece of exciting gallery news is that I am now represented by AND ART GALLERY in Davidson! The owner, Gail Prpick, is also fellow  member of the Artists’ Workshop group. And Art Gallery, at 112 Washington Ave, Davidson,SK is housed in a century old brick building that use to be a bank.

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The AND ART GALLERY grand opening is:
     Friday, November 17th from 5 – 10 p.m. and
     Saturday, November 18th from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.

I’ll be there Friday evening to celebrate with Gail and the other artists and to chat with you.

These are my pieces that are there and will be hung by now!

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Preparing to hang work by Paige Mortensen


Saskatchewan Craft Council Boutique

I dropped some new pieces off at the Saskatchewan Craft Council Boutique and they are hanging already! It is exciting to see them amongst all this wonderful art and fine craft!

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Saskatchewan Craft Council Boutique 1

SCCBoutique

Saskatchewan Craft Council Boutique 2


Black Spruce Gallery

The Black Spruce Gallery is on winter hours right now but there is still lots to see! My watercolour batik birds and other pieces are on display!

It is located in the NorthSide Antiques building on Highway #2 at Northside, SK. I suggest you call ahead to confirm the hours (306 982 4222).

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Birds by Paige Mortensen at Black Spruce Gallery

Tall & Sunny 1 ©Paige Mortensen Watercolour 12x30" Available at Black Spruce Gallery

Tall & Sunny 1 ©Paige Mortensen Watercolour 12×30″ Available at Black Spruce Gallery

Enjoy the Galleries!

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Sun, Sand, Water…and Art

Summer is here and with it come thoughts of sun, sand, water, … and art!

By The Sandbar ©Paige Mortensen Watercolour Batik 16x16" Available at Black Spruce Gallery

By The Sandbar ©Paige Mortensen Watercolour Batik 16×16″ Available at Black Spruce Gallery

The northern Saskatchewan forest is a wonderful change from city life. I love sitting on the beach, reading, walking and enjoying the sounds of nature. My art making changes to simple sketches and experimentation just for fun and relaxation!

Nature provides lots of inspiration – but so does a visit to an art gallery.

As you head north to Christopher, Emma or Anglin Lake, Elk Ridge, Prince Albert National Park or La Ronge you will drive through Northside.  There, a historic dance hall is now Northside Antiques & Collectibles…and Black Spruce Gallery.

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Black Spruce Gallery – on Highway #2 at Northside, SK

The gallery has been open since 2010 and every year it gets more impressive.  We stopped on the weekend and WOW – it looks fantastic! They  have an amazing range of work with something for everyone.  In addition to paintings you will find pottery, sculpture, jewelry and more.

Spring Birds

Spring Birds ©Paige Mortensen Available at Black Spruce Gallery

I am honoured to be represented by Black Spruce Gallery (since 2012). I delivered some new pieces and these three “Spring Break” birds were on display immediately! When you stop at the gallery you will also see “By the Sandbar” (top) – one of my favourite places to stop as we walk.

Tall Taller Tallest ©Paige Mortensen Watercolour Batik 12x36" Available at Black Spruce Gallery

Tall Taller Tallest ©Paige Mortensen Watercolour Batik 12×36″ Available at Black Spruce Gallery

 

Enjoy nature … and art!

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Post Show feels like a Spring Break

New Work

These last two weeks have felt like I’m on a spring break!  The Artists’ Workshop Show & Sale was April 15-17th which meant some focused show preparation time leaving other things undone.  I have enjoyed the change of pace and checking some of those things off of my to-do list.

I have still been working though, and these four ‘spring break’ birds are framed and ready to go!  (Actually since I started this post one has already been sold!)

Spring break Birds

Four ‘Spring Break’ Birds: Listening, Cheerful, Proud and Nesting all 8×8″ Watercolour Batik ©Paige Mortensen

 

Spring Break Gallery Stop

One day last week I drove out to the Station Arts Centre in Rosthern to see an exhibit called “Hello In There Hello Out There”.  This project was a collaboration of artists and Saskatchewan seniors. They worked together to write out stories from the seniors and then create dioramas to depict the memories.  It was great to see how the Rosthern school engaged with the show with some students creating dioramas of their own and other classes coming to view and reflect on the stories.

Spring break gallery stop - Station Arts Centre - Rosthern

Spring break gallery stop

As well as the visual art they have a wonderful tea room and live theatre in the summer.  See the Station Arts Centre website for more information.

My next project is to create, and mail them some postcard sized art!
From June 21 – August 7th they are having a Postal Art Fundraising Exhibit.  Individuals have been invited to mail them postcard sized art which will be auctioned to help keep the arts alive in Rosthern. If you are interested in participating see Postcards to the Station: a Postal Art Fundraising Exhibit.  It will be fun to see what they receive!

I hope you too are enjoying a spring break!

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Vancouver Art Gallery – Mashup

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Last week I was fortunate to be in Vancouver enjoying a change of pace.  The weather was most cooperative and we enjoyed spring as we wandered around Stanley Park, walked across the Capilano Suspension Bridge, and explored Granville Island.  One slightly rainy day we spent at the Vancouver Art Gallery touring the current exhibit – Mashup.

Mashup” according to the Oxford dictionary is “a mixture or fusion of disparate elements”. Other definitions relate mashup to music or computing.  Within the four floors of the gallery 30 curators have gathered 371 artworks (in a wide range of media) by156 artists, all part of the evolving “mashup” culture.

We had a great guided tour of the early works in this “Birth of Modern Culture”.  Picasso was one of the first when he began to experiment with collage in about 1912. One example was him trying to represent objects such as this musical instrument by showing all sides of it at the same time.
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Marcel Duchamp brought ready made objects into the gallery and displayed them as art.  He was also concerned about making art accessible to more people believing that it wasn’t necessarily the original piece that was so important, rather sharing the idea of the piece. He created replica boxes of some of his exhibits so that they could travel around to people who weren’t able to get to the galleries.  This is one of these.
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Post World War II the proliferation of mass marketing and advertising were the setting for Andy Warhol and others to bring the replication processes of mass production to their art. These two from Warhol’s Cow series are on display as well as several other pieces of his work.
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I found this sculpture (Untitled (Books) 2002) by Rachel Whiteread to be quite interesting.  It feels like the knowledge and enjoyment normally found inside books has been silenced.
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Here in Saskatoon I recently heard Eugene Arcand speak as a survivor of residential schools and now part of the Truth & Reconciliation process.  He used the term “blameless shame” as a way to describe a part of the work that needs to be done by individuals and society at large.  There on the wall of the Vancouver Art Gallery in big bold letters were the words Blame and Shame.
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And on the floor underneath, a variation of this quote by Aimé Césaire – “Beware, my body and my soul, beware above all of crossing your arms and assuming the sterile attitude of the spectator, for life is not a spectacle, a sea of griefs is not a proscenium, and a man who wails is not a dancing bear.”
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Near the end of our tour there was a room with some sort of silver “foil” covering all the walls.  Looking at our reflections they seemed appropriate as we tried to absorb all that we had seen.
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“Life is not a spectacle”. It is a participatory activity.  How can we best participate to help make our world a better place?  How have these and other artists opened our minds to help change the world?

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Back to School

September is always a time of changes.  It has been many years since there was back to school excitement at our house but yesterday was our grandson’s first day of kindergarten! With a backpack like this how could he not be excited?
SchoolBackpack.jpgI too have changes this week.  August 30th was the last day of the member’s show at the Saskatchewan Craft Council’s Affinity Gallery so I picked up those pieces on Monday.  From there I headed out to Esterhazy take down my show at Jocelyn’s Fine Art Gallery there.  It sounds like lots of people were able to see the work and she sold 3 pieces!  I am very thankful to have met Jocelyn and for the opportunity to show in her gallery!  If you are ever near there do stop in, she has a wonderful gallery!
One last peek:
PaigeMortensen Esterhazy Show 2015

Today I took pieces over to Partridge Centre Special Care Home to hang in a group show (Watermarks & Friends) for the month of September. They have boards along the hallways and ask that the pieces be hung low so people in wheel chairs can see.  A new show goes up monthly so that the residents regularly have new art to view. Visitors are welcome so please stop by and have a look. While you are there have a chat with the residents, it will brighten their day…and yours.
This is my section:
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Brightwater Senior Living asked me to come and paint weekly with a group of residents. I am excited for this opportunity to learn and share the world of painting in this new way for me.  We are going to start with exploring these colourful watercolour pencils.
Aren’t the colours wonderful!
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I am also going to be painting with the Artists Workshop group this year. I have attended their annual shows for years and feel honoured to be invited to paint with them weekly!  More about that another day.

“Back to School” excitement isn’t just for students, enjoy your fall changes!

Thanks for being here!
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Exploring Edmonton Galleries

Two schedule-free days in Edmonton – gallery tour time!  My first stop was the Galleries on 124th.  Imagine, 9 galleries within two blocks of each other!
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Here are a few of the highlights of my day:

Luke Airut - Bearclaw GalleryIn the Bearclaw Gallery there was this amazing whalebone carving by Luke Airut – and this is the back!  You can see the front on the Bearclaw Gallery website.

Tanya Kirouac - Bugera Matheson GalleryThis is an encaustic painting by Tanya Kirouac that was in the Bugera Matheson Art Gallery.  It was so energetic and alive!  I am very curious about the three clock faces embedded in the painting.

Ernestine Tahedl - Bugera Matheson
Also in the Bugera Matheson Art Gallery was this amazing pond by Ernestine Tahedl. I got lost in the painting just like I do sitting by a real pond.  Beautiful!

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This isn’t the best picture but I enjoyed this wood carving by Crystal Driedger in the Daffodil Gallery.

Spray Pool at Edmonton City Hall
It was a beautiful day so I walked down to the Art Gallery of Alberta which is right across the street from this refreshing pool!

I really enjoyed the display called Charrette Roulette: Language which looks at “publication as an art practise”.  The video installation presented an interesting perspective into books and compares the old art to the new art of publications.

Other displays included The Double Bind: Conversations Between Modernism and Postmodernism, an interactive display on perspective, and a display of Italian Baroque Art which brought back memories of our trip to Italy last fall.

Being in tourist mode I had to take a reflection selfie on the upper deck before leaving!
Selfie at AGA

Thanks for sharing my Edmonton gallery tour!  I highly recommend it!

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Remembering the Mendel in Watercolour

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Mendel Farewell, Paige Mortensen 12×36″ Watercolour $625

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As I usually do, I ended my last visit to the Mendel Art Gallery with a stop in the Civic Conservatory to enjoy the flowers.  This was just days before the Gallery closed to prepare for the opening of the Remai Modern in 2016. The Civic Conservatory will remain open as the rest of the building transitions into a Children’s Discovery Museum but for the moment I was looking for something to remind me of all the times I wandered the Mendel galleries.  These were the flowers that drew me in. I took some pictures, came home and made my own watercolour batik memories.

A couple of weeks later the Mendel Art Appreciation Group had its last gathering, a tour of Doug Bentham’s studio south of Sasaktoon.  It was a beautiful day and as with most studio tours I really enjoyed hearing Doug’s stories as he talked to us about his sculptures.

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Mini-Vacation

We were away for all of 36 hours but I really feel like we had a vacation!
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Saturday evening was the reception for my Guest Artist Show at Jocelyn’s Fine Art Gallery in Esterhazy.  I really enjoyed the evening of music and conversation!  Thanks to everyone who attended, and those who purchased pieces.  I am delighted to know who has them!
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Thanks to the Flav’R Country Blues band for the entertainment!
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And, most importantly, thanks to Jocelyn & Sandra for this opportunity and the evening!

Our weekend continued with a fantastic performance of Mary Poppins at Regina’s Globe Theatre!

There was even time for quick stop for supper at our daughter and family’s acreage where we got to meet their new babies – kittens, chickens and lambs!  So exciting for them!

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Jocelyn’s Fine Art Gallery

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Last weekend I delivered pieces to Jocelyn’s Fine Art Gallery in Esterhazy where I am their guest artist for June, July and August 2015.  The gallery is wonderful and I really enjoyed meeting Jocelyn and Sandra!

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Thanks to Jocelyn and Sandra the show is up and looks wonderful!  They are also organizing a reception for this coming Saturday (June 6th at 7:30 pm)  It should be a lot of fun and I am looking forward to meeting everyone who attends the event!

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