As an artist I find having my studio and residing in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan to be culturally enriching. Saskatchewan, which is known for its natural beauty and expansive cultivated land, is also an artistic and intellectual center. There is an incredibly vital art community in Saskatoon, full of diversity and fascinating, talented artists. The University of Saskatchewan Art Department, the former Mendel Art Gallery, and the public and private art galleries in Saskatoon, enhance this prairie art world. Now Saskatoon looks forward to the opening of the new the Remai Modern Art Gallery of Saskatchewan. The university brings in new younger artists as many of the senior artists leave for warmer weather.
It is with great sadness that I witnessed the closing of the Kenderdine Campus at Emma Lake and hence the Emma Lake Artists’ Workshops. My childhood summers were spent at the family cabin while our parents, Dorothy Knowles and William Perehudoff attended the famous Emma Lake Artists’ workshop. I grew up observing the early workshops, such as ones with Kenneth Noland and Clement Greenburg and later participated as an adult. One only has to stay at Emma Lake a few days to understand why this wonderful place inspired so many artists. It also provided an opportunity for Canadian and international artists to share ideas in the studio, feed off of each others’ artwork and feel for a few short weeks that being an artist was the most important path to follow in the world.
I have travelled extensively, seeking out subject matter and painting en plein air. Painting outdoors alongside other artists such as friends and family members has not only been enjoyable but provided opportunities to discuss art, nature and learn from each other. My studio is where I take my sketches, photographs, and memories to paint and develop more extensive, detailed acrylic paintings or the larger sizes of my watercolor paintings.
The Maritimes, particularly Nova Scotia, the home of my husband Graham Fowler’s family provides timeless inspiration for my artwork and is a yearly destination for outdoor sketching. I have developed a passion for the ocean, the beaches, and the unique climate and environment of the Atlantic Provinces. Long walks along the beach while listening to the sounds of the waves are an important part of my summers and a stimulus for working in my studio as an artist.
I am constantly motivated to paint and make art. Pursuing a path as a landscape painter has provided me with a rich and interesting life. My connection to the landscape, which continues to challenge me with the creative aspects and formal elements of painting, facilitates my art practice in my studio.
