ART EXHIBITS
PRESENTING PICASSO
BY JOELLE KIDD AND NINA BRYK
Artist
PETER SAWATZKY is an award-wining Manitoba artist who has earned international recognition for his lifelike bronze sculptures . A country boy raised in Southern Manitoba , Peter ’ s passion evolved from watching wildlife and birds into a career of carving these animals .
Inspiration for Peter comes from field drawings made during his many years of observing and studying animal movements . These sketches are eventually transformed into life size sculptures that can reach up to 29 feet long . The foundry process — from creating a metal frame to the empty shell being filled with bronze — can take up to a year depending on the size of the piece .
Peter ’ s sculptures have become iconic Winnipeg landmarks , like the sculpture of James A . Richardson at the Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport , the monument of a mother polar bear and her cubs outside the Assiniboine Park Zoo , or “ Seal River Crossing ,” which stands at the city ’ s famed Portage and Main intersection . The impressive statue , which captures a herd of caribou crossing the Seal River , was inspired by a scene Peter saw from above while travelling to Churchill . While on the flight , he started to sketch the caribou and knew he had his next piece . The project , which took four years to complete , was commissioned by James Richardson & Sons Ltd . in commemoration of its 150th anniversary .
In addition to his public art , more than 25 pieces of Peter ’ s work are on display at the Loch Gallery in May and June .
ART EXHIBITS
May-Jun — Graffiti Gallery presents a retrospective featuring works by artists involved with the gallery since its inception in 1998 . To May 19 — Matthew Gardiner explores modern society ’ s relationship with the natural world in You Can Never Go Home Again ( pictured ) at aceartinc . To May 28 — Through the Eyes of a Child exhibits the work of young artists at WAG @ ThePark inside the Assiniboine Park Pavilion . To May 30 — Love of gardening and painting runs in the family for Gerd Behrendt and Angela Lillico . See Floral Frenzy : The Love of Father and Daughter at the Wayne Arthur Gallery . May 5-28 — The MAWA ( Mentoring Artists for Women ’ s Art ) Artist Mothers Group shows a mother-child collaborative exhibit . May 5-16 — See Sari Habiluk ’ s The Golden Hour , a collection of vibrant and abstracted acrylic paintings , at cre8ery . Jun 2-28 — Turquoise Gem / Pale Blue Dot is a collection of mixed media works by Bonnie Taylor at the Wayne Arthur Gallery .
PRESENTING PICASSO
FROM MAY 13 A pair of exhibits give a rare glimpse at one of art history ’ s most iconic figures at the Winnipeg Art Gallery . Picasso in Canada features more than 30 paintings , watercolours , drawings , prints and ceramic works drawn from collections across the country . Also on display is a collection of 100 etchings and drypoints , presented in its entirety for the first time in 60 years . Named Picasso : Man and Beast , this exhibit showcases the artist ’ s preoccupations with the civilizing nature of art and the “ beast within ”. Winnipeg Art Gallery , 300 Memorial Blvd , 204‐786‐6641 , Map 1 : P-3
PHOTOS : PETER SAWATSKY COURTESY OF LOCH GALLERY ; LAKESIDE RITUAL ( BC ) BY MATTHEW GARDINER , 2013 , COURTESY OF ACEARTINC ; DOVE WITH OLIVE BRANCH BY PABLO PICASSO , 1962 , LITHOGRAPH ON PAPER . 55.1 X 75.6 CM . FROM THE COLLECTION OF THE ART GALLERY OF GREATER VICTORIA , 2007-067 . PHOTOGRAPHER : STEPHEN TOPFER © PICASSO ESTATE / SODRAC ( 2016 )
8 where . ca MAY / JUNE 2017