SALTCOATS - Hanna Yokozawa Farquharson of Saltcoats has received an $18,000 Independent Artists grant from SK Arts.
The money is to assist with the costs while she creates a new body of art for exhibition.
“The grant allows me to tackle bigger bodies of work. Being supported with grants help make these shows possible,” Yokozawa Farquharson told Yorkton This Week.
“I am indebted to SK Arts for their belief in the value of my art and their continuing support.”
Independent Artists grants support Saskatchewan artists to pursue their creative work and careers by funding creative, professional development or research projects and the performance of artistic works. These grants support the ongoing development of artistic practice in Saskatchewan.
The grant is not the first for the Saltcoats-based artist.
“I have received a couple of their grants in the past few years,” said Yokozawa Farquharson. “These have made it possible for me to continue my journey into the art world. They have allowed me to be able to experiment, to buy resources and materials. They are a very important part of the artist’s journey.”
With the grant in place Yokozawa Farquharson envisions being able to produce a number of works.
“I envision 10 pieces using antique kimonos from Japan and thread from my mother’s kimono obi(sashi),” she said. “Intricate work will be required to show the details within crystalized water and much experimentation with threads and the fabric. All are done by hand and this will be time-consuming. It will take me 10 months to complete the pieces I have in my mind.”
The works will be for a dedicated show.
“Light from Water will be in the solo exhibition at the Community pARTners Gallery located in the Yorkton Public Library coming September and October 2022,” explained the artist. “This is supported by The Yorkton Arts Council.”
And it may go beyond Yorkton too.
“There has already been interest in this body of work by other galleries in the province,” she said.
“I am still humbled by my work’s reception.”
Yokozawa Farquharson went into more detail about the show when asked.
“My project, Light from Water involves production of a series of embroidered representations of crystallized water drawing on the work of Japanese scientist/author, Dr. Masaru Emoto,” she said. “Water is seen as a living, communicating, inter-relating reality. Water is sacred in many cultures and a body of work showing the spiritual/sacred geometry of water would show the emphasis upon the beauty in simplicity and the beauty of microworlds.
“I am very pleased to announce that The Emoto Peace Project supports this new body of work.” (https://www.emotopeaceproject.net)
Yokozawa Farquharson’s art has been shown in juried shows in Canada, U.S.A and Europe since 2018. Her first solo textile art show Calling was at the Godfrey Dean Art Gallery in Yorkton in 2020. Twenty pieces from Calling are included in the OSAC traveling tour from 2021 to 2024 in Saskatchewan.
In 2021 she had solo showings at the Moose Jaw Museum and Art Gallery, the Community Hall in Saltcoats, the Mann Art Gallery in Prince Albert. She was a nominee for the SK Arts RBC Emerging Artist Award 2021.
At the most recent grant deadlines, SK Arts awarded funding to more than 100 individuals and organizations, totaling almost $840,000. SK Arts funding supports a variety of initiatives, including organizations that provide ongoing programs in the arts, the creative work of professional artists, community art projects and the engagement of professional artists to work in schools with students and teachers.
Established in 1948, SK Arts is the oldest public arts funder in North America and second oldest in the world after the Arts Council of Great Britain. They provide grants, programs and services to individuals and groups whose activities have an impact on the arts in Saskatchewan and ensure that opportunities exist for Saskatchewan residents to experience all art forms. For more information, visit
www.sk-arts.ca
