You may already be familiar with Evelyn Campbell鈥檚 art and not even be aware. A wildlife mural Campbell completed 17 years ago hangs at the Battlefords River Valley Visitor Centre, a selection of paintings are on display at Jeanine鈥檚 Coiffures at the Discovery Co-op mall and there鈥檚 even still a painting on the gate of her former house on 94th Street.
Campbell recalls the exact year she first took up painting: 1987. She took a class held in the instructor鈥檚 basement in Battleford after her friend suggested they give it a try. Campbell was hooked. She attended these art lessons for two years. Eventually, she heard about the Battlefords Art Club. At the time, the club met once a week at Saskatchewan Hospital and before long they moved to their current home in the Don Ross craft room.
Campbell has been a member of the close-knit group for more than 20 years and still attends every Tuesday, going as early as 9 a.m. some weeks with a packed lunch in hand, ready to spend the day painting with friends.
It wasn鈥檛 just Campbell鈥檚 love of painting that鈥檚 kept her interest in the club over the years; it was the sense of community.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e all such a congenial group to be with,鈥� Campbell says as she flips through a binder with newspaper clippings and photos of group members inside. 鈥淲e鈥檙e all friends, we鈥檙e like a family.鈥�
Over the 30 years Campbell has painted, she says the main difference is that she鈥檚 gone from doing 鈥減ortraits [and] animals鈥� to experimental painting on different types of materials and even learning how to do pyrography 鈥� wood burning.
Campbell鈥檚 home is full of her creative projects, including the throw pillows on which she painted peacocks and the sheer shower curtain she painted a seascape onto. The hall closet, storage area, bedroom cupboard and even some of her floor space are now devoted to her paintings and supplies and on her walls hang paintings done with acrylics and oils, depicting landscapes and wildlife. The shed just behind her home is painted on all sides with different scenic murals.
The subjects of Campbell鈥檚 art are varied, from exotic animals to the homestead her father built for his parents just north of Lloydminster to the scene of a French street taken from a piece of wallpaper. Anything can find itself a subject of Campbell鈥檚 art. As she tells it, 鈥淚 [paint] anything. There鈥檚 nothing special.鈥�
After retiring from the Department of Natural Resources in 1989, Campbell kept busy with painting, as well as volunteering and singing. With Campbell鈥檚 home like a gallery for her own pieces, painting initially takes the spotlight, though she will tell you art is only one of her hobbies.
In fact, before she ever held a paintbrush, Campbell was spending her free time singing in choirs, in church and out, around Battleford, North Battleford and St. Albert, Alta. Currently she performs at the Third Avenue Church and with the Hillcrest Singers.
As with the community Campbell found through painting, she was also drawn to choir singing because of the people.
鈥淲ith the church and the choir, there again, you鈥檙e like a family,鈥� she says.
While away living in Alberta for a few years, Campbell kept up with both singing and painting, though she found the experience to be different than home.
鈥淚n [St. Albert] it was more about critiquing your work,鈥� Campbell says. She wouldn鈥檛 say she preferred the more familial feeling of home, though, and instead came to appreciate the environment for helping her grow and improve.
鈥淚 enjoyed it because I got used to how they did things and I accepted it. You have to look at it that way so it doesn鈥檛 bother you,鈥� Campbell says.
Back in North Battleford now, the camaraderie of singing in choirs is still one of the draws for Campbell. Asked what her favourite part of performing is now, she mentions her fellow choir members.
鈥淚t鈥檚 just such a pleasure to sing [together],鈥� Campbell says. And she doesn鈥檛 take being able to sing for granted, noting, 鈥渇or 80, I鈥檓 lucky I have my voice still, I think, to sing soprano.鈥�
In addition to the two choirs she sings with three days a week, Campbell also joined in the Candlelight Processional this past winter and, she says, 鈥淚鈥檝e already signed up for the next one.鈥�
Along with singing with a choir, a project indicative of Campbell鈥檚 collaborative spirit came about just over 10 years ago in 2005 while she was living in Lloydminster. Campbell had heard about a project started by St. Albert-based artist Louis Lavoie in honour of Alberta and Saskatchewan鈥檚 centennial. The mosaic mural titled Buffalo Twins hangs at the Vic Juba Theatre in Lloydminster and consists of 336 panels that make up a larger image.
鈥淚 was just lucky,鈥� explains Campbell. 鈥淚 went and I said 鈥榳ould I be allowed to do one鈥� and they said sure, so I did. Two of the squares are mine. I say mine, but it鈥檚 also theirs.鈥�
The two panels Campbell completed for the project were both chosen to be part of the mosaic. Campbell says she felt 鈥渟o fortunate to be involved in鈥� the project, but what was even more surprising was watching TV one day and seeing Queen Elizabeth II next to the mural during the centennial celebrations.
鈥淣ow I can say the Queen saw my work!鈥� Campbell jokes.
Having her work selected for the mural is one of the highlights of her painting career, but Campbell hasn鈥檛 slowed down in the 12 years since.
Along with the Tuesday art club session, Campbell says she paints during the evening whenever she feels like. Though it鈥檚 the weekly meetings where she can get suggestions on her work or even offers some advice.
鈥淲e help each other,鈥� Campbell says. 鈥淪omebody will see what I can do to change mine and I might see what they could do.
鈥淎nd all you do is make a suggestion, take it or leave it, so no one gets hurt by it.鈥�
Part of that comfort is due to the amount of time they club has been together, Campbell says.
鈥淏ecause I grew up here and been here for so many years now, you know everybody.鈥�
Over the years Campbell has been involved in other hobbies and organizations in multiple towns, but it鈥檚 been those that have been welcoming, gracious and 鈥渓ike a big family鈥� that have had the greatest impact on her.
Painting and singing are Campbell鈥檚 passion, but it is with other local painters and singers around her that elevate a pastime activity to a collaborative community experience.
