ESTEVAN - Saskatchewanderer Felipe Gomez and his travel buddy Fozzy stopped by Estevan at the end of March.
The Wanderer made his way through several locations in Estevan.
"Border cities always fascinate me, as it's here that you can catch a glimpse of the culture and the lives lived on both sides," Gomez wrote on his social media account after the visit. "Estevan is the eighth-largest city in Saskatchewan, situated 16 km north of the Canada–U.S. border. It's also home to what might be one of my favourite pieces of street art."
Most of his visit was dedicated to local art. He stopped at the Soldiers' Tree monument by the courthouse and shared a few pictures of the central piece as well as the benches, all carved by Darren Jones.
"The Estevan Soldiers' Tree is a beautiful tribute to those that made the ultimate sacrifice for our country," he said in his post.
After seeing what he called "such an emotional piece," he paid a visit to the Estevan Art Gallery and Museum.
"I am often blown away by the variety and high quality of artwork within local museums, this one was no exception," Gomez said. "The Flower People by fibre and visual artist Melanie Monique Rose was the main exhibition, inspired by The Flower Beadwork People, a name given to the Métis who are well-known for their beadwork.
"Rose combined felted pieces with collected blankets to create a canvas for her to explore identity as a contemporary Indigenous artist, alongside her Ukrainian heritage."
The beautiful mural by the art gallery's entrance wasn't left unnoticed by the Saskatchewanderer, who values street art.
"The museum also hosts a stunning mural to honour Ida Petterson, the first female mayor of a Saskatchewan city, who took on that role in Estevan in 1970," Gomez noted.
Even though the season hasn’t started yet, Gomez got a chance to see the collection of the North-West Mounted Police Museum and enjoy its latest exhibits.
"The leading exhibit was on Bud McArthur from the Pheasant Rump Nakota First Nation, his familial ties to the NWMP, and oral histories on sacred objects that belong to him," Gomez wrote, adding that he featured McArthur talking about the medicine wheel in one of his videos created last summer.
"He spoke with me about their connections across the border, and how proud his community is of taking care of this meaningful piece of history."
After all that museum time, Gomez took his dog Fozzy for a run to the Woodlawn Regional Park, thus wrapping up their visit to Estevan.
Gomez's last day on the job will be April 8, and then the position will see a new full-time wanderer exploring and promoting the great places and experiences Saskatchewan has to offer.
