MOOSE MOUNTAIN PROVINCIAL PARK - Kaitlyn Flis was born in Arcola, but after a short year in the small town her parents packed up and moved to Regina, where her family would reside for years.
As a child, Flis always enjoyed drawing and creating forms of art.
She moved to Melville in 2022, but her favourite place is her cabin, painting in her studio while sipping a cold beverage or a hot cup of tea.
Flis had always painted with acrylic on canvas, using the beauty of Saskatchewan landscapes, primarily the Qu’Appelle Valley and flowers from her garden.
“My heart belongs to the valley,” said Flis. “People have said it shows in my work.”
She has dabbled with different mediums to change things up, ranging from pastels, charcoal, wood burning and multi-media.
In 2018, she was introduced to unison pastels and loved it. In 2020 she was selected to be one of the Associate Artists of Unison colour.
Using soft pastels in the past, Flis did not realize that using different brands would create so much texture and depth to her work.
Acrylic is still used by Flis, but she leans towards the use of soft pastels.
“There is something about getting my hands dirty and spreading the medium around the paper that is intriguing,” said Flis.
Flis loves to push her boundaries to see what can be created using different methods.
In her post-secondary education, she pursued architectural technologies. She felt it was a good way to melt her technical way into her creative side. She is currently working as a project manager when she earned her PMP designation.
She was a member of the Prairie Art Guild in Regina from 2015-2022 and is a member of the Melville Art Club now.
It was recently that Flis won the People’s Choice Award at the Melville Art Club show and sale.
Sports is another passion for Flis. She loves ice hockey, golfing, long-distance running and weightlifting. It is a bonus to her if these things can be done in the great outdoors.
Flis married her best friend in 2017 and he has been very supportive of her art, helping to keep her organized with her crazy schedule.
Spending most of their weekends at their cabin in the summer, they try to enjoy quiet time together. She has a love for her pets, attending family events, and watching sports.
She is excited to be attending the Artist Colony of Moose Mountain Provincial Park from July 4-10.
Flis feels this is an opportunity to meet new people, and to enjoy the great views of the lake.
