ASSINIBOIA - Students from Assiniboia Seventh Avenue School and Assiniboia Elementary School enjoyed workshops with Regina artist Elaine McArthur at the Shurniak Art Gallery on June 7.
Ms McArthur was in town to highlight her “dancing buddies,” dolls that are in the exhibition “Labours of Love, Under Lamplight,” currently on view at the Gallery.
In addition to talking about the dolls, Ms McArthur read from her self-published picture book Elizabeth Dances Pow-wow, and showed the students the regalia that she wears when she dances at pow-wows in the summer.
The students then had a chance to create dolls wearing regalia. At the end of the visit they participated in a scavenger hunt based on details of the items in the exhibit.
“The class really enjoyed learning about the regalia and creating their own,” said Grade 3-4 teacher Hanna Hansen.
Jared Williams, Gallery Operations and Collections Manager, was enthusiastic about the class visits. “This is what it’s all about,’ he said, “welcoming the children into the Gallery and making them feel comfortable so that they see the Gallery as an important and integral part of their lives.”
Ms McArthur also sat down with some of the Gallery’s volunteers and shared with them the inspiration for the dancing buddy dolls and how she makes them.
“Labours of Love, Under Lamplight” is on view until June 21 at the Shurniak Art Gallery, now open Sundays 12 – 4pm. The exhibition is sponsored by OSAC, Sask Lotteries, Sask Culture, Sask Arts, the Government of Canada, the Shurniak Art Gallery and the Assiniboia and District Arts Council.
