Sheila Farstad isn’t a stranger to the Ev Johnson Memorial Adjudicated Art Show hosted by the Estevan Arts Council on an annual basis.
She has submitted works on a number of occasions, and she has been chosen as the best, or one of the best, entries in the show multiple times.
She enjoys the show, and she has grown artistically because of her participation.
Farstad was selected by adjudicator Diana Chisholm to apply for a touring exhibit through the Organization of Saskatchewan Arts Councils (OSAC), thanks to Farstad’s entries at this year’s adjudicated art show. Chisholm made the announcement at a reception on Nov. 10 at the Estevan Art Gallery and Museum (EAGM).
Farstad’s exhibit celebrates her long-standing love of flowers and her new-found passion for incorporating wool in her art. The selections have the flat plane of a watercolour painting underneath, and the sculpture of wool on top.
“About a year ago, I discovered wool,” said Farstad. “This is raw wool that I’ve dyed. And it’s on paper. So the underside is all dyes and paper. And then I did an armature out of the paper, and applied wool to it.”
Farstad’s introduction to wool came when she attended a workshop at the Station of the Arts in Rosthern last year. They were learning wet felting, and how to make materials out of wool.
“I really liked how wool is really tactile, and how soft it is,” said Farstad. “It’s really warm and soft, and I really liked that feeling. So I wanted to explore it.”
She can also alter the entries that appear on the wall, making them into something new.
Farstad said the art show has helped with her development as an artist, because she has learned so much from the other participants.
“What they’re experiencing also helps you,” said Farstad. “It’s a huge learning environment. You learn from the adjudicator, and you learn from the other participants.”
The conversations between her, the other artists and Chisholm will also be beneficial.
Chisholm, who was serving as an adjudicator for the first time, said Farstad’s presentation style was strong. She was particularly impressed that Farstad took a body of work created a few years ago and displayed as a two-dimensional paper piece, and transformed it into something new.
“It was also the most interconnected as far as a body of work,” said Chisholm. “It’s really vibrant with a lot of exploration, paired with a lot of play. And it was unique.”
Chisholm, who recently wrapped up her tenure as the artist-in-residence for the Estevan Arts Council, was very impressed with the works that were on display.
“It was nice to see some sculptural works, since that’s my background,” said Chisholm. “I felt like they were very conducive bodies of work with a variety of mediums.”
She was particularly impressed that the entrants are challenging themselves. Some of the participants, including Farstad, have switched to something new after working in a particular medium for years.
Others recently started creating art.
Chisholm gave each artist advice on their submissions, and they had good conversations about being an emerging artist, exploring their respective mediums, and experiencing the benefits of having a touring exhibit through OSAC.
Other artists participating were Brenda Blackburn, Rebecca Eddy, Ken Frederickson, Tamara Irwin, Fran Paszkowski, Sandra Pryor, Marleen Vicary and Cathy Wysman.
“They were a wonderful group of people, and it was a great experience,” said Chisholm.
This year’s art show was dedicated to the memory of Evelyn Johnson, who died earlier this year. Johnson was a long-time advocate of the arts and culture in the Estevan area, and a board member with many different organizations.
“Ev was one of the first people that I met when I came to Estevan,” said Chisholm. “I often went over for coffee, and the first time I went over, she showed me through her house, and all the art that she had.”
Johnson was also a frequent entrant at the Adjudicated Art Show, and was selected to apply for an OSAC travelling show on a number of occasions, most recently in 2012, when she received acclaim for her rug-based wall hanging art.
