Dreaming. Hoping. Wishing. Planning.
It is safe to say that when the opportunity knocked for Kluane National Park and Reserve to host an Artist in Residence program this past summer, enthusiasm was high—and for great reason! If you spend a little time flipping through art prints in Yukon gift shops and local galleries, you will quickly see that some of the most-exquisite paintings and photographs depict the majestic natural beauty of mountains, skies and wildlife in the territory. Artists have been attempting to capture it for years, and who could blame them?
Kluane National Park and Reserve was thrilled to partner with the Yukon Arts Centre, this summer, to host its inaugural Artist in Residence program. This program provided a unique opportunity for artists to develop and share their practice while enjoying time to retreat, reflect and focus on their work.
The first artist to participate in the program was Dawson-based filmmaker and photographer David Curtis. Curtis arrived ready to go in a custom off-grid-capable trailer, which he built himself, and settled into his two-week stay at Mät’atäna Män, (Kathleen Lake), which means “something frozen inside the lake” or “lake captured inside” in Southern Tutchone. He offered visitors workshops on sketching, observation and photography, giving hands-on guidance as participants explored ways of showcasing and capturing the landscape. An evening presentation sharing his film work gave visitors insight into his creative process, past and current projects, as well as the opportunity to ask him about his work and motivations.
Of his stay, Curtis had this to say: “During my two weeks in Kluane, I had the honour and privilege to become intimately familiar with the natural wonders and sublime beauty of this incredibly diverse and inspiring landscape. My thanks and deep appreciation goes out to the peoples of the Kluane, and Champagne and Aishihik First Nations, for allowing me to visit their traditional territories and for the opportunity to draw artistic inspiration from it.” We are excited to see what Curtis creates next and eager to see how he uses the images and video from his Artist in Residence experience.
The second skilled artist to participate in the residency was Tyson Isted. A glassblower by trade and one of the pioneering artists of Lumel Studios, in Whitehorse, Isted applied his fine arts background to create vibrant, stunning paintings and photographs that he will potentially use to inspire glass creations when back in the studio. Despite some incredible winds and chilly temperatures, Isted’s gentle, kind and friendly energy served him well during the residency, and visitors were delighted with his workshops. He taught acrylic painting on postcards, and the making of willow charcoal, with visitors able to create their own keepsakes. He made the time to demonstrate techniques to the participants, joining them at the tables and offering generous guidance and support. One young participant even sketched Isted, using the charcoal made at the workshop, much to everyone’s delight!
When asked about his experience as an artist in residence, Isted said, “The work I created was influenced by the mountain ranges and how the sharp peaks and receding ridge lines converge to the horizon line of the Earth. Being outside exposed to the environmental changes—the wind, the sun, the rain and the bugs—all contributed to the compounding influences this residency played on what I was painting. ”The activities in the park this summer were a reminder of how art offers a process that takes something intangible and attempts to make it solid. The connection we feel to the land is not an easy thing to turn into a physical item, but the attempt is the reward. Kluane National Park and Reserve is vast and stunning; and with so many trails, creeks, corners and peaks to explore, inspiration is always waiting. The Artist in Residence program provided over 220 visitors with new ways to engage with this treasured and iconic place through various artistic workshops and presentations. A heartfelt thank you to the artists involved and the Yukon Arts Centre for making this possible.
