Most people know Buffy Sainte-Marie thanks to her decades-long and groundbreaking musical career or her work in activism and education.
But a new exhibition at a Winnipeg art gallery displays a lesser-known side of the Canadian icon by highlighting her innovative digital artwork.
Buffy Sainte-Marie: Pathfinder, an exhibition at the Urban Shaman gallery in the city’s Exchange District, presents 16 of her digital paintings, as well as never-before-seen sketches, artifacts and behind-the-scenes photos.
Curator Natasha Lowenthal thinks the exhibition will be enjoyed by Sainte-Marie’s fans, as well as those who are not as familiar with her work.
The collection is an opportunity “for everyone to really understand [Buffy’s] role in the entire arts and cultures scene,” says Lowenthal.
While the artwork in the exhibit cannot be taken out of context from Sainte-Marie’s music, activism, and writing, the paintings highlight “a different voice” from the artist, Lowenthal says.
“There’s an entirely new facet of understanding that you come to when you look at an artist’s visual art,” she said in a phone interview with CBC News.
“Nothing is departmentalized with [Buffy]. Everything is interconnected, and that’s a very conscious thing for her.”
Sainte-Marie began working on the paintings when home computers, like this early Macintosh, were in their infancy. (Robert Snowbird)
Pathfinder provides a unique insight into Sainte-Marie’s creative process and represents the most comprehensive survey of her digital paintings to date, according to an online description of the exhibit.
While digital art is now an established genre, Sainte-Marie began working on the digital paintings before “using a computer for art was even a concept yet,” said Lowenthal.
“She had to create these beautiful paintings one pixel at a time. She was really innovative in how she used all of the extra technology as well, like she was scanning in images, and she was working with a Macintosh [computer] that was literally the first model,” she said.
“In a day when we have presets and filters and a multitude of tools, [Buffy] had the opposite.”
The exhibition, presented in partnership with the Winnipeg gallery Ace Art Inc. and Paquin Entertainment Group, opened at Urban Shaman on Dec. 17 and is scheduled to run until March 5.
However, after its opening, the gallery temporarily closed its doors to the public in response to rising COVID-19 numbers and public health orders. A virtual gallery is in the works and will soon be available on its website, Urban Shaman says.
The exhibition will be travelling across North America at the very least, and hopefully the world in the coming years, Lowenthal said.
“It’s a new window into the life of somebody who’s really an authentic artist, who really looks at the arts in a holistic way, and who is always finding new ways to reach out and connect,” she said.
LONDON (AP) — With a few daubs of a paintbrush, the Brontë sisters have got their dots back.
More than eight decades after it was installed, a memorial to the three 19th-century sibling novelists in London’s Westminster Abbey was amended Thursday to restore the diaereses – the two dots over the e in their surname.
The dots — which indicate that the name is pronounced “brontay” rather than “bront” — were omitted when the stone tablet commemorating Charlotte, Emily and Anne was erected in the abbey’s Poets’ Corner in October 1939, just after the outbreak of World War II.
They were restored after Brontë historian Sharon Wright, editor of the Brontë Society Gazette, raised the issue with Dean of Westminster David Hoyle. The abbey asked its stonemason to tap in the dots and its conservator to paint them.
“There’s no paper record for anyone complaining about this or mentioning this, so I just wanted to put it right, really,” Wright said. “These three Yorkshire women deserve their place here, but they also deserve to have their name spelled correctly.”
It’s believed the writers’ Irish father Patrick changed the spelling of his surname from Brunty or Prunty when he went to university in England.
Raised on the wild Yorkshire moors, all three sisters died before they were 40, leaving enduring novels including Charlotte’s “Jane Eyre,” Emily’s “Wuthering Heights” and Anne’s “The Tenant of Wildfell Hall.”
Rebecca Yorke, director of the Brontë Society, welcomed the restoration.
“As the Brontës and their work are loved and respected all over the world, it’s entirely appropriate that their name is spelled correctly on their memorial,” she said.
In a case that has sent shockwaves through the Vancouver Island art community, a local art dealer has been charged with one count of fraud over $5,000. Calvin Lucyshyn, the former operator of the now-closed Winchester Galleries in Oak Bay, faces the charge after police seized hundreds of artworks, valued in the tens of millions of dollars, from various storage sites in the Greater Victoria area.
Alleged Fraud Scheme
Police allege that Lucyshyn had been taking valuable art from members of the public under the guise of appraising or consigning the pieces for sale, only to cut off all communication with the owners. This investigation began in April 2022, when police received a complaint from an individual who had provided four paintings to Lucyshyn, including three works by renowned British Columbia artist Emily Carr, and had not received any updates on their sale.
Further investigation by the Saanich Police Department revealed that this was not an isolated incident. Detectives found other alleged victims who had similar experiences with Winchester Galleries, leading police to execute search warrants at three separate storage locations across Greater Victoria.
Massive Seizure of Artworks
In what has become one of the largest art fraud investigations in recent Canadian history, authorities seized approximately 1,100 pieces of art, including more than 600 pieces from a storage site in Saanich, over 300 in Langford, and more than 100 in Oak Bay. Some of the more valuable pieces, according to police, were estimated to be worth $85,000 each.
Lucyshyn was arrested on April 21, 2022, but was later released from custody. In May 2024, a fraud charge was formally laid against him.
Artwork Returned, but Some Remain Unclaimed
In a statement released on Monday, the Saanich Police Department confirmed that 1,050 of the seized artworks have been returned to their rightful owners. However, several pieces remain unclaimed, and police continue their efforts to track down the owners of these works.
Court Proceedings Ongoing
The criminal charge against Lucyshyn has not yet been tested in court, and he has publicly stated his intention to defend himself against any pending allegations. His next court appearance is scheduled for September 10, 2024.
Impact on the Local Art Community
The news of Lucyshyn’s alleged fraud has deeply affected Vancouver Island’s art community, particularly collectors, galleries, and artists who may have been impacted by the gallery’s operations. With high-value pieces from artists like Emily Carr involved, the case underscores the vulnerabilities that can exist in art transactions.
For many art collectors, the investigation has raised concerns about the potential for fraud in the art world, particularly when it comes to dealing with private galleries and dealers. The seizure of such a vast collection of artworks has also led to questions about the management and oversight of valuable art pieces, as well as the importance of transparency and trust in the industry.
As the case continues to unfold in court, it will likely serve as a cautionary tale for collectors and galleries alike, highlighting the need for due diligence in the sale and appraisal of high-value artworks.
While much of the seized artwork has been returned, the full scale of the alleged fraud is still being unraveled. Lucyshyn’s upcoming court appearances will be closely watched, not only by the legal community but also by the wider art world, as it navigates the fallout from one of Canada’s most significant art fraud cases in recent memory.
Art collectors and individuals who believe they may have been affected by this case are encouraged to contact the Saanich Police Department to inquire about any unclaimed pieces. Additionally, the case serves as a reminder for anyone involved in high-value art transactions to work with reputable dealers and to keep thorough documentation of all transactions.
As with any investment, whether in art or other ventures, it is crucial to be cautious and informed. Art fraud can devastate personal collections and finances, but by taking steps to verify authenticity, provenance, and the reputation of dealers, collectors can help safeguard their valuable pieces.
