Local Métis artists Danielle Castle (left), who’s also the acting educator at the Mann Art Gallery, and Leah Dorion (right) are working together on five temporary outdoor art installations throughout July and August. (Jayda Taylor/Daily Herald)
Danielle Castle and Leah Dorion firmly believe they were meant to collaborate. The two Métis artists are the same person at heart: They’re both inspired by the land and dedicate their lives to arts education.
In fact, Dorion sees a younger version of herself in Castle. She remembers, nearly two decades ago, when she was trying to kickstart her art career while raising her son.
The pair is launching their Intergenerational Métis Artist Mentorship Project on Friday. Outside of the Mann Art Gallery from 1 to 3 p.m., weather permitting, they’ll be collaboratively creating a sidewalk chalk mural.
That will be the first of five temporary outdoor art installations across Prince Albert.
“We’ve had so much fun scouting locations, pitching ideas to people that we’re working with,” said Dorion. This includes the Mann Art Gallery and the City of Prince Albert.
“It’s going to go well no matter what because we’ve already—together—learned so much about how to do this public art.”
Castle is the acting educator at the Mann Art Gallery. Last year, the gallery launched a small residency project with Dorion.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic entered Saskatchewan, Dorion hosted workshops there making Métis moss bags and Plains-style Métis ribbon skirts.
“We were looking for ways to extend and do things with Leah at the gallery for her mini residency that we started, and we were just looking at grants and how to do it,” explained Castle.
“Then, with COVID, things changed. Leah was just like, ‘You know what, I want to mentor you,’ and I’m like ‘yes.’”
Dorion will work with Castle on the outdoor installations, teaching her how to plan, produce, install and implement the art.
The project is inspired by Dorion’s children’s book The Giving Tree: A Retelling of a Traditional Métis Story. The book highlights the culture’s core values, including strength, kindness, courage, balance and love.
Nowadays, they said, live public art is scarce.
One of Dorion’s favourite memories is setting up her easel at Batoche National Historic Park. Children who were there on a field trip were constantly checking in, excited to see what her next brush stroke would bring.
“When people see me working publicly, making art, they’re so inspired and so curious and so excited. We don’t watch people live, making things as much as we used to.”
Castle agreed, saying art isn’t always about seeing your finished work on display.
“It’s the process, not your final product,” she said. “It’s so important. That’s where you’re getting the therapy and the expression.”
“I think the public will just come to the spaces and just feel good about the art being in the public locations. It will really elevate the city’s story and the city’s visual arts,” added Dorion about the temporary installations.
The Intergenerational Métis Artist Mentorship Project is funded by the Aboriginal Arts and Culture Leadership Grant from SaskCulture and the Community Initiatives Fund.
Castle and Dorion will be working on each of the five art installations in accessible locations for the public to come watch and ask questions. They’ll be ensuring that no more than 30 people are gathered at one time, and that everyone is physically distanced to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
They will be working on separate projects on the Friday of every week, for the next five weeks.
However, they may have to move the events to the weekend depending on the weather. The Mann Art Gallery will update the public on its social media platforms.
“To work with younger artists pushes a person who’s been practicing art for so long to different directions,” emphasized Dorion.
“It’s honestly such a perfect time in my life,” said Castle about the collaboration.
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.
