Biggar's Cindy Hoppe works on new art. She is among the artists being honoured in the first Arts of Celebration event later this month. (Submitted Photo/Cindy Hoppe)

By Julia Lovett-Squires

Arts Celebration

Local artists to be celebrated in SK Arts inaugural event May 27

May 21, 2024 | 2:03 PM

Saskatchewan artists of all disciplines will be recognized as part of the inaugural Arts of Celebration event later this month.

“I was a bit astonished,” said fiber artist Cindy Hoppe upon hearing of her recognition.

The Biggar-based artist who works with wools, silks and all manner of thread and is currently working on “translating Prairie landscape into fabric art” said it was nice to be recognized.

According to Michael Jones, who recently stepped aside as SK Arts CEO, this event looked to celebrate everyone in the arts, not just a handful during an awards ceremony.

“For many years, we’ve been presenting the Saskatchewan Arts Awards, and we love that event, we love celebrating the community in that way,” he said “You know, as time has gone on, there’ve been some concerns raised in the community about an evening that actually picks winners and losers.”

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He explained while they were honouring everyone, one person still had to receive the prize, they felt the need to reevaluate whether that was what they wanted to do.

“Given that we work in all art forms, if you’re choosing one award or individual leadership, how can you choose between somebody who’s a leader in the literary community and somebody who’s a leader in the visual arts community?”

For Battlefords-based musician and educator Jackie Kroczyński, who is also being recognized this year, she said it’s a good way to try and recognize more artists.

“I think that that’s really worthwhile and there’s all kinds of…different areas being recognized.”

The artists fall into categories such as emerging professionals, established artists and arts leaders.

“It’s really good just to see how many different facets of the arts there are in the province,” Kroczyński said.

“I’ve been teaching band and music like, a long time,” she said. “Sometimes people will refer to that as things like being in the trenches and and yeah – it kind of is, but it’s like you want to do that because you want other people to be successful in the arts, and to have an appreciation for the arts and to pass that experience on.”

Jones explained that with the former ceremony, they would receive on average 50 to 60 submissions but were only able to celebrate a fraction of the artists.

Jackie Kroczyński performs during a show. (Submitted Photo: Jackie Kroczyński)

“This just gives us a chance to really look at everybody, who are the people who are doing things? Who are the people that we’ve never heard about… how do we get that word out, how can we honour and celebrate all of these people?”

The event will be held on Monday, May 27 in Regina and the recognized artists will also be celebrated throughout the year in different mediums be it in the newsletter, website or in a new publication set to debut this fall.

“Many of these people will be celebrated in a number of those places.”

Hoppe, chair of the Saskatchewan Craft Council said her artistic path was walked alongside her mother who was also a fabric artist.

“She translated the prairie using felt as her medium,” she said.

“I didn’t want to copy my mother exactly, but we worked together, we dyed together, we went to thrift stores together to find our materials and I – I guess – evolved into using the sewing machine and woven materials.”

According to the artist, her style is based more in realism though she is using abstract methods create her pieces.

“I dye my material to get my palette and then right now I’m embroidering, and my embroidery technique is to put threads on the bobbin and work from behind the work,” she said.

“I don’t know what’s happening on the front until I turn it over.”

Kroczyński said she sees music education as a circle.

“As you’re mentored by somebody and taught by somebody, you kind of have to keep giving that,” she said.

“Sometimes education isn’t recognized in the same way so, I think that was really great to be able to include that in that part of the SK Arts.”

Kroczyński, who is also being recognized for her musical work outside of the classroom said she’s always loved the art form.

“If it wasn’t for music, I probably wouldn’t have chosen to become a teacher, because I wanted to teach music.”

From a practical perspective, most artists need to be teachers to make a living.

“I always played. I started piano lessons when I was four and so, I can’t remember not doing it,” she said.

“I grew up in Saskatoon and I did have two really amazing band teachers before I left high school that were really important in helping me make that decision to become a band teacher.”

For the full 2024 list of artists or to learn more, visit SK Arts.

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julia.lovettsquires@pattisonmedia.com

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