Rachel Gibson (Submitted photo)

By Nigel Maxwell

Prince Albert arts community

11th annual art exhibit shines spotlight on Prince Albert area youth

Apr 16, 2025 | 8:51 AM

Prince Albert’s Rachel Gibson says being a part of the High School Juried Art Show has helped open the door to other exciting opportunities.

The Grade 12 student at Carlton Comprehensive High School, who will also represent Saskatchewan next month at a National Skills Canada competition, is one of 71 artists featured during this year’s show at the Mann Gallery. The reception and awards night was held on Tuesday night and Gibson’s piece “Becoming” won Best in Show.

“Since it was my last year being in this competition, I wanted to show like the evolution of my art, so I have me and like a bunch of different mediums that I do like felting, clay, acrylic oil, and then I have me on there, obviously and just showing everything that I love to do,” she told paNOW

Rachel Gibson with award sponsor Sandra Zelensky. (Nigel Maxwell/ paNOW Staff)

The annual High School Juried Art Show showcases the talent of young artists from local high schools including Carlton, Wesmor, St, Mary and Big River. The event provides a platform for students to display their artistic creations in various mediums, including painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, and mixed media.

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“It means so much to me. Every year I come with friends and have a great time. We went for supper earlier and just make a whole day of it,” Gibson said.

Kayden Montgrand won the Emerging Artist Award for his piece “Iridescence.”

“I think it’s an honor to have my art on the wall, and especially to get an award for it. I think that’s pretty special,” he said.

Carlton student Karly Doell modelled for Montgrand’s award winning piece. (Nigel Maxwell/ paNOW Staff)

Cate Rapin and her piece. (Nigel Maxwell/ paNOW Staff)

Cate Rapin is a Grade 12 student at St. Mary and acknowledged sports have normally come first in her life, but added since joining art class this year she has discovered a new passion and talent.

“I’ve just been loving it and the opportunity to put into an art show, to just get myself out there and show the public I think is a really cool opportunity.”

Rapin’s piece reveals the vulnerability that comes with being a teenager. She explained how her drawing was inspired by how she views herself in high school – independent and being comfortable in your skin. Those are values she thinks other youth can relate to and not lost on Rapin is the knowledge that over the next month and a half, potentially hundreds of people may come to see her work.

“I think it’s really cool. People could just learn a lesson maybe from it, or just admire it and maybe inspire other people to try something that maybe they are not used to doing completely.”

Finn Blackman’s interpretation of a prairie grain elevator. (Nigel Maxwell/ paNOW Staff)

Finn Blackman’s portrait of a grain elevator is one of the first pieces people see when they walk into the gallery.

“I’ve just been like insanely interested in just a landscape in general of like Saskatchewan as a whole, and just every single time I see a grain elevator it just moves me. I just really like the landscape of Prince Albert and Saskatchewan,” he said.


Noting how it doesn’t matter where his art is shown in the gallery, Blackman said it’s just a honor to be a part of the collective art exhibit.

“I think it’s good to see like different types of art. It shows like a story for each individual person here.”

The 14th Annual High School Juried Art Show runs until June 7.

Every piece is unique. (Nigel Maxwell/ paNOW Staff)

Award winners:

Rachel Gibson – Best in Show sponsored by Sandra’s Framing and Art Gallery

Abeedah Saka-Bello – Artistic Innovation Award sponsored by Prince Albert Council for the Arts

Ryder Hogan – Creative Exploration in Any Medium sponsored by Lemon Yellow Art Studio

Kayden Montgrand – Emerging Artist sponsored by Down to Earth Creative Consulting and Education

Penny Yanacoulias – Creative Clay Award sponsored by Prince Albert Arts Board

Ryder Hogan with award sponsor Tia Furstenberg. (Nigel Maxwell/ paNOW Staff)

Kiera Levesque/ Sheree Eashappie – Juror’s Choice sponsored by Mann Art Gallery

Karissa Manseau – Artistic Achievement sponsored by Mann Art Gallery

Kayla Lange and Tatianna Trautmann – Barb L:acey Memorial Award

Thea Steward and Naviah Johnson – Photography Award sponsored by Northern Image Photographers

Zaida Parry – Improper Hangings sponsored by Curtis Kerr

Lisa Brodacki – Fibre award sponsored by Living Skies Fibre Studio

nigel.maxwell@pattisonmedia.com

On Blue Sky: @nigelmaxwell.bsky.social