Tanu’u Woman. ©2013 Janice Tanton. Digital print.

One year ago today, I left Canmore for Haida Gwaii and a life-changing artist’s residency at Gwaii Haanas National Park. In a month’s time, I learned more than I could absorb, met new family and friends, saw, touched, smelled and heard things that were literally Super-Natural and was inspired and welcomed with open arms by the Haida Nation and the islanders.

I yearn to return there — more than anything in my life that I’ve wished for. I need to show my family everything there that I experienced. I’d move in a heartbeat. The inspiration has taken me a whole year of thinking, battling and painting to begin to work out. Haa’wa to all my friends and family on HG. I think of you every day.

In this short year, Harper’s government has slashed funding to Parks Canada and as a result, the same program that inspired me so, is no longer in place. No mind. I’m more determined than ever to express the beauty and mystery that just one oil tanker spill could destroy. All this time spent sick has given me time to think, and once I am on my feet.…well, let’s just say I’m making it my life’s work.

Pledge to something or someone important in your life. As an artist, this is your duty.

Rock the boat.

“Spirit Horses Lodge” ©2013 Janice Tanton. Oil on belgian linen. 40“x72” Purchased by Cenovus Energy Inc.

Earlier this year, I was invited along with 36 artists  in Alberta and Saskatchewan to participate in the inaugural “Cenovus Art Competition”. The focus of the competition was to identify “under-recognized artists” in Alberta and Saskatchewan, in the form of a competition. Normally, I don’t go in for these sort of things, but I liked what the company was proposing to do.

For too long, many of us “older” artists have tired to see big art competitions such as the Sobey Award and the RBC Art Competition in Canada focus on the “young”…the “up and coming”. If you’re under 40 or a recent grad — there’s big bucks in art competitions in Canada. Kind of makes this senior feel like dog food at times, to tell the truth. I’m thankful Cenovus looked at meritous working artists. And I’m super excited that local colleagues David Foxcroft and Michael Cameron were recognized as “honourable mentions”!

It was nice to be recognized for not being recognized, and then recognized. Ha. Odd…but true.

Some of my strongest pieces were too large for the specs in the competition, so the difficult task I had was to find something I felt worthy of my current practice, beliefs and thoughts as an artist. Coming off the CAMP exhibition (my first ever solo public exhibition) at Okotoks Art Gallery, I chose “Spirit Horse Lodges” for my entry into the competition.

Artist Statement — Spirit Horse Lodges

“Title: Spirit Horse Lodges
Dimensions: 40”x72”x2.25”
Medium: Oil on linen

No artist worth their salt can engage in deep research and subject matter from a distance. They must be immersed, involved and see themselves as part of the work, the place and the spirit. My practice focuses with all of my soul, my heart and my emotion, on cross-cultural relationships and “the space between” .

With an eye to the objective – the representational, but with a paintbrush filled with movement, spiritual guidance and immersion, I created “Spirit Horse Lodges” which describes the three aspects of our Human existance – the real, (the touchable), the spiritual and most importantly the Supernatural – the space in between. As a tipi holder, having spent many starlit and stormy nights in Siksika under the cover of the tipi canvas, the tipi comes to represent our house, our body, the natural and the spirit world. The stories and songs interwoven with the experience of being in and of the tipi are sacred. They come alive when spoken and told in front of the fire, with an energy that draws us all together and creates meaning in our lives.

Spirit Horse Lodges symbolizes our human link to community, four tipis representing the turns of the medicine wheel, the seasons, and the periods of our lives. The red ochre, a sacred colour carries the significance of fire and life as just two of their many meanings. The running horses, some “real” and actual part of the design of the tipi, take on a spirit, energy connection as they leap from one lodge to another, signifying our connection to each other in community and to the supernatural’s and spirit world. The horses (Ponoka-mitaa) themselves, a social and spiritual partner to humans, illustrate in all their different colours and moods – who and how we can be, together.”

I hear from the company, that a great deal of discussion took place around my work. This pleases me immensely, as at the core of what I do and why I paint is to question.…to create dialogue and span those spaces “in-between”.

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While my piece did not win the glory and the much–coveted publicity of the award, there was some sweet victory for me in knowing that the discussions around the topic of the work were had, AND.…Cenovus went wayyyy beyond the competition and purchased the work for their corporate collection. This is testimony enough for me that the right pieces end up in the right places. I’m excited! Not only that, it helps to support our family through some very difficult times — spiritually and financially.

May you always take a step outside your comfort zone to explore new territory.

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Oh…and the jury for this new competion? Have an eyebrow-raising look. Impressive!

Chris Cran, senior artist

Catherine Crowston, Executive Director of the Alberta Art Gallery

Lynda Haverstock, an avid supporter of the arts who was honourary patron to many arts organizations during her tenure as lieutenant-governor of Saskatchewan

Ann McCaig, philanthropist

Brett Wilson, a well-known entrepreneur and art collector

There is so much incredible content available to artists on the internet that it’s hard to filter through all the “beauties” that fall in our lap.

Here are three different, but beautiful, and hilarious videos that I’ve come across in the past two days. Thanks to the brilliance of James Gurney — a consummate, prolific artist whose popular blog, Gurney Journey is one of the best and a must-follow for artists, have a look at how he re-visions on the spot at the Plein Air Convention in Monterey. (which looks like a great place to learn and mix with other plein air painters from across North America!)

Now this one just about made me wet my pants when I tripped over it on YouTube. A brilliant “critique” of the work “Monkey Farter” by the artist known as Will.…

Funny begets funny. This vintage clip shows a young John Cleese, Ringo Starr and Peter Sellers in a hilarious art spoof. Classic!

Related Posts:

Lessons From The Farm: Part 1 of 4 — Knowing Your Shit

Big Fish, Little Pond — Little Fish, Big Pond — Which Artist Are You?

Grace works her flower petals.

Today has been a fun time, and I have my awesome daughter to thank for that. I was already to try and do a little painting again today, but to tell you the truth, the arm has taken a kicking this week and it’s a struggle just to hold onto the brush. Grace thought it would be fun to do something with clay. Internally, I groaned, thinking…oh dear .…what a mess this is going to be to clean up. Then I thought, well why the heck not? So, we cleared off the kitchen table, put the plastic down and got dirty!

It was a ton of fun, and therapeutic in so many ways. I got to play.…and feel the spirit of a young, enthusiastic, loving gal :: just what every artist needs! Getting your hands on a different medium than what you are used to is GREAT for the soul. I had no expectations, and I admit the first thought I had was, “I’ll make a little pot with the coil method.” DUH…heck no. I let that go and just started playing around with the clay, watching how excited Grace was and how SURE she was about making a flower, a lily pad and a frog. Here they are:

Grace’s frog, lily pad and flower. Oh my.

I am so amazed at the creativity of an eight year old. My messy bust pales in comparison! Grace, you’re my idol.

Our messy fun today.

Slowly, this fellah emerged. I haven’t finished it, but it’s been awfully fun messing around, and much easier on my arm today. Yippee.…thanks for making me get dirty Grace. I have so much to learn from you.…wait…I’m coming…teach me so more!!!!

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FOREVER YOUNG  - The Lyrical Poetry of Life and Living

My favourite version of “Forever Young” by Bob Dylan is sung by Audra Mae & The Forest Rangers, as part of the “Sons of Anarchy” TV series. So beautifully sung, I dedicate this to my daughter and every working artist in the world, wishing her (and you) everything in this lyrical, beautiful song:

Forever Young…

May God bless and keep you always
May your wishes all come true
May you always do for others
And let others do for you
May you build a ladder to the stars
And climb on every rung
May you stay forever young
Forever young, forever young
May you stay forever young.

May you grow up to be righteous
May you grow up to be true
May you always know the truth
And see the lights surrounding you
May you always be courageous
Stand upright and be strong
May you stay forever young
Forever young, forever young
May you stay forever young.

May your hands always be busy
May your feet always be swift
May you have a strong foundation
When the winds of changes shift
May your heart always be joyful
And may your song always be sung
May you stay forever young
Forever young, forever young
May you stay forever young.

My challenging little red pear models, all set up and ready to shine.

I’ve been struggling with chemo for the past month and a half. It hasn’t been a picnic. I fight, it fights back. I zig.…it zags. Like some crazy knuckleball pitcher, neither he, the catcher or the batter know where that ball is going to end up.

The painful underpainting. Trust me…it was painful in so many ways just to get this down.

I think I’ve been pretty patient, trying to get my body to heal and “take it”. Everyone keeps saying, “Stay positive…stay positive.” Hell, staying positive is for crazy people. As a human being, it would be wrong to stay positive ALL the time. That’s just not balanced, is it? Having a good cry sort of cleans it all out. (There’s been a lot of ‘cleaning’ around this house, that’s for sure.)

All of this shit (literally) has kept me from painting, and that’s frustrating. Either I’m throwing up (from one end or the other), sleeping, at tests and doc appointments or trying to heal through some excellent massage therapists and collaborative medicine gurus (love them).

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!

My little setup by the fire.

Today, I just wanted one normal day…to cook my family some dinner and actually be able to stay up and watch them eat it…and paint. Something.….freakin’ ANYTHING for that matter.

Most of the day, I spent making a delicious roasted organic, free-range (read ‘break-the-bank-expensive’) chicken with all the fixin’s. And all that time in the kitchen, I was totally distracted by the sunlight in my front window backlighting some organic red pears. Their shape.…the colour…the light.…all just finally BROKE me. So I ditched the nap this afternoon and painted! YAH HOOEY!

Now wait a minute. It wasn’t that easy. It was emotional, and painful. Three little pears beating me down, the light  - challenging me to a dual and the paint, driving me crazy with it’s juicy colour. My arm just isn’t what it was, and tons of physio and exercise are helping, but it can’t get there fast enough for me. What I learned is that sometimes, you just push through the pain and the goop, and enjoy it. This wasn’t a “let’s paint a fantastic painting that will live for all time” event. This was.…“let’s see if I CAN paint, and just get something done.”

Scumble…midpoint through the painful experience. This is sort of where it all falls apart, or you push on through. I pushed…and I also fell apart.

Well, I’d say it was a success. There’s a painting, anyhow. And a hearty chicken dinner will hit the table in a few minutes after I hit the Tramadol. (Oh…and a blogpost!)

Screw you, chemo. Three organic pears beat your poisonous butt.

“Red Pear Study” ©2013 Janice Tanton.Oil on linen board. 6“x8”.…After all, not a bad little painting with a little light and a decent composition.

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My one way ticket back to Kansas

When the reality of life is too much, as human beings we have our imagination, our made-up, make-believe worlds to help us navigate the unimaginable. For artists and creatives, I can only think that we are somehow super-charged with imaginations — for the best, and for the worst. This week, I found out I’m facing 18 weeks of chemotherapy. That’s scarier than any Stephen King novel yet. What frightens me most is not the random invading cancer cells that MIGHT be in my body, but the side effects of the poison that the wicked witch is about to unleash. I will not recount the details so that you, dear reader, might be spared the nightmares that have plagued us all week. Far worse than the flying monkeys of Baum’s imagination, things like neuropathy are unimaginable for me. How can I think of the possible nerve damage to extremities — hands, feet, well-trained artist’s fingers and hands. @#$%

I’ve been searching for one good reason — just one good thing about chemotherapy to get me through this, and it was through an idea that Grace The Good Witch had this week, and a fancy red pair of running shoes I spotted yesterday.

Grace said to me, “Mommy, I know what we can do — let’s just pretend that you have a fever for a long time.”

Brilliant. I can go with that. “It’s just a fever.”.…but the “let’s just pretend” is even better. Why didn’t I think of that? Let’s just pretend…and this nightmare too shall pass.

Only the fear or more horrible side effects can get me into the dentist’s chair, and there I was yesterday. Tense.…I imagined being on North Beach in Haida Gwaii while the scraping and scratching went on. After awhile, it turned into the sounds of crashing waves, seabirds and the wind whispering in the seagrass behind me. Ta da.…done.

Feeling like maybe this whole, “Calgon, Take Me Away” approach might be actually working, I stopped in at my friend’s shoe store. A pair of red leather running shoes just jumped off the shelf, onto my feet and remained there. Oh dear.…I really am leaving Kansas on a cyclone.

My Magic Wand

Yesterday was sad for me. I had an exhibition of some paintings opening at the Kaay Centre, Haida Museum in Haida Gwaii and I so wanted to be there with my friends and fellow artists. Wicked Witch Tests kept me from them. However, once the ruby slippers were on my feet, it seemed that suddenly I was with everyone if I just clicked my heels together. Following the yellowbrick road, I went into the Kitchen Store.…and there on the shelf, a red wand in the form of a compact kitchen latte frother jumped RIGHT into my hand. AHA!.…this shall be useful to create those magic concoctions to keep me healthy and protect me as I venture into the Witches’ Castle! My friend Birgit, the Good Witch of Kitchen Store also found a special concoctor guaranteed to make me smile as I brew the herbs and tinctures to battle the evil chemo sickies. (stay with me.….)

Reading Papa

A little further along the yellow brick road, I happened upon Josey, The Benevolent Witch of Bookery and there I found what I was looking for — food for the mind, the Great Oz Ernest Hemingway bookery themselves to carry spells of imagination of the great seas and wars.

That night, as my good friends gathered in Haida Gwaii to launch the show from our Gwaii Haanas trip, I felt the love across the sea, the mountains and the rivers. Tucked into my bed, ruby slippers by my side, my Cowardly Lion lovingly read “The Old Man And The Sea”. I clicked my heels, drifted off after Chapter One and found myself in Haida Gwaii.

Today, I face the nuclear MUGA. No worries. Got my wand, my rubies and Ernest.

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The Kendrick Ladies with their beautiful smiles, in front of some of the works in Haida Gwaii

And here is my dear artist friend, Darrell Oike reading from the message and poem  I sent on the wind…

Artist Darrell Oike reads my message and poem to accompany the opening of the Haida Museum exhibit. Photo Credits: Clint Kendrick

“Cancer has a way of turning your life upside down, although those of you that know me well, know that it’s picked the wrong person to haggle with. Death…or the threat of it, is all that is keeping me from you today.  I did a bit of retail therapy after an appointment and picked up some “ruby shoes” this morning. I’m wearing them now. I wish, like Dorothy, that they’d transport me out of Kansas and into this room, this Oz…this…….. Haida Gwaii.

My time in Haida Gwaii and Gwaii Haanas National Park was sacred and special. From the time I arrived there, I knew that I needed to bring my family to see this incredible place and know it’s people, it’s flow and it’s lifestyle. That will happen soon.

While the land, the sea, the flora and the fauna all play largely in the mind when one encounters such abundance and diversity, I’ve come to ponder our place, our integration and our responsibility as human beings to change how we are – to rebalance —  in order to maintain the synergy with all that is around us. The ancestors and those that came before us knew this. We have just to deeply listen to ourselves, the land and the sea to find the good way again. This is the way of the artist.

No artist worth their salt can engage in deep research and subject matter from a distance. They must be immersed, involved and see themselves as part of the work, the place and the spirit. Anything less is just clinical observation – which as science, has it’s place, but in art….requires the immersion of the soul, the heart and the emotion.

With an eye to the objective – the representational, but with a paintbrush filled with movement, spiritual guidance and immersion, I seek to create new works that describe three aspects of Gwaii Haanas – the real, (the touchable), the spiritual and most importantly the supernatural – the space in between where I most often find myself. I seek to integrate myself and my family members in those works in order to explore responsibility and identity within the context of those three worlds that I feel and see in Gwaii Haanas and all of Haida Gwaii. At home in my studio there now sit no less than ten monumental works in progress integrating the figure, the landscape and the sea of Gwaii Haanas and Haida Gwaii.

It is with love that my family and I wish to thank those that guided me safely through this wondrous place. A huge thank you to Parks Canada, Christine and Terry for championing such an important program, Heather for taking it outwards to the public beyond and to the Haida Museum Board Members, Nathalie, Jenn and Jennifer who so skillfully engaged us as a family. This partnership is important. It needs to continue to welcome those of us who come from afar in a touchable, tangible experience.

I want to thank Tana Hooper and Clint Kendrick and their families for welcoming us with arms open, keeping us safe, fishing me out from the Pacific Ocean and teaching us so very much in such a short period of time.  Both of these dedicated Parks Canada employees should be commended for their passion, their professionalism, guidance and passion around this program. They have both continued to be sources of information and research as I begin a larger body of work.

A special thank you to Benita Saunders for her incredible hospitality while I was here. It is an honour to have stayed with you and I am forever grateful. I felt welcomed and loved and well cared for by this entire island community before I even stepped foot off the fairy. Haa’wa.

To Fanny and to you Darrell, as you now read these words, I am proud to call you brother and sister. I am in awe of your insight as artists and human beings and I am forever in your debt for your teachings. I know we will work together again soon…..(I’m writing the grant….ha ha!)”

In closing, I’ll leave you with a poem in the languages I know…

Oki Niksokowa. Is dee daniko, Iniskimaki, itan  Makoyitsikin ikimopii Siksika

All My Relations — I am Iniskimaki, Sacred Buffalo Stone Woman, adopted daughter of Elder Tom Crane Bear, Wolfshoe of the Siksika Nation.

Greens and yellows as I have never seen

Roll, envelope and hold me

Life….and death….so close together

Waters, clear and dancing

Dangerous, abundant, changelings

Roll, envelope and hold me

Death….and life….so close together

Trees, Twisting, Spiritful and Overpowering

Wide, Wet, tall, growing on each other as if starving…or making love

Roll, envelope and hold me

Death…and life…so close together

Life…death….the space between.

Roll, envelope and hold me

This is my Gwaii Haanas.

Haa’wa Iksookapi Thank you

Bull elk visiting the Leighton Studios at The Banff Centre.

Everyone gets in a rut. Having the opportunity to take a vacation, or a physical break from your regular work cycle enables you to have a new perspective on things. Yes, there is a sense of comfort to having ‘everything in it’s place’ in your own home studio, but there is something to be said for shaking it up, expanding your horizons and getting into a new space to create and imagine the possibilities previously unthought of.

For me, I literally “get outside” and paint when I can, taking the opportunity to explore the Rocky Mountains and Kananaskis Country — literally in my front and back yard. That’s an “elegant solution” to a one-day residency.  A great way to observe and appreciate nature and create something new.

For a more in-depth examination of the process or project, there is nothing like leaving my comfy home studio and driving a half an hour down the road to the Leighton Artist’s Colony at The Banff Centre. This January/February marks the fourth residency period I’ve been fortunate enough to enjoy in this cadillac of artist’s residencies. I feel very lucky.

Big Blank Canvas all prepped and ready to go in the Gerin-Lajoie Studio at The Banff Centre.

Nestled in the woods, is my favourite visual arts studio — the “Gerin-Lajoie”. Complete with a kettle, toaster, small fridge and microwave, it’s my favourite place to imagine the “new” in my practice. It’s a quiet place, no distractions — but with all the amenities that you need for your own creature comfort a short walk away. Many artists choose to actually reside at The Banff Centre during their residency period, and for that, The Banff Centre offers wonderful accommodation, a pool and exercise facility, several places to dine and a library that you could get lost in for the rest of your life. To me — it’s heaven on earth, all located on the side of Buffalo Mountain, a sacred place to many First Nations — a place for vision quests for over 14,000 years. Fitting for artists to congregate and exchange on this natural place for creation in contemporary times. I travel back and forth from my home, as it’s important to me to be with my family every day.

Work In Progress — Gerin-Lajoie Studio at The Banff Centre.

I’ve been planning for this residency since May of last year, after receiving the news that I’d be one of three artists in residence for Gwaii Haanas National Park. Knowing full well that I’d need some incubation time over the summer, and follow it with some intensive creation time, my plans were to work on some very large scale paintings at the “Leightons”. News just days before Christmas that I was diagnosed with breast cancer changed that, and for several weeks, I felt as though my entire life was askew. Everyone was sad…and so was I. Hmmm…no residency, what did the future look like? Chemotherapy? Radiation? Surgery?  Painting might be a thing of the past for me for quite some time, and that was the second blackest thought I could imagine. I won’t entertain the first.

It took a couple of weeks to work through these issues emotionally, until finally I was able to meet with my surgeon and get some good ideas about what I might or might not be able to expect of life in the coming months (and years). The morning following the surgeon’s meeting, after deciding that a modified radical mastectomy to remove my right breast and lymph nodes was the way to go, I also realized that I needn’t put my life on hold because of this. Everything didn’t have to stop — but things had to change. It was a complete “AHA” moment. Although I had found out that I had a life-threatening disease and that the road to health may be long and difficult, I came to the total realization that cancer didn’t affect ME…my soul, my art or my outlook on life and that I was the only one who could adversely affect that, if I continued to dwell on the “what if’s” instead of dealing with the “Wow…what I’ve already gots”, so to speak.

Cancer can’t kill your spirit, your soul, your love of life and family. You’re in control of that one, entirely.

So, with some incredible encouragement from my dear friend Jen Houck, Program Coordinator at the Leighton Art Colony, I realized that I should continue with my work and give myself the goal of returning to my residency two weeks after surgery. The two weeks were up on Monday, and I didn’t quite make it. Drains are still in — there’s some weird nerve pain that’s holding me back, but that’s okay — I need to rest and take care of my spirit and my body. I’ll get there soon!

Work In Progress: Stage 2– Gerin-Lajoie Studio at The Banff Centre.

Family and Friends To The Rescue!

In the meantime, before the surgery, my family and friends pulled out all the stops to get my studio set up and help me to get as much large-scale work on the go as I possibly could. My youngest brother David who lives in Calgary drove in and gessoed over forty feet of canvas in a day! Three coats PLUS sanding! (We won’t talk about poor Dave getting locked out of the studio, though.) Kevin and the kids moved a mountain of prepped linens and paint into the studio, and unselfishly granted me the time and space to draw and get as much work done as I could before my surgery.

Friends and colleagues came to visit and lend support. I’ll never EVER forget your kindness, and you know who you are…Tab, Jen, Wanda, Sarah, Lisa, Donna et al.

With the type of surgery I have, there is a danger of not having full mobility in one’s arm, shoulder or muscles for some time. This was the biggest fear I had going into my surgery — that I would not be able to paint the way that I wanted. Nerves are delicate things, and taking care of how everything interconnects requires the genius and care of a great surgeon. Lucky for me, I have one, and he was totally on board with me…figuring out an “elegant solution” to try his best not only to save my life, but to ensure I could paint. I’m doing pretty well right now, almost three weeks post-surgery. Life isn’t without it’s ups and downs, and I’m not back in the studio painting quite yet.…but I know I will be. Thank you, Dr. Austen, Edith, Dr. Quinlan, Pam, Canmore Home Care, Cathie, Julie, Sarah, and all the staff at the Breast Cancer Clinic and Rockyview Hospital. You have rocked my world.

Knowing that I have a sacred space to go to has given me a goal and a direction and helped me remember not only who I am, but what I can accomplish with my family and friends when we put our minds and hearts into it.

Work In Progress: Stage 3– Gerin-Lajoie Studio at The Banff Centre.

A beautiful home for my “baby”, lovingly and stylishly placed.

This past weekend, I had a wonderful surprise as one of the works was delivered to some great clients who then took a photo and sent it along to us. WOW…I never really think about how things might look — I feel those decisions are always up to the collector; to find a work of art that resonates with them, and that they want to live with for a long time. My job is concentrating on the painting and the process — creating what I feel and how I feel in a two dimensional form.

Having a peek at how wonderful this piece fits into a living environment has really made me feel proud and excited about where my “babies” end up.

40x72 painting, oil on linen placed in client’s home.

Self Portrait, Jan 21, 2013

I am pretty sure that it was the morphine and anaesthetic that kept me up all night after my surgery, but as I was lying in my hospital cubicle 6 hours after coming out of surgery, I realized that there were images dancing in my head. Ones that I should not keep to myself. Having been surgically altered forever, my “outside” was never going to be the same, but my inside was still dancing, singing and yearning to be free.

Being the optimist that I am, I had a sketchpad and pencil on the table next to me, even though I’d been told I may not be able to move my hand or arm for days afterwards. Leaning against the rails that kept me from falling out of the bed, I sketched away, and was able to sleep, and sketch five times during that long night.

Family

I realize a week later as I drag my painful self around the studio, that the pain medication made this totally possible, but I’m encouraged to think of some new possibilities for paintings in the upcoming months. The lovely night nurse that kept checking on me told me the story of her son and his fiancé, a similar love story to that of Kevin and I.…so I created one for her too…but it’s with her now. I found these simple pieces to be the most personal pieces I’ve done to date.

Self Portrait, Jan 21, 2013

Self Portrait, Jan 21, 2013

Creativity gives us hope, a vision and ultimately — a goal. We should never be afraid to express ourselves, no matter the situation we find ourselves in.