Acknowledgements
As a teacher-scholar, I believe that the learning process is reciprocal and new discoveries can empower and inform everyone! Learning occurs both inside and outside the classroom. Partaking in a robust research practice is about exchanging knowledge.
Outside of my role at the University of Saskatchewan, I am a process-based representational artist and my production is highly individual. In line with my teaching philosophy, in 2013 I began employing one to two students part-time to assist me in the studio. As a professional artist, I am able to maintain the individualistic aspect of my creative process, while their contribution ensures that production occurs on time. The tasks they assist me with include paint mixing (I mix from only eight paint tube colours), preparing canvases, drawing contours and bone anatomy, stretching and preparing canvases, mapping gallery floor-plans, cutting mattes, and general assistance with studio maintenance. In particular, I would like to thank two BFA students who assisted me in completing large projects: Shelby Lund (Lechman) 2014-2017 and Tia Furstenberg 2016-2019.
The University of Saskatchewan has also supported my artistic research through grant support. For example, in 2010 I received a President’s SSHRC to research human anatomy. This allowed to expand my knowledge about the human form and I can now offer more informed renditions of the body in my representational paintings and drawings. I would also like thank the ICCC (Interdisciplinary Centre for Culture and Creativity) for assisting me with a Graduate Catalyst Grant for Anahita Akhavanmoghaddam (MFA Graduate) to participate as Production Assistant while I was an artist in residence at the Vorres Museum, Greece in May-June of 2016. This grant will also support her Curatorial role in writing and selecting art works from Eveline Kolijn and myself for “A Visit to the Vorres Museum” at the Gordon Snelgrove Gallery in February 2017. Most recently, the Global Community Service Fund (International Research, University of Saskatchewan) supported research activities around two solo exhibitions in Greece. As a co-applicant to the fund, Tia Furstenberg (BFA) assisted in creating a questionnaire addressing Sustainable Development Goals. In June 2019, she travelled to Athens and the island of Tinos to document the talks, receptions, and gain experience with assisting with the de-mounting of the shows, including packing, and shipping artworks from Greece. Tia, Dr. Caterina Pizanias (Curator), and myself are now assessing the results from the questionnaires, and will develop an essay –made public through an essay and a talk at University of Saskatchewan in 2020. Two exhibitions of the Passages project (2016-2019) exhibited in Greece because of the commitment of partners including the Cultural Foundation of Tinos, Vorres Museum, Canada to Greece Embassy, OTE Choir, Vorres Museum, and most importantly Dr. Caterina Pizanias. Her curatorial vision for Canadian artists to be visible abroad and to bring Greek art to Canada has inspired colourful dialogue between geographically distant but amiable cultures.
Lastly, as a
representational artist, I would also like to thank David Sanscartier (my husband) who has built stretchers, run countless errands, arranged shipping, and has assisted me with art installations. He has spent many weekends and evenings supporting the art project, an ongoing endeavor.