Broadening the canvas
Art instructors hold fundraiser to expand, fortify art program
Darrell Greer
Northern News Services
Wednesday, January 25, 2017
KIVALLIQ/TORONTO
Two southern artists, instrumental in launching the Kivalliq Inuit Art Camp more than a decade ago, are holding a fundraiser in Toronto, Ont., next month to help expand the program.
Southern artists Robert Saley, left, and Paul Mantrop helped begin the Kivalliq Inuit Art Camp in Rankin Inlet more than a decade ago. - photo courtesy of Paul Mantrop |
Tittiraujarvik: A Drawing Place exhibition fundraiser for the Kivalliq Inuit Art Camp will be held Feb. 15 to 28 at the Roberts Gallery, 641 Yonge St. in Toronto.
Artists and teachers Paul Mantrop, Rob Saley and Andrew Qappik will exhibit works reflecting their time in Nunavut at the gallery.
Established in 2006, the Kivalliq Inuit Art Camp brings Inuit students from across the Kivalliq together to create art.
The camp is operated by the Kivalliq Inuit Association (KIA).
Mantrop said he and Saley have worked closely with the KIA's Bernadette Dean since the camp began.
He said 2016 was significant as it marked the first time the camp moved outside of Rankin Inlet, being held in Whale Cove.
"Bernadette (Dean) wanted to try some of the smaller communities and Whale Cove was on the top of her list," said Mantrop.
"So we went to Whale this past summer and it was great.
"We had a better turnout, better attendance, a great focus by the artists, and the community really came out to support the camp.
"It was a really great experience, and we should continue the idea to where we can work with artists, hopefully, in every community in the region."
Mantrop said the artists love to see students return to the Kivalliq Inuit Art Camp for a second or third year of instruction.
He said Pangnirtung's Andrew Qappik joined the program three camps ago, and his involvement has helped improve the art program.
"Andrew is responsible for the Nunavut Coat of Arms and flag, and he just finished a coin for the Royal Canadian Mint.
"We missed a couple of years when Bernadette left the KIA and the program left with her, but we started back three years ago and they've grown progressively better.
"Andrew Qappik's a large part of that because he brings a whole other experience to the project by teaching a traditional stencilling technique.
"Being Inuit, he warms up the crowd faster than us, and the bridge is now a little smaller when we start to talk about art, which is nice.
"And, to top it all off, he's a really great guy."
Mantrop said he and Saley love experiencing the North and spending time with the friends they've made there over the years.
He said the camp has been a rewarding experience in many ways, with a number of students having gone on to art college to try and forge a career with their talents.
"We continue to grow the program, and part of the fundraising is about being able to expand it a bit more.
"It always comes back to costs, especially in the North, because we want to do more day trips, and rent a boat from time to time to take the students out.
"Too often things like that are cut because they're not affordable, so we're doing this exhibition to try to help expand and fortify the program.
"We'd like to see more students involved, and we'd also like to be able to bring in other artists to teach."
The Roberts Gallery offered space for the three artists to showcase their work for the camp fundraiser.
In addition to, hopefully, selling their work, the exhibition will give the artists an opportunity to raise interest in the Toronto area on the work they do in the North.
Mantrop said he hopes the exposure will help solicit corporate interest in the project.
He said the KIA has always been its main funder.
"We had a little bit of money from the Royal Bank at the beginning, but the KIA has funded this from the start.
"So, we hope this allows us to offset the KIA's expenses a bit to make the camp, which is pretty expensive, continue to work.
"If the KIA is bringing students to Rankin, or wherever we're holding the camp, from an outside community, it costs about $5,000 per student.
"We made a list of things we need to improve the program, and it's mostly supplies, materials, better nutritional snacks for the breaks and things like that."
The average camp runs about 10 days, with the artists teaching three main disciplines.
Mantrop said he, Qappik and Saley teach everything from the fundamentals of basic-drawing perspectives to more advanced techniques, depending on the level of the students.
He said each student is assessed based on their individual skill level, and the instructors work with them accordingly.
"We take turns, with Andrew teaching his technique with traditional stencilling, me teaching oil painting and portraiture, and Rob teaching landscape and watercolour.
"Each student must create a minimum of three pieces during the 10-day period, but many of them do a lot more than that.
"Then we have an art-gallery exhibition of their work, usually in the community hall, to which we bring out elders and family members.
"They're big old get-togethers that help bring each of the camps to a close on a really positive note."
