Sâkêwêwak Artists' Collective

Calling All Members...

Sâkêwêwak First Nations Artists' Collective Inc. is a Regina based organization whose mandate is to ensure that Aboriginal artists are consistently provided with the space and environment that allows them to develop their self-determined artistic practices through critical exchange with their peers and their audiences. Sâkêwêwak's mandate is accomplished by established artistic obkectives that facilitate projects for First Nations artists.

To be effective for our members we need to know what you want Sâkêwêwak to do for its members. We are still looking for program ideas that meet both the needs of our members and reflects our mandate. Feel free to contact our office to discuss your ideas. Resource Centre

Resource Centre Open...

Sâkêwêwak is happy to announce that our resource centre is up and running again. We currently have an Imac computer available to our members for use, and a Mac G4 fully equipped with the latest multimedia software: Adobe Creative Suite including Photoshop, Acrobat, Illustrator, Pagemaker and InDesign; Final Cut Pro, Macromedia Flash & Dreamweaver, and Contribute.

Our equipment is open for members use, during office hours. Please drop in and visit.

Logo Contest Dealine Extended...

Due to the few entries in response to our logo contest announcement, Sâkêwêwak would like to extend our logo contest till January 15, 2005. We want to reflect the positive changes that have happened over the past months, and start fresh.

Designs should be digital, if possible, but definitely suitable for scanning, letterhead, posters, t-shirts & website. If possible, please submit a colour and a grayscale version. Please submit your entries to sakwewak@sasktel.net

Contested Histories Exhibition

Call for Submissions:
Contested Histories Exhibition is an exhibition curated by David Garneau and produced by Sâkêwêwak Artists' Collective in cooperation with the Rosemont Art Gallery. The show will be held at the Rosemont Art Gallery in Regina, and will coincide with both Saskatchewan's Centenary celebrations and 2005 Canada Games.

Contested Histories feature up to a dozen Saskatchewan Aboriginal artists working in a variety of media and traditions. We are looking for work that considers the pre-contract period, the colonial period and/or address current reality of Aboriginal Peoples in our region.

Submission Information:
Deadline: February 1, 2005
Please Send your:
- Letter of Intent
- Artist Statement
- C.V.
- 5-10 Slides, VHS or other documentation
- Slide List
- Stamped, Self-Addressed envelope
To:
Mr. David Garneau
Head, Visual Art
University of Regina
3737 Wascana Parkway
Regina SK S4S 0A2

Members Profile

We are updating our Website to include profiles on all of our members. We would like to include a photo and artist statement or bio for each of our members. Please submit items ASAP. This is a great opportunity for all members to take advantage ofour free marketing tool. Let's meet one of our members.

Michael Obey
Michael was born in 1965, in the Sioux/Cree Qu'Appelle Valley in Saskatchewan. Michael learned his first acting lesson from veteran actor running away from the decedant Hollywood machinery in 1975. He re-entered the profession in 1992 as a stand-in, for the movie "Medicine River" and went on to play Nathan Golo on the Gemini award-winning series "North of 60".

In 1996, Michael appeared in the Pam Tilis music video "River and the Highway". In 1998, Michael appeared in the "Big Bear" miniseries as Ironbody which also starred his North of 60 costars Gordon Tootoosis, Simon Baker and Lorne Cardinal. Michael has also made independent videos and is currently operating "Thunder Plains Film Project" for "Broken Treaty Tribal Entertainment Corporation of North America".

When Michael isn't busy with his film career he works with troubled kids which has been his main profession for 10 years.

Upcoming Indivdual Grant Deadlines

2-Jan-05 Book Publishing Support: Translation Grants Canada Council		15-Jan-05 SaskFestivals - Global Festival Fund Saskatchewan Cultural Exchange Society
15-Jan-05 Multicultural Initiatives Fund Annual Funding SaskCulture		1-Feb-05 Aboriginal Peoples Collaborative Exchange, over $2,500.00 Canada Council
1-Feb-05 Assistance to Aboriginal Curators for Residencies in the Visual Arts Canada Council		15-Feb-05 Music Festival Programming Project Grants occuring Jun-Nov 2005 Canada Council for the Arts
15-Feb-05 Music Festival Travel Grants occuring Jun-Nov 2005 Canada Council		1-Mar-05 Grants to Film and Video Artists Canada Council
1-Mar-05 Grants to New Media and Audio Artists Canada Council		1-Mar-05 Aboriginal Peoples Music Programs Canada Council
1-Mar-05 Grants to Professional Artist - Fine Craft Canada Council		1-Mar-05 Theatre Production Project Grants: Emerging Artists' Creation Canada Council
1-Mar-05 Celebrating Community Centennial Grant Culture Youth and Recreation Community Initiatives Fund		31-Mar-05 Fine Arts Program National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation
31-Mar-05 Cultural Projects Program National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation

For more information on these grants please contact: Sâkêwêwak, Canada Council for the Arts, Canadian Heritage or SaskCulture.

Urban Renewal Project

Sâkêwêwak has engaged three Aboriginal artists to complete new media pieces, that reflect the indigenous perspective in modern society.

Gabriel Yahyahkeekoot
A Cree originally from Beardy's and Okemasis First Nation, is a multi-disciplinary artist. Primarily a poet, Gabriel has been able to link his peotry into filmaking, radio, magazine and live performances. Much of his work stems from his personal experience and the place he grew up and still calls home, Regina.

Though most of the work is dark, it is truthful, as he believes, shock value can only come from experience posing truths. In his new project, Gabriel is exploring the ugliness of human behaviour, with a piece entitled "Mayatisiw".

David Jarocki
A Metis from Regina, is producing his first documentary piece entitled "Begging for Buskers". As an emerging artist, David's goal is to bring awareness to the lives of the artist's spiritual, inspirations, aspirations and comments from the people affected by them.

David will be featuring three performers, John Keepness, Burt Adamack and Cecil Armistead.

Michael Obey
Michael Obey, whom we have previously introduced in our Members Profile, is producing a Dramatic Piece entitled "Legend of Hockey".

The story revolves around two young Aboriginal boys rescued from residential school by their grandfather and brought to the city, where they experience difficulty fitting in. That is until they discover their natural talent for the game of hockey. It is this talent that leads and teaches them about the hardships of life, and how to overcome those burdens.

Gateway - Web Dissemination Project

This project was recently approved and will assist in the updating of our website and the creation of the new digital audio, video and visual works. Our goal is to have the Sâkêwêwak website launch on Friday, April 1, 2005.We will feature our past and future programming for the collective. Beginning with the new and previous works created within Teknomadz project, portions of the Hood FM production, segments of the Urban Renewal Project, also featuring past Storytellers Festival, as well as a Members Feature with bios and pictures, will all be an underscore in our identity as a leading Aboriginal Artist Collective in Canada.

This project will assist in providing a wider audience base within the art community and with a worldwild audience. Our goal is to promote the works of all our artists.

Fundraising

In spring 2005 Sâkêwêwak will be hosting a silent auction fundraiser. we are looking for artists to donate a piece art work to add our collection. Our hope is to invite the art community at large, including collectors, galleries, collectives, sponsors, and artists. Our intention is to create an atmosphere that is conducive to projecting the best image possible. This will not only be an opportunity for our members to showcase their donated pieces, but also network within the art community. To date we have donations from Edward Poitras, Sharon Pelletier, Keith Bird and Andrea Lawrence. For more information, please contact our office.

Meet our Board of Directors...

Any non-profit can tell you that stability is the key to survival. Meet our current Board of Directors:
Keith Bird
Val Kinistino
Sherry Farell-Racette
Jack Severson

Keith Bird, Chair

Being of Saulteaux and Cree descent, Keith's interest in art came at a very young age on the reserve when he used discarded objects to make three-dimesional art. Throughout the last forty-odd years, he has maintained a passion for art and has created art with materials he could acquire. He has experimented with various mediums such as found objects, hide, rawhide, stone, bone, antler, beads, mirror etching, inks, and painted on canvas and hides.

"Labour, family, and art has been the focus of my life for the last thirty-four years since moving to Regina".

Through experimentation, Keith has a most passion for various types of rock. "The themes run two-fold as all my stone works more than one character; usually two opposing forces melded together in a struggle, or an animal on one side of the stone and a face on the other. I enjoy working with large-scale rock and intend on creating more works in different types of stone."

Keith plans to work more with the creation of traditional men and women's dress wear using hide and quills. He will also be pursuing other projects like drum-making and performance-based projects.

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