Weldon Gray is a luthier, a wizard, and has kept company with greats like Fred Flintstone and Barney Rubble! Enough said…Weldon defines the term a “Renaissance man”.
Visit: www.graylorelutes.com and www.thewackywizard.net
At the closing ceremonies of the North American Indigenous Games, youth from across North America, in collaboration with senior artists and emerging artists, presented a 15-minute performance that they created in 5 days as part of the International Indigenous Art Program (IIAP).
The senior artists were Cheryl L’Hirondelle (interdisciplinary), Jason Baerg (visual art), Ramses Calderon (music), Erroll Kinistino (theatre and dance) and Lyndon Tootoosis (sculpture, traditional carving). Each senior artist mentored one of the emerging artists, Nicole Akan (theatre), Jules Beudin-Herney (visual art), Candy Fox (film/video), Lacy Morin-Desjarlais (dance) and Garnett “Misfit” Tootoosis (music).
I had the honour of making a digital story (shown above), which documents the participants’ creative process in 5 days. Congratulations to everyone involved on an incredible final performance!
The IIAP is funded through the Creative Partnerships Raising the Bar program. Creative Partnerships is a joint initiative of the Saskatchewan Arts Board and SaskCulture with funding from the Saskatchewan Lotteries Trust Fund for Sport, Culture and Recreation. The Regina 2014 NAIG entered into a partnership with Sâkêwêwak First Nations Artists’ Collective to deliver the program and administer the residency.
Carey Rigby-Wilcox is an advocate for adult literacy, an accomplished author and an inspiration for anyone overcoming the stigma, shame and fear around literacy challenges. Carey opens her heart in an honest discussion about her personal struggle and her triumphant accomplishments. For those living in silence with this issue, this podcast will reassure you in knowing that you are not alone.
At the closing ceremonies of the North American Indigenous Games on Saturday, youth from across North America will present a 15-minute performance that they have been working on with senior and emerging artists. The performance is part of the International Indigenous Art Program (IIAP), defined on NAIG’s website as an opportunity “for youth to explore their creative development through a meaningful interactive and collaborative experience with internationally recognized multidisciplinary Indigenous artists.”
I’m honoured to have been asked to make a digital story on the IIAP, which will be shown immediately before the 15-minute performance at the closing ceremonies. It’s been an incredible experience to watch and document their creative process, and I’m looking forward to seeing their work performed on stage.
Gladys McCarthy is a scientist, a chocolatier, an entrepreneur, owner of “Glad’s Chocolates”, a barn dance host, and a drummer! I meet Gladys in her idyllic setting just outside of Kindersley, Saskatchewan. Gladys returned to the family farm where she lives a very fulfilling life.
Donald Corry, a clay miner from England, and his wife, Gladys, homesteaded in Ravenscrag, SK in the early 20th Century. They lived in a log house that was relocated from Ravenscrag to the Eastend Historical Museum in the late 1980s, where it remains to this day. My most recent digital storytelling workshop was held at this museum. Digital storytelling is a wonderful way to add narrative to historical photographs. Bryson LaBoissiere works at the museum in Eastend and created this digital story about the Corry couple.
Bryson working on her digital story at the Eastend Historical Museum
Kindersley resident Eleanor Smith shares her stories of an inspiring teacher, her own career as an educator, stories of a tragic murder, and a mysterious rock. Eleanor is an historian, and a lover of words.
Deer and antelope play, telephones made from barbed wire fences and toy electric chairs that work! These are some of the stories you’ll hear from my two guests Bud Thomson (not Anderson! sorry Bud! Electric chair for the host?), and Bill Warrington as we wind our way through the farmlands of Alsask and Loverna, SK in a truck.
Over a dozen men from Kindersley and area join me for an hour of great fun as we reminisce about the good old days.
The Gravelbourg community players join me on stage at the Renaissance Gaiety theatre and share their personal stories of reinvention which led them to finding passion in the theatre. These folks are an inspiration for anyone who wishes to follow a dream.