An artist’s reception in the C.P.R. Historic Centre gallery on Aug. 7 drew a crowd, some coming from as far away as Carievale, Sask., to celebrate the art of Joan Trott.
Her original canvas art is in the train station gallery for the month of August.
Artists receptions offer an opportunity for other artists, family, friends and art admirers to visit with the artist.
Local artist Ron Kalinchuk was among the admirers, impressed with the drama on canvas and use of vibrant colours.
“You’ve got mostly acrylics here?” he asked.
“The product I use most is Liquitex - strong colours like an acrylic, but liquid like a water colour.” She applies this medium to Bristol paper.
“I would let the colours run along the edge, just like a watercolour, on Bristol.”
“I love the details you’ve got in there,” said Kalinchuk.
Another 3D piece draws his attention.
Trott explains, “This is household drywall plaster… for a class I was teaching. I put the plaster on first. Then let it dry, and you paint it, however you wish.”
She travels with water colour pencil crayons. Using art, she documented a trip to Nova Scotia, which was intended to be a pilgrimage in 2017. She and her husband Bob had tickets to the yearly Stan Rogers Folk Festival in Canso.
The folk festival destination was pre-empted when tropical storm Arthur descended upon the Maritimes last June. The couple hunkered down in the Nova Scotia town of Pictou. A set of sketches attest to their visit.
“Wherever we went, I just sat down… The fine lines on the water colour are from water resistant sharpies, done afterward.”
Her start in Pierson
Trott began doing art when she was brand new to a small southwest Manitoba town.
“When we moved to Pierson in 1978, the neighbour painted and she asked if I wanted to learn how to paint. I said, ‘Sure’.
“We raised our family there. I worked on the kitchen table late at night. I always used acrylics so it would dry faster and I could put it away before the morning.”
She was trained as a journalist, but over the years she put her story telling to work through her painting projects, often documenting life events.
“I would do a three dimensional cupboard and make it into a story.”
After the marriage of their daughter, Amber, to Devin English of Hamiota, the Trott’s purchased a home in Hamiota in 2011.
Right place - right time
“When I got up to Hamiota, there’s such a great art club there, so I started to paint more actual normal things, on canvases. And then the art centre job opened up.”
She became the administrator of Mid-West Arts Council.
“I painted a lot that first year. The second year I got too busy, because the art centre is very busy there.”
Trott believes deeply in the art community.
“Art is my hobby but I love to support people who do art.
As well as monthly art shows, she runs a variety of projects through the Mid-West Arts Council in Hamiota’s Heritage Royal Bank building on main street, such as painting parties, Tea at the Bank (dessert and tea with fine china), and a farmers’ market in the summer.
In winter, there are kids’ after-school art classes and adult beginner classes. Hamiota Art Club and the square dancers meet there once a week.
Trott has inspired many children to explore the world or art.
“I love to be able to encourage kids.”
