REGINA – An art exhibition is striving to make people think by pairing two seemingly opposing concepts.
The theme for the paintings is beauty in nature, but the event also aims to raise awareness about missing and murdered Indigenous women.
Local visual artists Sarah Timewell and Melissa Lee, held an opening for “Plantscapes” Sunday afternoon.
Two paintings are up for silent auction all month long at the Sakewewak Artists’ Collective, with proceedings going to the Women Walking with Women charity.
“We need to get back to our roots,” Chinese and Metis artist, Melissa Lee explained the connection. “Indigenous people are in a crisis. We’re in an identity crisis. We need to go back to where we belong in order to heal and I feel that nature is how we’re going to get back.”
Lee explained how her own background influenced her artwork.
“I’m Chinese and I’m Metis. I grew up in a very traditional Chinese, Christian family, raised by a single mother. My father was never really in the picture. He struggled with substance abuse. He was adopted, so he never knew his brothers or sisters or his mom and dad. When I come into the picture, I’m also going through an identity crisis.”
But she’s found a sense of peace in art: “When I paint, it gives me that beautiful sense of belonging.”
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