Kas Rea

Interconnected

April 11 - April 15, 2022

Gordon Snelgrove Gallery

Interconnected is a series that depicts animals and plants in their natural habitats to signify the importance of living in the wild. As a Canadian-Latina woman, I am passionate about the preservation of animals and ecology in Canada and Bolivia.

In this exhibition, I explore habitat preservation. These portraits encourage viewers to think about their relationship to nature and the important roles it provides in the interconnected web of life.

Devastating human interference in ecosystems leads to the destruction of habitats around the globe. Mass clearcutting for profit, in Canada and Bolivia, results in many species becoming endangered and extinct. Local communities, who are often Indigenous, lose their land and livelihood.

In 2020 I participated in a residency at the Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park and Zoo, which focused on different species that are endangered or at risk. This experience, in combination with a trip to visit family living in the tropics of Bolivia, prompted me to consider the issue of deforestation in both countries and the impact on animal and plant life.

Representational artwork resonates with me because re-creating textures, colour mixing and blending are therapeutic and assist with releasing modern world anxieties including those of the pandemic. The representational method is engaging because it requires skills with observation, draftsmanship, and an ability to problem-solve.

By raising awareness through land preservation efforts, animal rights activism and art, hopefully these habitats can be maintained so that biodiversity will continue to exist and thrive for future generations.

About the Artist

Kas Rea has been involved in the visual arts for over 12 years. Rea works primarily with chalk pastels and acrylics, coloured pencils, and watercolours. Rea’s work explores themes in nature, specifically wildlife and ecosystem preservation, as well as feminism and connections to her Bolivian roots.

In 2012, Rea completed the University of Saskatchewan Certificate of Art and Design program. She also attended Emma Lake's Kenderdine campus for two years.

​Since 2017, Rea has been working at Remai Modern in Exhibitions/Collections, Marketing/Communications, and Learning and Engagement. Rea has been teaching art for 10 years to children and adults. She teaches privately at her studio, and through Gail Adams School of Art.

Currently, Rea is a curator at the 292 Gallery at the university and is also on the board for the Visual Arts Students Union. Additionally, she volunteers as a Student Recruitment Ambassador.

Kharlo Domingo

Your Story. My Inspiration.

April 11 - April 15, 2022

Gordon Snelgrove Gallery

My exhibition is entitled, Your Story. My Inspiration. A documentary-type black and white photography that includes portraitures of inspiring women of resilience, success, and inspiration.

In the process, I have used the Bronica medium format and Olympus mirrorless camera to produce black and white photographs printed on 23”x40 matte photo paper of 5 beautiful women. In this exhibition, I have given the participants the agency and independence to direct me on the concept of their image and on how their stories are to be told.

Together with their photographs, I have included their responses to my interview question such as “Who or what are your inspirations in life?”, ”How do you think you have inspired other people” and incorporated my statement on how I was inspired by them.

About the Artist

I am a senior Fine arts student who recently completed my degree in Psychology and currently finishing my BFA Honours. My practice as an artist focuses primarily on digital and film photography.