Early Spring (1988)

Peter Tchaikovsky Music (20th century)

Roger Ing (1933 - 2008) was born in a small village outside of Guangzhou, China. He immigrated to Canada in 1950, first working in his father’s restaurant in Regina. Later, he and his wife, Mei, opened the New Utopia Cafe where Ing did the majority of his artwork.

In his formative years, Ing learned the traditional bamboo brush painting style of art, which influenced much of his work. In Canada he immersed himself in painting and studying with Ken Lochhead, one of the Regina Five artists, who introduced him to Abstract Expressionism. Ing developed his own style referring to it as “Rogerism” or “Roger Style.” Studio, gallery, restaurant: the New Utopia Cafe was one and the same for Ing for 23 years. When he wasn’t out front serving customers, he was in the back creating new Rogerisms of his favourite subjects: tigers, dancers, sunflowers, birds, nudes, Frankensteins, or Mona Lisas. When his restaurant was closed because of health code issues in the summer of 1993, he continued to work at home.

The People's Money (2019)

Funeral (1974)

Matrimony (1974)

Noboru Sawai (1931 - 2016) was an American and Japanese trained printmaker whose work was exhibited all over the world, including in Canada, Japan, Italy, and Israel. He was born in Takamatsu, Japan, and immigrated to the United States in 1950 after working as a cook’s assistant for the United States military in Japan for four years. He contracted tuberculosis soon after arriving in the United States, and spent nine years in a sanatorium, where he learned to carve and tool leather, and made jewelry.

When he was discharged from the sanatorium, Sawai pursued his education, eventually receiving his MFA from the University of Minnesota in 1969, and then taking his family to Japan in 1970 to study printmaking under Master Toshi Yoshida. He came to Canada in 1971 to teach at the University of Calgary’s Art Department, where he taught for 22 years. Upon retirement, Sawai relocated to Vancouver and set up his own printmaking studio, Sawai Atelier. Sawai’s work was committed to balancing eastern Japanese woodblock and western etching techniques in printmaking. He also dedicated time to his interest in paper-making, and made several trips back to Japan to learn about making his own handmade paper, with the generous support of the Kashiki paper company in Kochi, Japan.

Sawai was internationally known for his erotic imagery, however he considered himself a deeply philosophical and contradictory person. Friends described him as eccentric and outgoing.

Autumn Prairie (20th century)

Prairie Shack (1950)

Takao Tanabe (1926 - ) is a distinguished Japanese Canadian artist renowned for his contributions to the landscape genre. The fifth of seven children, Tanabe was born to Japanese immigrants Naojiro Izumi and Tomie Tanabe in the tiny coastal village of Seal Cove, B.C., (now part of Prince Rupert). As a Japanese Canadian, he experienced many early hardships, especially during the second World War, when Canada focibly placed Japanese persons in internment camps. Eventually, Takao Tanabe was able to overcome his hardships, and went on to study in Canada, Europe, the United States and Japan. Following a decade as head of the art program and artist-in-residence at the Banff Centre, he returned to British Columbia in 1980 where he continues to live and work. The influence of Canadian landscapes on his artistic vision has lead him to capture the serene and expansive beauty of the natural world. Tanabe’s work is marked by its contemplative minimalism and profound use of color, reflecting both his Japanese heritage and his deep connection to the Canadian landscape. 

Tanabe is celebrated for his mastery in various mediums, including painting, printmaking, and drawing. His notable works often evoke a sense of tranquility and introspection, drawing viewers into a serene dialogue with nature. Tanabe’s legacy includes numerous solo exhibitions and a lasting impact on Canadian art, blending cultural influences with a unique personal vision. Tanabe is the recipient of several honorary degrees and awards, including Order of British Columbia (1993), Order of Canada (Member, 1999), the Governor General's Award in Visual and Media Arts (2003), Audain Prize for Lifetime Achievement in the Visual Arts (2013).

Never Land (2018)

Li Wan (1982 - ) is a public art artist and sculptor from Wuhan, China. Li works as an art teacher at the Hubei Institute of Fine Arts, which is one of the most significant Chinese art academies. Li Wan has been commissioned with numerous public art projects in China and overseas, and has participated in various residencies of academic and social orientation.

In 2018, Li was a visiting artist at the University of Saskatchewan for close to a year, producing new work in the sculpture lab, before concluding her stay with an exhibition at the Gordon Snelgrove Gallery.

Untitled (2017)

Zhang graduated from the Hubei Institute of Fine Arts wiht a Bachelor Degree in 1993 and obtained a Masters Degree in 2002. He was previously the director of the Sculpture Department at the Hubei Institute of Fine Arts. Zhang is also actively involved in the promotion of sculpture as a practice, having worked with the China Sculpture Institute. Zhang's work has been exhibited in more than 30 art events in China and abroad, including Belgium and South Korea. 

In March 2017, Zhang was a visiting artist at the University of Saskatchewan, and exhibited at AKA and PAVED Art’s Event space alongside corresponding public events organized by Kyuubi Culture.