Emma Benoit

Scrapbooked

Monday, March 30 – Thursday, April 2

 Gordon Snelgrove Gallery

Reception: Wednesday, April 1, from 5 – 7pm

I am fascinated by the small details of memories that have shaped my identity. The subjects I choose to reflect on, may seem somewhat unimportant or ordinary, yet they stood out to me for the values and lessons they represented. The collection of items in this exhibition represents stories, themes, and emotions–objects that invite admiration, curiosity, and wonder. As I consider the puzzle pieces that make up who I am, I think about the bright colours, playful shapes, and detailed depictions of the things I once loved the most. These reminders connect me to earlier versions of myself. Even though I have changed, I continue to carry these pieces. Through this exhibition, I encourage visitors to reflect on their own histories and the objects that remind them of parts of themselves they should be most proud of.

 

 

Christie Keller

ROOTS

Monday, March 30 – Thursday, April 2

 Gordon Snelgrove Gallery

Reception: Wednesday, April 1, from 5 – 7pm

 

The roots are deep. The change of time affects the growth of it all.

The bark is never the same, always growing, always changing.

Time to nurture and gather has one being opens as the seasons turns.

The knowledge is embedded and not forgotten.

A warning might grow,

But do we really listen…

Do we regard it as a warning or perhaps a mountain to conquer.

The size matters. Trees, roots, and beads in the artwork display a sense of what grounds us, what can hold us up and protect us, shield us from pain, and let us grow.

The variety of multi-faceted structures and paintings emit a cloak of protection to hide behind. To build on the trauma with a young child hiding in the dark that gives her a safe space to run away to in her mind when the abuse is happening, surrounding her with happier moments inside. A life where the roots hold secrets and the pain is hidden behind the bark. Where one still moves forward with being grounded but is now open to share the pain and grow as they conquer a mountain.

About the Artist

Christie Keller is a mature student with a BA in Psychology and now completing her second degree at the University of Saskatchewan with an honours BFA. From an early age, she developed a passion for painting and sewing, generational skills nurtured by her family. Primarily focusing on sculpture and painting, with a recent incorporation of fabric work and mixed media. Her work tells a story of strength and heartache, and the growth of knowledge that keeps her moving forward. Christie has found a love of curatorial practices and will continue to pursue artwork in her life.

 

 

Ryan A. Richard

Restless

Monday, March 30 – Thursday, April 2

 Gordon Snelgrove Gallery

Reception: Wednesday, April 1, from 5 – 7pm

The act of creation is a dimensional force, one that exists to some as a fundamental law rather than a choice. Restless transforms the gallery into a site where this creative drive is harvested and housed. By utilizing the language of industrial hoarding, wooden structures and tarps—the space is redefined as the source from which Ryan A. Richard draws creative force.

For some, this environment may feel unnerving or unpleasant; for others, it may elicit excitement and intrigue. This subjectivity is at the heart of the work. Just as energy is neither created nor destroyed rather existing without intent or ethics until it is harnessed—the creative drive simply is. It is a neutral, often a restless power, and its consequence is defined solely by how it is individually consumed and used.

Through a landscape of kinetic movement, video, and sculptural anomalies, this installation is an attempt to move beyond merely visualizing inspiration. It is an invitation to experience the raw, unrefined force that drives one to imagine, study, and manifest.

About the Artist

Ryan A. Richard is a Métis intermedia sculptor based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. His practice is characterized by a restless energy, a drive to explore the boundaries between figurative, abstract, and digital forms. When considering the physical and conceptual construction of space, Richard draws upon his childhood in the Métis community of Fox Farm (Nordale) and a diverse professional background in the trades and culinary arts. 

Currently completing his BFA Honours at the University of Saskatchewan, Richard’s work is deeply informed by the Métis philosophy of wahkômâtowin and an interest in mathematics and physics. He recently led the 2026 ISAP community collaborative art project and exhibition kihtwâm âpacihtâwin, where he facilitated collective making and created the kinetic sculpture sîsîkwan (rattler). A recipient of over a dozen academic honors, including the Peter Stoicheff Undergraduate Indigenous Leadership Award, he will begin his MFA in Studio Art at the University of Saskatchewan in Fall 2026.

 

 

Reception: Wednesday, April 1, from 5 – 7pm