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Conceived during the Great Depression on the prairies, the Emma Lake Kenderdine Campus was the first of its kind, connecting prairie artists to the wider scope of the international art world in a setting of breathtaking boreal splendor.
Officially, 2005 marks the seventieth year of Kenderdine Campus and the fiftieth year of the Emma Lake Artists’ Workshop. This virtual exhibit of work from the Art Gallery of Prince Albert’s Permanent Collection showcases the impact of Emma Lake Art School on prairie artists and the Kendardine site’s continuing influence as the University of Saskatchewan’s arts campus and environmental research centre.
Set in relative isolation on Murray Point amidst the spectacular scenery of Emma Lake, the Kenderdine Campus has always been an inspirational site for art-making. Then, in the ’50s, the Emma Lake Artists’ Workshop began to invite top modernist artists from New York City like Will Barnett and Jules Olitski and art critic Clement Greenberg to lead intensive studio courses. Today, that philosophy of collaboration, camaraderie and creation still beckons local and international artists to return to Emma Lake.
Influences of Emma Lake Art School illustrates how prairie artists, teachers, history and landscape have long been connected in a common passion. Through the Art Gallery of Prince Albert’s Permanent Collection, this Community Stories Exhibit traces the impact of the Emma Lake Art School in the evolution of the Saskatchewan arts community, where today there are as many stories, friends, and memories as there are paintings, drawings, and sculptures.
