BIOGRAPHY

Patrick Paul, or Gabaamisech Binesi is a self-taught Ojibwe Woodland Artist from Whitesand First Nation. Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba and raised in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Paul never imagined taking up a brush until April 2021 when creativity and desire to explore his heritage captured his imagination.

Patrick’s imagery depicts animals, community across the generations, and the landscapes, traditions, and legends that filled his heart while growing up in Thunder Bay and northwestern Ontario.

We had the pleasure of hosting Patrick Paul last summer at the WCA where he delivered a fantastic workshop to the community on Woodland Style painting

BIOGRAPHY

Fredrick Lyle Spence was born and raised in Peguis First Nation. Growing up in the community until he moved to Winnipeg for work at 17 years of age. This time of his life was turbulent and gone through some life challenges that led to substance abuse. He has spent the past 6 years of his life reclaiming the things he lost including his identity, culture and mental strength. This includes ceremony, language classes and therapy. Soapstone carving has been the main source of therapeutic release and working through difficult times. Sharing that through volunteering and workshops so others can have an outlet that he found helpful. 

Frederick was the Artist in Residence at historic Deep Bay Cottage from June to July this summer. The Riding Mountain Artists’ Residency is offered in partnership by the Manitoba Arts Council and Riding Mountain National Park.

Robin Rice is a returning WCA exhibitor known for her successful boutique offerings, including original paintings and greeting cards

Kathleen Baleja is an exhibiting artist and one of the founding forces behind our premier makers market, Rawhide & Jelly Roll

Karen Clark, painter and daughter of founder Joyce Smedegaard, whose connection to WCA is both artistic & deeply personal

Brooke Piche is a painter who shares a lifelong connection with Clear Lake through her family cabin and creative family memories

Jordan Miller, an artist with historical ties to Clear Lake and a former instructor of our cherished children’s art classes

Karen Holden is an artist and daughter of WCA Founder, Edythe Holden. As a young girl, Karen took workshops at WCA, and her mother’s love for art helped nurture what became Karen's own lifelong artistic passion.

My work explores the emotional landscape of the prairies — specifically, the stillness and familiarity of rural Manitoba. These are places shaped by memory, space, and tranquility. Through minimalist compositions and a visual openness, I aim to evoke a quiet nostalgia — scenes that feel both specific and universal. Each piece reflects a presence and connection to the prairies, offering viewers a space to pause, reflect, and return to something known.

Elaine Rawlings has been a member of the Hamiota Art Club for 40 years. She has participated in many group exhibitions, and is now showing her solo exhibition, called “Rural Ruins”, which consists of 48 watercolour paintings of old, neglected homes that have been abandoned in local, rural settings. Since retirement, Elaine has enjoyed teaching watercolour classes at the Heritage Arts Centre in Hamiota, as well as workshops to art clubs in Souris, Virden, and Birtle.

Sara Bulloch is a filmmaker and photographer in Winnipeg, Canada. Her films often explore mental health, identity, and relationships, and imbue emotionality and playfulness. She has screened with Gimli Film Festival, the8fest, and Les Mains Gauches. Her short film Hot Dog Guy won a People’s Choice Award with Vox Popular Film Festival. She’s a 2025 Manitoba Arts Council Riding Mountain Artist in Residence & Canadian Film Centre Norman Jewison Film Program Editor’s Lab Resident.

After having taught French Literature at the University of Manitoba for over 35 years, I retired so that I could devote all my time to my other life-long passion – art. When I’m working on a piece, I lose track of time and I feel joy, no matter what the subject matter may be or what might be going on in the world. Alice Walker, the author of “The Color Purple,” expressed exactly what I feel – “Whenever you are creating beauty around you, you are restoring your own soul.”

Anne-Marie grew up in Winnipeg and spent her summers at a cottage not far from Clear Lake. She is an outdoor enthusiast inspired by the freedom and beauty of being in wilderness. She is a biologist, conservationist, educator, artist and an art therapist. Anne-Marie’s art tells a story of who she is and where she comes from. Her paintings are fun and colourful, meant to capture the joy and happiness of summer at the lake, the beauty of nature in Riding Mountain National Park and evoke brightness and hope.

ARTIST’S STATEMENT

“Today, when asked where I am from, the answer comes quite naturally: “I’m from Manitoba”. My work today is primarily watercolour and it’s about the light in a place & the shorthand I’ve developed to tell a story.”

ARTIST’S STATEMENT

Visual artist Ben Davis explores land and meaning through lenses of social and environmental justice, eco-aesthetics, decolonization, and perceptual theory.

ARTIST’S STATEMENT

“They say the best camera is the one that you have with you and that is certainly true of daily walks in RMNP. With the right eye, even an iPhone has the power to capture the natural beauty that surrounds us.”

BIOGRAPHY

Jolene is a floral and landscape artist living in the countryside, where the beauty of her gardens, and nature inspires her work, inviting connection with the art inspired by the splendor in the world.

ARTIST’S STATEMENT

When the sky and land meet in the prairie horizon your eye is drawn to the parallel lines of prairie fields and atmospheric layers, vastness and the few buildings that remain.