The Moose Jaw Centre for Arts and Culture (MJCAC) welcomed guests into its gallery on Sept. 27 for a special artist reception showcasing Nature’s Beauty, a solo exhibition by Moose Jaw painter Lisa Dautremont.

Running from Sept. 4 to Oct. 15, the exhibition features a collection of oil paintings that highlight what Dautremont calls “the untamed beauty and endless vistas of the Canadian West.” Visitors had the chance to meet the artist, explore her work, and enjoy live music performed by cellist Duncan Blackman, who has been playing for 65 years and is often seen entertaining at the Town ’N’ Country Mall on Mondays.

Prairie roots

Dautremont grew up on a family farm southeast of Regina before moving to Moose Jaw in 1989 with her husband Kevin, a family physician and writer. She worked as a nurse for many years before retiring in 2021, but said her love of art has been lifelong.

“I’ve always enjoyed art and crafts. I’ve always had a great art appreciation, visiting galleries whenever I could … I loved sketching, even from a young age,” she said.

It was in 2019 that she decided to pursue painting more seriously. She began taking lessons from Regina artist Juan Martinez, learning the basics of oil painting before continuing through workshops and self-directed practice.

“After that I just continued taking workshops, self-learning, and painting almost every day. I’ve been just painting lots ever since,” she said.

En plein air

Much of Dautremont’s work is created en plein air — painted directly outdoors on site — though she also works from photographs when time is limited. She described the challenges and rewards of painting at a Saskatchewan plein air event that drew dozens of artists.

“I had a very short time, but the sky and the fields — they just captured me,” she recalled, looking to her painting “Basking in the Golden.” “It’s a very loose painting, but I did what I wanted to do there and I haven’t touched it since.”

By contrast, several of her works were completed in the studio and have a further sense of refinement, given the additional time allotted to works such as “Hang on Tight!,” “On the Edge,” and “To Greener Pastures.”

She added that her aim is not simply to copy a scene, as in a photograph, but to convey the mood and presence of a place.

“There’s just something about being in person and looking at those colours with your own eyes. It gives you a feel for the atmosphere and the depth,” she explained. “For me, I want to convey a sense of presence and atmosphere and depth that will draw you into that painting, and I want you to linger there … when you look at that painting, you want to keep looking ….”

Local opportunity

While Dautremont has previously shown her work in coffee shops, art fairs, and events such as ParkArt in Crescent Park, she said the Centre’s exhibition offered a different experience.

“To have this opportunity in such a nice gallery — it just means a lot. I’ve lived in Moose Jaw since 1989 and to be local like this, it’s just wonderful,” she said. “I’m very thankful to Janice (Bowley) and the whole crew (at the MJCAC). They’ve been nothing but great to work with.”

Inspiration and philosophy

Dautremont said she takes inspiration from a variety of subjects including prairie skies, rural settings, florals, or commissioned works — depending on what moves her in the moment.

“In terms of subject matter, I’ve always been one who wouldn’t want every painting to be floral, or every painting to be an old car … I’m a variety lover, and it’s whatever grabs and catches me,” she said. “When I feel something at that moment, that’s what I want to paint.”

Underlying her work is a guiding philosophy shaped by her faith and her appreciation for Saskatchewan’s natural landscapes.

“I do feel called to paint. I think that’s a gift that maybe God has given me, but I see that he’s so much greater. If I can capture a little bit of his beauty … I just hope I can do it a little bit of justice,” she shared.

For Dautremont, that means encouraging people to pause and take in the beauty around them.

“I hope that my paintings will encourage people to stop and look around them wherever they are … to see beauty wherever they are,” she concluded. “Our world can be so rush, rush, here and there, but when you stop and soak in your surroundings, it’s just really beautiful. It’s a soothing bond to the soul.”

For those who missed the artist’s reception, Nature’s Beauty will remain on display until Oct. 15 at the Moose Jaw Centre for Arts and Culture, located at 217 Main Street North.

Aaron Walker

Reporter

Moose Jaw Express