Lorelle Meyer has been selected as this year’s recipient of the prestigious Guy Rutter Memorial People’s Choice Award for her captivating artwork, Serenity at 7 (acrylic on canvas).
The Mann Art Gallery made the announcement in late March. The work was showcased at the 48th Annual Winter Festival Art Show and Sale, guest curated by Bevin Bradley.
Meyer also received the Award for Expressing Canadian Identity through Landscape Painting for her piece. The award as sponsored by the Men Who Paint.
“I was completely surprised,” Meyer said. “Truly. I was actually very, very surprised with my previous award that I had won for landscape art.
“My first award was probably my greatest surprise. I’ve not entered a juried art show before and receiving the Men Who Paint award was really overwhelming, totally unexpected and just so very exciting for me.”
Meyer originally enrolled at the University of Calgary with the goal of getting a Fine Arts Degree, but began a career in education instead. She decided to start pursuing art again later in life, and has loved every minute of it.
“Now I’m starting all over at this retirement age,” she said. “It’s actually very exciting to have the time to do it again. Winning both of those awards was just so very validating that maybe I can do this now and to be a part of the art world, and I’m so excited about that.”
Meyer said the inspiration for her piece came from her love for the area around La Ronge. She acquired a cabin there nearly five years ago, and was inspired by a photograph of her sitting on the dock having coffee and watching the sun rise.
Meyer has always been drawn to water and the movement of water and the shapes on the surface and below, and that added to her piece.
“This particular movement of the water was quite intriguing to me and so I tried to capture that in the in my art,” she explained.
“But, not all my water looks that way. My water changes because so too does the surface of all water. Depending on the winds and the time of day, and the reflections from the moonlight or the sunlight and. It’s ever changing.”
Her love of La Ronge has expanded into working on a La Ronge collection for an art show.
“Even when I taught school we always talked about goal setting and one of my life goals was to have an art show someday and I never knew that maybe I’d get there,” she said. “I think I’m pretty close and I’m excited about that, and I’m hoping that within the next year I can share that love of La Ronge with Prince Albert and area and they can see some of my other works.”
The Guy Rutter Memorial People’s Choice Award is given to the artwork receiving the most votes during the exhibition, which ended on March 23. Visitors are only allowed to cast one paper ballot at the Gallery.
The month-long exhibition, held at the gallery, drew in crowds of art enthusiasts and community members from across Saskatchewan and beyond. With hundreds in attendance, the event celebrated the exceptional artistic talent thriving within our region.
“We are immensely proud to recognize Lorelle Meyer for her outstanding contribution to our
Winter Festival Art Show and Sale,” Carolyn Carleton, Administrative Director of the Mann Art Gallery, said in a press release.
“Her artwork, Serenity at 7, resonated deeply with visitors, her gift of capturing the vibrant movement of water in a painting is remarkable.”
The Prince Albert region boasts an abundance of remarkable artistic talent, a fact that the Mann Art Gallery cherishes and celebrates. Each year, the gallery is honoured to provide a platform for local artists to showcase their work, fostering creativity and enriching our cultural landscape.
Reflecting on the success of this year’s event, Carleton expressed gratitude for the ongoing support from the community.
“We are incredibly grateful to every single individual who attended the exhibition, voted for their favourite pieces, and helped make this event an extraordinary success. Your enthusiasm and passion for the arts serve as a constant source of inspiration for us all.”
michael.oleksyn@paherald.sk.ca
