REGINA - Artist Patrick Fernandez is currently working on an exhibition at the Learning Centre inside the Mackenzie Art Gallery in Regina, which is embracing Filipino culture’s deep appreciation for festivals to create artwork that embodies a celebration of one's personal journey.
Born and raised in the Philippines, Fernandez has had a knack for being creative since high-school, taking inspiration from comic books and cartoons.
Fernandez knew he wanted to be an artists, but his parents told him there was no money in the field.
So, Fernandez focused on getting a education and eventually landed a job at a city museum. There he met professional artists, curators and collectors.
Fernandez had still been interested in art, as he joined local exhibitions and did paintings. Although, this event "kind of gave a spark to pursue art in the long term as a career," he said.
Fernandez had still been interested in art, as he joined local exhibitions and did paintings. Although, this event "kind of gave a spark to pursue art in the long term as a career," he said.
In 2012, Fernandez had his first solo exhibition, which started his career. During his time in the Philippines, his artwork was being shown across the country, including an exhibition called "Nowhere" at Pintô Art Museum in Antipolo City, Philippines.
Even though Fernandez had a passion for art, it eventually took a backseat later in his life. His girlfriend moved to Canada in 2012 because of a job offer, and later, the two got married.
"She [then] asked me to join her here. And I think I just prioritized her over my career. We wanted to build a family [here in Canada]."
Fernandez still wanted to continue doing art in his new home, but he had to re-establish himself.
Unlike in the Philippines, Fernandez had no connections or artwork on display in Canada. However, he believed people can create their own opportunities.
"I [eventually] met the owner of The Junction Creative Studio. They own the woods art space. They want[ed] something in their space. So I told them, like I have this experience. I can help you transform it."
Fernandez did his first solo exhibition at The Junction, which is called HOME. After working on more exhibitions, Fernandez got into the CARFAC Sask. mentorship, which assists artists in their professional development.
"The [mentorship] helped me a lot with how I would deal with the art scene in Canada. It was an eye-opener for me, because my practice of art is different from the practice here in Canada."
A new opportunity
Fernandez did a presentation about his art at the Shumiatcher Theatre, which caught the attention of the curator.
The curator contacted Fernandez for a studio visit regarding booking an exhibition at the Mackenzie Art Gallery Learning Centre.
Fernandez decided to focus the exhibition on "the story of someone who's on a journey. So there's 12 panels that I will be doing all over. It's a woodcut out and kind of like representation of 12 months, 12 series, you know, that you're going through."
The exhibit is also about celebrating the person’s journey as they move along by looking back and "saying, 'hey, I made it,' or, [you know], being grateful for where you’ve gotten," he said.
This concept was inspired by two festivals that take place in the Philippines, Pista’y Dayat and the Bangus Festival, which showcase the country's love for celebrations.
So far, Fernandez has started working on the first panel.
In the first panel, the background looks like a sunset, which reflects the warm tropical country of the Philippines.
There is also an animal, which is a hybrid of a Carabao and a fish. Fernandez noted that the Carabao is the national animal of the country, and it signifies hard work and dedication because they’re used to transport people and for farming, too.
It’s worth noting that the exhibition is open to the public for the next two upcoming Saturdays between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m.
Spectators can talk to Fernandez during those times and even give him input on his other panels.
The Mackenzie Art Gallery is also hosting a workshop on March 15, where anyone can express their personal stories, aspirations, reflections and memories through the creation of banderitas, which is a small coloured flag strung together commonly used for festivals.
Once the exhibition is completed, the public can view the pieces through an ongoing self-directed program of creativity and discovery, which is happening between March 11, 2025 and Feb. 8, 2026.
