MOOSE JAW — In an effort to showcase the work of artists in the Moose Jaw Art Guild, improve visibility, and to encourage new memberships, a show and sale event was held at the Town ‘N’ Country Mall featuring select works by 10 local artists and artisans last weekend.
The guild’s multi-day exhibit featured paintings, prints, cards, weaving, and live demonstrations from Feb. 13 to 15.
“The mall gave us a wonderful opportunity by providing the space for us to get our art out into the public, and that’s something we’ve been missing,” said Gary Holden, a visual artist, former Steinbeck, Man., resident, and Moose Jaw Art Guild member alongside his wife, Cheryl.
“There is a lot of competition out there for display space, so this is a great opportunity for us,” he said. When he reached out to the mall’s management for assistance, they were “really supportive.”
The Town ‘N’ Country Mall offered a space for guild members to set up with higher average foot traffic than in its other locations at the Timothy Eaton Centre, Cosmo Centre, Moose Jaw Museum & Art Gallery, and the YWCA before that.
Although the exhibit helped garnered more attention — including around four or five individuals who signed up over the weekend — members say their biggest challenge is finding a stable space to operate year-round to increase visibility.
“We would like to see this become an annual thing,” former guild president Patrick Hall said about the mall space. “We are a very old organization, but we’ve managed to go undetected.”
The new venue is the result of a partnership with the mall’s new owners, the Pioneer Thinking Capital Corporation, who took over the property in early 2024. Ever since, the company has expressed its commitment to revitalizing the mall by turning it back into a hub of activity.
“Gary and Cheryl actually approached me during the Christmas season in 2024…,” said Jennilee Novak, the mall’s assistant property manager. “When they approached me again last month to see if they could do another show, I was more than happy to accommodate.
“It gives them an opportunity to get out into the community, and for the community to come in and see that we’re able to offer different things (at the mall). We’re trying to partner with more and more community groups,” she added.
While the collaboration is a promising step, the guild continues to face a funding challenge to remain there long-term — which is the goal.
“We’ve got 25 members,” Holden noted. “If we can get a few more (registered), it will help us with our insurance expenses (and allow us to remain here at the mall).”
“And, of course, we want more members. We welcome artists of any capacity,” he shared. “Anybody can learn to paint, and I can teach anybody to paint. Honestly, you don’t have to have any special skills — just the desire to paint.
“As artists, we’re excited about our craft. There’s no doubt about it — the enthusiasm is infectious.”
The Moose Jaw Art Guild currently meets every Wednesday morning at the Timothy Eaton Gardens at 510 Main Street North, and Wednesday afternoons at the Cosmo Centre, located at 235 Third Avenue Northeast.
The guild is also seeking sponsors to help maintain its presence at the mall. Any interested businesses or individuals are encouraged to reach out for more details.
For more information visit MJArtGuild.Blogspot.ca or email [email protected].
The Moose Jaw Art Guild aims to maintain a semi-permanent venue at the north end of the Town ‘N’ Country Mall, located at 1235 Main Street North.
