Discipline Category: Visual Arts and Photography

Amanda Onchulenko is a painter, textile artist and author, and the current Artist-In-Residence at the Fairmont Hotel. Her work is both strong and colourful, with emotion reflected in each brush stroke. As part of the Interlake WAVE Artists group, she opens her studio twice a year for tours and purchases.

Lita Fontaine is of Dakota, Anishinaabe, and Metis descent. Fontaine was born in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, and grew up in Winnipeg’s North End. She is an interdisciplinary artist, and received her Masters of Fine Arts specializing in Inter-Media. Lita is a founding member of Urban Shaman Contemporary Aboriginal Gallery, where she held her first solo exhibition. She received the University of Manitoba Distinguished Alumni Award in 2021 and her work can be found on murals in Winnipeg, and in personal and public art collections.

Mentorship pair Kevela Jag & Annie Bergen are taking part in our 2022/2023 Rural Mentorship Program, in the discipline of visual art, learning mosaic!

Sophia Charuk is both a vendor and Project Manager for the Uptown Emporium a non-profit sub-organization of the Flin Flon Arts Council. The UE is a physical storefront, an e-commerce site, and a shipping warehouse for crafters and artisans to market their products, based in Flin Flon, Manitoba.

Metis artist JD Hawk always knew that art would be a part of his life. As a kid, he hoped and dreamt he would ‘make it’ like his Uncle, the lauded Armand J. Paquette whose portraits of western Canadian life and Winnipeg’s North End have earned him a loyal following amongst collectors. Without the proper guidance or support at home, JD kept his work to himself as a fun hobby. It wasn’t until his late 20’s when JD’s art life began to change.

Mentorship team Danita Stallard, Scarlett Gunn and Lacey Svaren took part in our 2021/2022 Rural Mentorship Program.

Heather and Emily participated in the 2021/2022 Professional Mentorship Program with a focus on the art of prop building and painting.