For the past 14 years, Jolanta Solaska and her husband have been organizing the Winnipeg Artists Incorporated’s annual exhibition. With a gala opening going down tonight, Solaska took some time out last week to chat with Stylus about the event, what keeps her and other local artists going, and how you can get involved.
When Solaska and her husband moved to Winnipeg from Europe, they noticed that while Winnipeggers do indeed enjoy and support the arts, that level of support was drastically different than they’d enjoyed in Europe. As a way to promote their art and the work of other artists they met in the Winnipeg scene, they decided to organize an annual exhibition.
“We needed at least one big huge show, annually, to show our work to the publics,” Solaska explained. “That was the main idea. Then, through the years, we’ve expanded.”
“We are trying to sustain artists as people who have a profession,” Solaska said. “In Europe, there are many, many galleries. Art was seen as a discipline of life, part of life.”
Solaska is excited about this year’s event, which features the art from 50 local contemporary artists. Tonight’s opening gala gives artists and art lovers a chance to check out the work and enjoy some refreshments. There will also be an ice sculpture created on site by artists John Wade, and a live musical performance from Karen Asmundson.
“Visually [the opening] will be very attractive,” Solaska believes, highlighting the ice sculpture. “And Karen Asmundson is an amazing talent. She is an opera singer, and she also composes. A huge talent.”
After tonight’s gala, the exhibition will be on display at the Frame Arts Warehouse until October 30, when a live art auction will take place, hosted by auctioneer Andy Key. With the proceeds from each sale going to the artists, the Winnipeg Artists Incorporated annual exhibition is a great way to support local artists, or just to catch a glimpse of what our city has to offer.
Tonight’s gala event takes place at 7:00PM at the Frame Arts Warehouse, 318 Ross Ave. You can view the exhibition daily from 2:00 to 8:00 PM.