Kindred Cities brings Sask. artists together
SASKATOON — It’s long been suspected that a rivalry exists between Saskatchewan’s two biggest cities. The creative arts communities in Saskatoon and Regina are both rich in talent, which has led some to wonder which scene is at the top.
Jennifer Sparrowhawk wants to dispel any notions of jealousy or competition in Saskatchewan. On her curated blog Kindred Cities, Sparrowhawk, along with Regina’s Zoe Schneider, attempts to bring the artistic worlds together by pairing two people, one from each of the major centres.
Having spent time in both cities, the Saskatoon-based Sparrowhawk says the idea came after she began to notice differences between the music, theatre, film and visual realms.
The goal of Kindred Cities is to enhance the creative energy of both cities by helping to create positive ties, Sparrowhawk says.
“I thought if we got to know each other on an individual basis, through the portraits, it might quell that sense of division.”
Starting the blog in January, Sparrowhawk and Schneider combined portraits and interviews to give their viewers a closer look at the individual people — their quirks and nuances — behind the creative endeavours of Saskatchewan.
The paired subjects — one in Saskatoon and one in Regina — may not even be known to each other, says Sparrowhawk, a filmmaker and performing artist. So far the project includes 16 portraits, with more on the way.
“I have been absolutely enthralled with finding out about all these people, from Fern’s explanation of what it’s like preparing to go on tour, to Piper Burns waxing poetic about paralyzers,” she says.
Sch - neider says the site is like an artistic dating service that inspires new creative projects.
“I hope that the site serves as a way to connect people who wouldn’t normally have the chance to meet,” she says. It’s already happening. One pairing includes Jon Vaughn of Saskatoon and Colby Richardson of Regina. Both come from a similar visual arts background, where putting ink on paper is paramount. Alongside with links to their work, their artistic styles become complementary when stacked up next to one another. They are separated by more than 250 kilometres, but Kindred Cities united them in both the virtual and the real world.
“I was pleased to find out that Jon and Colby are currently collaborating on a project,” Sparrowhawk says.
“Everyone talks about our cities fondly, and I’m happy to see that we are working together.”