While their main building was undergoing renovations, the artists of NorVA gathered in Denare Beach to find inspiration at the group’s annual artist’s retreat. Over 25 artists of varying disciplines participated in the retreat, which was hosted at the DenarePlex. The retreat ran from July 14-20.
Mike Spencer, manager of NorVA, was one of those artists. He kept himself busy firing raku pottery. “It’s a hit, everybody wants to come back and looks forward to it,” he said.
“Some of the artists just make something so they can fire at the retreat each year. That’s about as much pottery as they do. Other artists have learned about another retreat and started making pottery themselves.”
Spencer said one big appeal to the retreat is the networking between artists, some of which drive into the community to take part in the event.
“I think the main [benefit] is getting to meet other artists and learn about what they’re doing,” he said.
“Learn about different techniques and practices in a first hand sort of way, whenever there’s somebody in there, if there’s somebody trying something new, and you’re interested in it, they’ll show you what they’re doing, and you can try it right down there.” Each artist had the flexibility to participate as intensely as they wanted in the retreat.
“Artists make their own schedules for what they want to do,” Spencer said. “Some of them are here, religiously, at 9 a.m. - and they’re here till 9 p.m. Others will skip a day, they go swimming. There’s a lot of socializing.”
One highlight for the artists is the food. Each artist takes responsibility for providing a meal on top of their entrance fee, and this year saw catering company the Pickled Loon provide a meal that Spencer gushed over.
“One other thing that we do at the retreat is to keep costs down,” he said.
“We don’t we don’t arrange every meal to be catered or anything. We make teams of people, so it costs $160 to come to the retreat, but it actually costs $160 and a meal for 25. There’ll be a team of two or three artists and they will make a meal. So we all get fed every day and you only have to cook and clean once. People bring their A game.”
NorVA will be celebrating their 10th anniversary next year. Spencer thinks it has been a big reason Flin Flon has become an artist’s hub.
“I think the main reason [the visual arts community is strong] is NorVA,” he said.
“It’s a place for [art], there’s a there’s a central hub, and gathering place for artists to meet and talk. We support them, give them a place to work and we try to make it as affordable as we can. For them to use the space, I think that has a major role and how many artists are actually working on a regular basis.”
A collective project the artists worked on was a mural which will be unveiled during the Blueberry Jam Musical Gathering. The mural was painted on two large pieces of plywood, based on a drawing from Danita Stallard.
“It was really nice, because I had 20 painters on hand,” Spencer said.
“I only really had to paint about 20 per cent of that picture. And I just kept giving people a brush and a color and say, ‘Hey, you’ll paint this part.’ It was a great big project that took many hands.”
The focus for NorVA now shifts to their reopening after renovations and an Artist’s Talk July 25. Cheryl Zubrack and Ron Scott will be presenting Earth Song, an exhibition based on interpretations
from nature. “We got to move back in [July 23].” Spencer said.
“They painted the walls and the floors, it’s never seemed so empty. It’s kind of ghostly, but it’s clean and crisp and everything looks good. On Tuesday we’ll be open as usual.” The renovations for NorVA were funded through a Northern Neighbours grant.
