Region Category: Winnipeg

Mentorship pair Colten Matousek & BJ Verot are taking part in our 2022/2023 Professional Mentorship Program, in the discipline of film. They have been working on developing Colten’s first official short film: developing the script, editing, shot listing, and refining grant writing skills.

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.

Shawna Forester Smith is a chronically ill and disabled Ojibwe artist and writer living in a chronic care unit at Deer Lodge Centre in Winnipeg.

Creative Manitoba’s Artist Spotlight is happy to feature singer/songwriter and past GerryFest mentee, Shay Wolf. GerryFest is an annual arts festival at The St Norbert Arts Centre, honouring Gerry Atwell’s memory and contributions to the artistic community. GerryFest hosts the SNAC Rise Up Mentorship Program for emerging artists.

Ashley Bieniarz, Kwiat is an avant-pop Metis and Polish artist from Winnipeg, Manitoba. She has been playing piano since she was three years old but didn’t start performing original music until 2015 while she was completing my bachelor of music at the University of Manitoba in the Desautels Faculty of Music.

Tyson Caron is a proud dad, husband, son, friend, a local Winnipeg filmmaker, and coffee drinker. He’s a person who puts relationships first. As a writer, director, producer of both documentary and fiction films, relationships are at the heart of his art form.

Suzie Martin has been the Artistic Director of Theatre Projects Manitoba since April 1, 2022. She is a Director and sometimes Dramaturg, who is admittedly obsessed with the mechanics of storytelling.

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.