The artist who is constructing the Legacy Wall sculpture for the Assiniboine Valley Medical Clinic in Kamsack is one of the artists included in the Saskatchewan Craft Council鈥檚 (SCC) 40th Anniversary Show and Sale being held at the SCC Affinity Gallery on Broadway Avenue in Saskatoon this summer.
Former Kamsack resident Craig Campbell, the son of Nola and Mervin Campbell of Kamsack, is one of about 50 artists who will have pieces in the show being held July 17 to August 29. A public reception will be held August 7 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
An artistic welder, Campbell is exhibiting one or two pieces of large steel work, said Maia Stark, an exhibitions and education co-ordinator for the Saskatchewan Craft Council in Saskatoon.
鈥淭his exhibition features a display of fine craft highlighting and celebrating the work of our members,鈥� said a release from the SCC. 鈥淎ll pieces in the exhibition are for sale, and available to the collector immediately upon payment.
鈥淭he show includes fi ne craft work in fi bre, ceramics, photography, wood, metal, glass, and visual art.
The SCC 40th Anniversary Show and Sale is designed to showcase as many different pieces as possible, and to feature an eclectic assortment of art for the visiting public, the release said. Once a piece has been purchased, it will be replaced by another work resulting in an ever-changing exhibition. Over
100 pieces of fi ne craft by more than 50 artists will be available for purchase.
Proceeds from the sale will be split between the artists and the Saskatchewan Craft Council, which is generating funds for its HVAC and fa莽ade renovation project of its heritage building on Broadway Avenue in Saskatoon.
In 1975, a total of 57 Saskatchewan craft artisans organized themselves with a common purpose to promote and raise the profile of Saskatchewan artisans, improve the quality of work produced, and facilitate communication among the membership. Now in its 40th year, the Saskatchewan Craft Council features a membership of 400 craftspeople and organizations and is considered a leader among provincial craft organizations.
On the M. Craig Campbell page of the SCC website, Campbell says the following:
鈥淭his is what my wife says about me: 鈥榊ou create because you have to create. You like the feel of metal, you like the potential in metal. You like the noise, the smells, the fire, and the weight of what you do. You like to open the doors and let people wander in. You never tire of telling people about the material, techniques, joinery and finishes.鈥�
鈥淏lacksmithing is my third career: heavy equipment operator, office worker, and now, artistic blacksmithing,鈥� Campbell says on the web page. 鈥淚 took up the hammer 20 years ago as an escape from the chains of desk work and it slowly overtook all else.
鈥淚 enjoy the challenge of one-of-a-kind pieces and exploring a theme via a sculpture series. The most fascinating aspects of blacksmithing are the warm and wonderful people I meet and the endless learning potential. It has allowed me to meet people from local and far that have enriched my work and my life.
鈥淏lacksmiths worldwide are a friendly lot and my craft has led me around North America and across oceans to visit, work with and learn from others,鈥� he said.
Campbell attended a reception at the Assiniboine Valley Medical Clinic in Kamsack in May when he showed samples
of the metal plates that he will be assembling into the design of clinic鈥檚 Legacy Wall.
