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         The Mother Teresa Centre and Mess Hall at Kenosee Lake was home to the Moose Mountain Provincial Park Artist’s Colony 3^rdAnnual Retreat from August 24 to 31.  With 20 artists taking part, there was no shortage of music, dancing, fun and fellowship. 

         Organizers Jerri Laird, Holly Dauvin, Jacqui Beckett and Ken Fredrickson believe that they have the perfect-sized group for the retreat, where everyone takes turns cooking, and the food is as wonderful as the art. 

         While everyone interviewed praised the organizers, they all commented on the wonderful venue, and the sense of family, where everyone was welcome and encouraged to try things that may have been out of their comfort zone, with no sense of judgement or feeling less of an artist than anyone else.

                  The group gathered from Saturday afternoon to the following Saturday at noon and the icing on the cake is the MMPP Artist’s Colony Show Wine and Cheese event held on the Thursday evening at the Kenosee Lake Recreation Hall. There, artists gather and share the items they have been working on at the retreat, in a showcase of talent that would surprise many people. I, for one, am overwhelmed by the artistic talents to be found in our area. While you may think that major cities like Toronto or Vancouver house major talents, you would be wrong. There are artists with major talents to be found in villages and towns all over southeastern Saskatchewan and into Manitoba, as evidenced by the artists gathered at the retreat.