Iconic Saskatchewan Wildlife and Landscapes

I currently have a new show on now at Handmade House in Saskatoon, from August 1 to September 30

The show  “Wildconic – Iconic Saskatchewan Wildlife and Landscapes” celebrates the breathtaking beauty of the province of Saskatchewan. The exhibition showcases an artwork collection inspired by the province’s diverse wildlife and stunning landscapes.

Immerse yourself in a visual journey through Saskatchewan’s natural wonders, where prairies, forests, rivers, and lakes converge to create a harmonious tapestry. The exhibition features a variety of artistic styles and mediums, including glass art and hand-hooked tapestries capturing the essence and spirit of Saskatchewan’s unique wildlife and landscapes depicting the province’s iconic wildlife. The essence of these creatures and landscapes evoking a sense of tranquility and wonder for the natural world.  

“Wildconic – Iconic Saskatchewan Wildlife and Landscapes” aims to foster a deeper appreciation and understanding of Saskatchewan’s rich natural heritage. reconnect with nature and recognize the importance of preserving and protecting the delicate balance of wildlife and landscapes. 

Toby Cote is a Saskatchewan artist who creates glass and fiber art inspired by the prairies. She showcases her work at Handmade House and the Saskatchewan Craft Council and draws inspiration from her surroundings and life experiences. Connect with her on Facebook and Instagram and her website Borealisboutique.com to learn more.

I took a workshop from Bullseye and Tim Carey Studio called ‘A Painterly Portrait’. I enjoyed it and learned a lot with this technique. The fun is in creating the glass pieces and the assembly.

It was a great course – I enjoyed it very much and loved the freedom it afforded in my glass art.

I completed a glass portrait of my dog Loki. She is a sweet pup, and I didn’t do justice to her demeanor – she looks a bit intense in this piece, but love that I have her permanently displayed in glass !

#apainterlyportrait #glassart #Loki #Husky #dogart #glassportrait #glass_elements

Our Grad Show opens today at the Gordon Snelgrove Gallery at the U of S Campus. Drop by if you are on campus – or join us for the reception on Friday, November 18th.

An excerpt from Canadian Mining Journal Pg 21 – September 2022

September link to the Canadian Mining Journal https://www.canadianminingjournal.com/digital-edition/

This article by Donna Beneteau was very special to me, because an article that my Dad, Harvey Laberge and I worked was accepted and will be included in the Data Hub Database at CIM (Canadian Institute of Mining) that Donna created. She was looking for stories about the Canadian mining industry, with a history of miner’s lives.

My Dad, Harvey Laberge, was working on the oil rigs and was on the team that drilled the exploratory holes for the development, worked on the shaft sinking and continued to work for the mine at Patience Lake, Saskatchewan – PCA or Potash Company of America which originated in Carlsbad, New Mexico. It is now known as Nutrien – Patience Lake.

Donna explains the project very eloquently below:

To experience the hub or read more about this project click here:

Summer Solstice is when the sun travels along the most northern path in the sky. The sun takes the longest to rise and longest to set. the Sun appears highest in the sky while the moon appears lowest.

How to Celebrate !  Pick strawberries and celebrate with what coincides with June’s full moon also known as the Strawberry moon.  Enjoy a bonfire as the Midsummer’s Eve as the ancients called it, was celebrated the evening before. A bonfire party is a common theme on the longest day as we emerge from the long dark winters.  Pursue a magical fern flower to bring good luck before cleaning one’s face in the morning dew. Ferns produce a magic blossom once a year, on the eve of the Summer Solstice. Whoever is lucky enough to find a fern flower will receive good luck, prosperity, and the ability to understand the speech of animals.  The flower is believed to be protected by evil spirits. In some folklore, the Devil was said to appear and snatch the flowers for himself.

#summersolstice #borealisboutique #Artistsolstice #prosperity #goodluck #protection #fernflower #MidsummerEve #celebrate #longestDay #sunhigh #moonlow #strawberrymoon

by Toby Cote

The Canadian Loon is a symbol of the Canadian wilderness and evokes a feeling of tranquility. This loon was designed from my collection of photos from one of the many lakes in Saskatchewan.

I reproduced this loon in a watercolour to colourplan the work and finished it in wool strips hooked into foundation cloth.

The hooked rug piece is currently available at the Saskatchewan Craft Council Boutique @skcraftcouncil on Broadway in Saskatoon.

#loon #aquaticduck #wildlife #instaloon #yxeart #artistsoninstagram #wilnernessculture #woodlandwild #wool #hookedrugsofinstagram #hookedrugart #fibreartist #fibrearts #canadianfibre #fiberart #borealisboutique #tncotes

We recently replaced our kitchen backsplash and had two areas where we didn’t want to replace the builder beige plastic switchplate that formerly housed a landline phone connection, and we no longer have a landline phone. There was also a box that housed a cable TV connector (yes, in the kitchen by the stove.. 😮 )

We created glass switchplates and drilled holes to accomodate the screw holes and tried to recreate a Mission-styled Arts & Crafts theme, a la Frank Lloyd Wright stained glass window !

These are how they look in natural light ..

And finally installed in the stone tiles! These were created with clear glass, glass frit and powders and then finally kiln-fired !!

These will soon be available in our Etsy store with custom configurations! Please leave a comment if you are interested – Thanks !

Hand Painted stained glass copper foiled panel with traditional ground-glass paints, pigment oxides, enamels, stained glass, kiln-fired, soldered, patina application and framed in custom-made pine frame hand-cut dovetail joints with hooks and chain hardware.
18-1/2 x 21-3/4 x 1-1/2 inches

Laietana, the goose, in Carla’s protective embrace has a new lease on life at Santuario Gaia in Camprodon, Spain.
The rescue and protection of animals is the primary function of Fundación Santuario Gaia in Camprodon, Spain. This piece was adapted from a photograph and with the gracious permission of the visual journalist Ana Palacios.
Hand painted stained glass copper foiled panel with traditional ground-glass paints, pigment oxides, enamels, stained glass, kiln-fired, soldered, patina application and framed in custom-made pine frame hand-cut dovetail joints with hooks and chain hardware.
Fundación Santuario Gaia a sanctuary to save animals, is a true cause in Camprodon, Spain. To learn more, please visit https://www.fundacionsantuariogaia.org

I always enjoyed this alley in downtown Saskatoon, with its iconic architecture, gaining access to some unique local businesses.

The two major buildings in the foreground are the Avenue Building on the right, which was built in 1912 and originally known as the MacMillan Department Store. It was built by Saskatoon’s then future mayor Frank R. MacMillan and designed by Winnipeg architect William Fingland. The T. Eaton Company purchased MacMillan’s store and it was the single largest department store in the city before selling the business, but not the building, to T. Eaton Company in 1927. MacMillan extensively remodeled his building, inside and out, to convert it to office space, and renamed it the Avenue Building.

In the left foreground is the Travellers block annex followed by a private alley and the original Travellers block. You can peer down the lane and see the street front of 3rd Avenue South, and the jewel in the vanishing point is an edit I made. I historically changed the storefront to be that of Mikado Silk in the McKay Block, 223 2nd Avenue South. The style of the McKay Block is characteristic of Edwardian architecture. The building is named for Dr. William J.McKay, a physician and Saskatoon’s medical health officer (1906-1912). and Dr. McKay’s office from 1907-1911. Mikado Silk is no longer there, but was a historic business in downtown Saskatoon starting in 1933 for over 40 years and being a prolific sewer, I had more of a connection to it.