Indigenous artist brightens up Coronach while mentoring local youth
A beautification project on the main street of Coronach has allowed artist Stephanie Bellefleur to showcase the beauty of southern Saskatchewan while mentoring 15-year-old Amanda, who wants to pursue art.
“I created this mural based on a lot of the elements that are tied to the community,” she said. “Anywhere from agriculture and a lot of the shifts and the energetic change that is happening for the town of Coronach.”
Bellefleur is a contemporary visual artist who combines fine art elements with street art culture. She’s most known for painting murals and community-engaged artwork. The mural in Coronach is centered around a colorful deer and various plants found in the area such as Saskatoon berries, lentils as well flax.
Stephanie Bellefleur's mural called “Land of the Living Skies” in downtown Coronach. (Gareth Dillistone/CTV News)
The project allowed Bellefleur to host art workshops for kids in the community as well as mentor Amanda to complete the mural.
“Mentorship in my business,” she said. “In my work…my journey is always important because not only am I teaching someone but I’m always learning.”
Amanda has liked the experience she’s gained and she’s eager to do more.
“I want to help out more with murals and stuff and hopefully my art gets a lot better,” she said.
Bellefleur, who has Indigenous ancestry from Venezuela, grew up in Saskatchewan and believes its essential for artists like herself to lend a hand to aspiring Indigenous artists like Amanda.
“Working with Amanda, was all in alignment,” she said. “It really worked out well, she was a wonderful student. I’m hoping that in the future to access more funding in order to help give her paid opportunities and help her as a young person to continue develop her career.”
Amanda’s Indigenous roots come from the Haida Gwaii, an Indigenous group off the coast of British Columbia. Although she does not know much about them, she says the artistic experience with Bellefleur has interested her in learning more about her culture.
“I’d maybe like to travel around like the Haida,” she explained. “And learn more things about different places and maybe some of their spiritual animals and their designs so I can see what the spiritual animals represent.”
Bellefleur understands Amanda’s journey of self-discovery, as she is on the same path; using art to understand her ancestry after so much of it was erased.
“Indigenous people here are reclaiming a lot of their roots,” she said. “There are parallels there for a lot of South American people.”
She explained that being an artist is a deeply personal affair, requiring a lot of introspection.
“Because with my own discovery of myself, I am still learning a lot of those things,” she said. “Through the process of learning through art. Through having to identify and figure out, ‘where are my roots? Where am I from? Who am I?’ Asking those deeper questions, it’s helped me get closer and closer.”
Overall, Amanda has liked the experience and the time she’s spent with Bellefleur.
“It’s been super fun learning about things that Stephanie’s done before and where she’s from,” she said.
Now that the mural is complete, Bellefleur is planning to stay in touch with Amanda. Helping her begin both her artistic journey and her journey of self-discovery.
“…My hopes are to be able to guide Amanda towards the accurate and the more specific people that can teach her within her lineage,” she said. “So that in her own journey, she can use that art as a catalyst to build on her spirituality and her growth as a young person.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
'Sophisticated' cyberattacks detected on B.C. government networks, premier says
There has been a "sophisticated" cybersecurity breach detected on B.C. government networks, Premier David Eby confirmed Wednesday evening.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs to start for Canucks in Game 1 vs. Oilers
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs will start in net for the Canucks as Vancouver kicks off a second-round series against the Edmonton Oilers Wednesday night.
Nijjar murder suspect says he had Canadian study permit in immigration firm's video
One of the Indian nationals accused of murdering British Columbia Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar says in a social media video that he received a Canadian study permit with the help of an Indian immigration consultancy.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.