Dimensions is the Saskatchewan Craft Council‘s biennial, open, juried, touring exhibition of Fine Craft which encourages and rewards excellence in hand crafted work by Saskatchewan artists.

Dimensions 2015 toured to the following locations:

• Chapel Gallery, North Battleford, SK — July 8 to September 4, 2016
• Godfrey Dean Art Gallery, Yorkton, SK — September 12 to October 28, 2016

Dimensions features the best in Saskatchewan Fine Craft with works in ceramics, textiles, metal, glass, and mixed media. The 34 Saskatchewan artists with work in the show represent a large community of makers devoted to their craft.

Every two years the Saskatchewan Craft Council places an open call to all Saskatchewan craftspeople to submit to Dimensions. For each Dimensions exhibition, two qualified jurors are tasked with selecting the final pieces, as well as deciding which pieces merit any of the 13 available Fine Craft awards. This year’s jurors were fibre artist & Hand Wave Gallery Owner June J Jacobs and Alberta Craft Council Executive Director Tom McFall. The charge to the jurors reads: “… the SCC looks for works with unique, individual expression that transcend technique. They should have content as well as achieving technical and creative excellence.” McFall and Jacobs selected 36 works from 180 entries submitted by over 100 artists! Dimensions will tour for two years, and has just returned from the Yukon Arts Centre in Whitehorse.

Below you will find photos of all of the artwork in the exhibition. Please click on each photo to enlarge it. The award winning pieces are also listed below.

Dimensions Jurors’ Critique Videos

Part 1

Part I is the Introduction and Selection process by Jurors June J Jacobs & Tom McFall. The jurors describe the methods and criteria used in selecting pieces for the exhibit.

Part 2

Part II is the jurors’ critique of works submitted for the exhibition.

Dimensions Fine Craft Awards

On June 19, we announced the winners of the 13 Fine Craft Awards which accompany the Dimensions Exhibition each year. The winners of those awards are chosen from the artists in the Dimensions exhibition.

Premier’s Prize Award for the Outstanding Entry ($3,000) sponsored by Creative Saskatchewan
• Cathryn Miller; “In Winter”

Craft Year 2015 Award ($1,500) sponsored by Greystone Managed Investments
• Anita Rocamora; “Baroque Blossoms”

Jane Turnbull Evans Award for Innovation in Craft ($1,500) sponsored by the Saskatchewan Arts Board
• Sandra Ledingham; “so he said, ‘does our earth really need more objects?’”

Gale Steck Memorial Award for Excellence in Craft by an Emerging Artist ($1,500) sponsored by the Gale Steck Memorial Committee
• Louisa Ferguson; “Ship of Fools”

SCC Merit Award ($500) sponsored by the Saskatchewan Craft Council
• Judy Haraldson; “Prairie Plaid”

Corrine McKay Merit Award for SCC Members ($500) sponsored by the Saskatchewan Craft Council
• Mary Romanuck; “Trophy Hunt”

Award for Excellence in Wood ($300) sponsored by the Saskatchewan Woodworkers’ Guild
• Michael Hosaluk; “Inferno”

Award for Excellence in Textiles ($300) sponsored by the Saskatchewan Weavers and Spinners Guild
• Gwen Klypak; “Red Scarf”

Award for Excellence in Metal ($300) sponsored by Western Canadian Blacksmiths’ Guild, Saskatchewan Chapter
• Grant Irons; “Ivory with a Twist”

Award for Excellence in Quilting ($300) sponsored by the Saskatoon Quilters’ Guild
• Anna Hergert; “Prairie Springtime Ritual: The Return of the Blue Heron”

Award for Excellence in Clay ($300 of supplied from Tree Pottery) sponsored by T&T Tree Pottery Supply
• Martin Tagseth; “Lidded Jar”

Award for Excellence in Functional & Production Ware ($300) sponsored by Cecilia Cote and Handmade House
• Deb Vereschagin; “Chevron”

Award for Excellence in Fine Craft ($300) sponsored by Artisans’ Craft Market Cooperative
• Mary Lynn Podiluk; “Echo”

2015 Dimensions Jurors

This year, the in-province juror is June J. Jacobs. June has exhibited her fibre work nationally and internationally. Her work has been featured in exhibitions such as Dimensions, Prairie Excellence and the Cheongju International Craft Biennale in South Korea. She is the owner/operator of The Handwave Gallery in Meacham and was the first recipient of the Saskatchewan Craft Marketer of the Year Award in 2011. For more than thirty years, June has made sustained contributions to the Fine Craft Community as a mentor, educator, organizer and maker.

Tom McFall is the out-of-province juror. Tom has practiced and taught industrial design, furniture design, and design history, and writes, lectures and curates exhibitions on topics of material culture, regional character, folk craft and Fine Craft. As Executive Director of the Alberta Craft Council for the past 17 years, he has had a hand in significant expansion of the Council and growing awareness of Alberta’s professional craftspeople. Tom is active in arts advocacy though several local, provincial and national arts boards. He also writes, curates and develops exhibitions on various aspects of Alberta’s culture.