MOOSE JAW — After more than five decades of working with clay, Moose Jaw artist Dorothy Yakiwchuk still finds wonder in its potential — and she’s sharing that journey through her new solo exhibition, “Inspiration in Clay,” now on display at the Moose Jaw Centre for Arts and Culture until July 21.
The exhibit features a wide-ranging collection of sculptural pieces, many blending clay with mixed media and personal symbolism. It’s the culmination of 52 years of artistic exploration, inspired by moments of music, family, travel, and deep reflection.
“I didn’t realize, until I started preparing for this, what made me stay for 52 years,” Yakiwchuk said. “But there was something about that clay that touched me that very first day.”
Yakiwchuk first discovered pottery in 1972 during a community class at Minto United Church. The moment she touched clay, she said, something clicked — and she hasn’t stopped creating since.
Much of “Inspiration in Clay” is rooted in memory and personal connection. From abstract violins honouring her love of music to nativity figures inspired by her early years as a potter, every sculpture tells a story.
“My violin leans toward that sense of creativity. You can definitely tell it’s a violin, but it’s abstract — because nobody’s perfect, and I don’t think you ever play a piece totally perfectly,” she said. “So I made something that would be me.”
One striking feature in the exhibit is a sculptural tribute to the 800-kilometre Camino de Santiago pilgrimage in Spain, which Yakiwchuk completed at age 61. She used a four-by-four wooden beam topped with directional symbols and clay shoes to convey the spiritual clarity and physical challenge of the month-long trek.
“It was never about, ‘What do you do?’ It was, ‘Why are you walking?’” she said. “That was a revelation about looking at myself and realizing how I could expand what I do in clay.”
Her show also pays homage to her late husband Walt, a teacher and avid gardener. One bowl sculpture, filled with handmade vegetables and finished with a textured “dirt” exterior, is titled “Walt’s Garden” in his honour.
The exhibit runs until July 21, with an artist’s reception scheduled for Saturday, June 28 from 2 to 4 p.m. The reception was specially planned to coincide with a visit from Yakiwchuk’s children, who live overseas.
“That's the time when people can come and meet me, walk that little inspirational journey with me, and have a piece of cake,” she said. “The cake is patterned after my mom’s quilting — with strawberries on top, just like she always did.”
Select pieces in the exhibit are available for sale, with others kept for personal or symbolic reasons. While Yakiwchuk doesn’t maintain a website or social media presence, she invites anyone curious to attend the June 28 reception, ask questions, and see how clay can tell a life story.
“I’ve had all kinds of opportunities in life, (and experienced) all kinds of diversity — but I always went right back to clay,” she said. “And I’m still learning what’s possible.”
Dorothy (Elias) Yakiwchuk can be contacted by email at [email protected].
The Moose Jaw Centre for Arts and Culture is located at 217 Main Street North and can be reached at 306-693-4700.
