The Moose Jaw Museum & Art Gallery (MJM&AG) is selling limited-edition prints of Breeze by Saskatchewan artist Gabriela García-Luna this holiday season, which MJM&AG curator Jennifer McRorie says are a perfect gift for art lovers.
All proceeds of the limited-edition run of 100 prints — signed by the artist — will go towards the purchase of Peggy by Joe Fafard. They cost $103.77 — an even $110 after taxes.
“We’ve been fundraising for Peggy since 2016, when renowned Saskatchewan artist Joe Fafard first delivered her to MJM&AG for his exhibition ‘Sunny Ways,’” McRorie explained. “We’ve already raised $60,000 of the total $100,000 that Joe agreed to sell her at, even though she was valued at $150,000 at that time and is probably worth more than $200,000 now.”
García-Luna is a Mexican-born artist who now lives in Saskatoon after completing her Master of Fine Arts degree at the University of Saskatchewan. Prior to that, she was based in Moose Jaw for over 10 years.
“Artist Gabriela García-Luna has graciously licensed the MJM&AG to print smaller photographic prints of her work Breeze,” McRorie said, “which is part of the Moose Jaw Museum and Art Gallery’s Permanent Collection.”
The original artwork is currently on display alongside an artist proof of the print in the MJM&AG’s lobby.
The limited-edition print run was agreed to by García-Luna because Fafard was a dear friend of hers and a big influence on her as a new artist in Saskatchewan, McRorie added.
Breeze (2021) is an example of García-Luna’s exploration of digitally altered photo images as a connection between artificial and natural aspects of human experience. The artist creates abstracted layers from landscape photographs, resulting in traces of the organic that appear to be drawings.
Emerald Custom Creations in Moose Jaw offered a 15 per cent discount to anyone who has one of the limited-edition prints of Breeze framed by Feb. 1, 2023. They will donate five per cent of such framing costs to the Peggy fundraising efforts.
The MJM&AG is committed to acquiring Peggy for the Permanent Collection and displaying her as a public art work on behalf of the City of Moose Jaw.
Peggy is a bronze sculpture of a filly, or young female horse, that Fafard created not-to-scale. At seven feet tall, the sculpture plays with scale and is intended to show the filly so that adults will view her from the relative height of a toddler — inspiring awe and appreciation.
“Public art contributes to the cultural life and vitality of a community,” McRorie said. “Peggy is a stunning example of Joe Fafard’s work and is a beautiful addition to our city.”
Breeze prints are 10 by 10 inches and unframed. They can be purchased in person at the MJM&AG gift shop or online at mjmag.ca/print-fundraiser.
