Donna Langhorne recently finished her latest series of paintings. (submitted photo/Donna Langhorne)

By Derek Cornet

Northern Artist

Artist selected to have painting series exhibited throughout Saskatchewan for three years

Apr 1, 2019 | 5:12 PM

Air Ronge artist Donna Langhorne’s latest painting series The Common Truths will tour the province for three years through the Organization of Saskatchewan Arts Councils.

“I applied with them twice and I got turned down, so it was surprising when they came to me,” she said, adding the tour will begin in spring 2020.

The Common Truths series was made possible by a $30,000 grant from the Canada Council for the Arts, which Langhorne received last year. Additionally, she was also awarded a $6,000 grant from the Saskatchewan Arts Board. Langhorne had 12 months to complete the series, which in the end consisted of 21 paintings covering topics such as gang violence, alcohol and addictions, substance abuse, suicide, residential schools, the ’60s Scoop, murdered and missing Indigenous women, human trafficking and stereotypes.

Langhorne described The Common Truths as the second part to her previously released Seven Visions series as it continues her examination of the issues Indigenous Peoples are faced with. Overall, she noted The Common Truths was difficult to complete as she found it hard to paint the issues on paper and she wanted to do it in a respectful way.

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One of the paintings included in Donna Langhorne’s latest series. (submitted photo/Donna Langhorne)

This painting entitled “Injected” is Donna Langhorne’s favourite from the series. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

“It was difficult, especially the ones on suicide and residential schools,” Langhorne said. “After every painting, I give it my all and it’s like a piece of me goes with it. I’m emotionally drained after each one.”

Meanwhile, six of her paintings from Seven Visions are currently being featured on billboards across Canada through the Artists Against Racism’s Eagle Rising campaign. She stated two were recently spotted in Saskatoon.

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derek.cornet@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @saskjourno