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Prince Albert Arts Hall of Fame announces inductees

May 24, 2018 | 12:00 PM

The inductees for this year’s Prince Albert Arts Hall of Fame, include a producer, a theatre group, a stained glass artist, and a woman who has left a lasting impression on Saskatchewan’s arts community as a whole.

Paul Lomheim, who has been involved in numerous productions including the Country North Show, and the Saskatchewan Country Music Awards, will be inducted in the builder category.

“I was totally surprised, shocked and honoured,” he said when asked what the induction meant for him.

Lomheim said he is very proud of all the projects he has been involved with, and added he has always had a passion for music.

“The thing I really love is producing shows, whether it’s the Country North Show, Tom Cochrane or Johnny Reid,” he said. “It’s an incredible amount of work but it’s such a good feeling when it all comes down to the crunch and seeing the happy faces in the audience.”

Lomheim also produced the Saskatchewan Summer Games opening and closing ceremonies, and co-wrote the games’ song when they happened in Prince Albert.

The second inductee for this year’s Arts Hall of Fame is Odyssey Productions. In its nearly 30 year history, Odyssey Productions put on dozens of dinner theatres, and many of the artists who started with Odyssey moved on to forge careers in the arts. Kim Moral was involved with the group for 21 years and is the current president of the board.

“I think it’s well deserved. We’ve been around for 26 years now and have been a major part of the Prince Albert art scene for that and we are absolutely thrilled and honoured {by the induction],” she said.

Moral acknowledged the group had very humble beginnings and as a non-profit group, she said it needs talented hard working people to keep it going.

“It is very extraordinary that we are still around and still going and we still always find a way to make it work,” she said.

Moral acknowledged dinner theatres have always been the group’s niche, but added they are always on the lookout for a new challenge. The group is currently working on a production of A Streetcar Named Desire, which runs May 24 to 26 at PACI.

Herve Vallee, 91, is the third inductee in this year’s class. Vallee is best known for his stained class pieces and has created stained glass windows found in Sacred Heart Cathedral, St. Joseph Church, Mont St. Joseph Home, Herb Bassett Home, Keyhole Castle and the Prince Albert Arts Centre. He was commissioned to create stained glass windows within community churches in St. Louis, Birch Hills, Shellbrook, Canwood, Leask and Melfort. 

“I did not expect this [induction] at all. I am doing things that I love,” he said.

Vallee worked with stained glass for over 30 years. He also helped many budding artists try their hand at stain glass window-making.

“I am there for the students, I am not there for a job,” he said. “To see the students enjoy what they are doing is really a reward for me.”

Vallee was also one of the founding members in 1967 of the Prince Albert Council for the Arts which remains active today.

Margreet van Walsem, who passed away in 1976, is this year’s fourth inductee. Van Walsem was active in the visual arts for approximately 19 years and began her artistic studies and career later in her life, when she and her family moved to Canada in 1955. Jesse Campbell, curator at the Mann Art Gallery, nominated Van Walsem for the induction.

“I feel it’s important to recognize the art history in this region and Margreet had a significant role in shaping a lot of the visual arts events that occur regularly here,” Campbell said.

Van Walsem was involved in painting, and drawing, but would be most recognized for her weaving work. Campbell said a lot of Van Walsem’s work remains at the gallery.

“Certainly she was creative in a wide variety of media and beyond our own collection of art of hers there are also pieces of hers in the Saskatchewan Arts Board’s permanent collection,” Campbell said.

One of the important events van Walsem was instrumental in starting was the Winter Festival Art Show, which recently had its fortieth anniversary.

The induction Gala will take place Sept. 29 at the E.A. Rawlinson Centre. 

 

nigel.maxwell@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell