SK Arts | Jayda Delorme

February 2023 marks the beginning of SK Arts' 75th anniversary year. On February 3, 1948, the Saskatchewan Arts Board opened its doors, supporting artists across the province. As we celebrate this milestone, we look to honour the past, the present and the future of the province's vibrant arts community with the We Celebrate You campaign. SK Arts asked 75 established artists to nominate one strong, emerging artist, program or training opportunity that makes the future of Saskatchewan arts exciting.

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Kris Alvarez - Picture of a play, Burnt Sienna, 2022

Photo credit: Burnt Sienna, 2022. Photo credit: Chris Graham

Kris Alvarez

Kris Alvarez is a theatre artist privileged to make artful relationships (Curtain Razors, Fadadance, Artesian, Globe Theatre, RIWC, Common Weal). Kris performs in other people’s work (Bad Blood, Carmen Angel – Joey Tremblay/Curtain Razors), makes her own work (Golden Potluck, Burnt Sienna), and moments before the pandemic, was humbled by the work (Reasonable Doubt – Persephone Theatre).

Kris continues in film (Donkeyhead, KarmaFilms / Agam Darshi), outdoors (2021 Other Side of the River, 2022 Wâhkôhtowin, Sum Theatre), on TV (ZARQA, CBC Gem), onstage (2021 and 2022 Making Spirits Bright – Globe Theatre) and in creation (Acknowledging).

At the 2022 Regina Folk Festival, Kris happily debuted Burnt Sienna Boulevard, a reimagined version of Burnt Sienna (her original variety show from 2018-2022) now for younger audiences. She is excited to continue tinkering with this family show alongside her other theatre project, Acknowledging, a collaborative creation with five local artists which will be presented Spring 2023.

Jayda Delorme - Portrait of young woman with artwork behind her

Photo credit: Jayda Delorme

Jayda Delorme

Jayda Danielle Delorme, born 2002, mainly based in Regina, is an emerging Nihiyaw (Cree) visual artist from Cowessess First Nation in Treaty 4 Territory. She is an artist of many mediums including drawing, painting, body painting, digital art and logo making. Her focus is her cultural art practices such as beading, sewing, regalia making and indigenous cultural tattooing. Her work can be found in various places around her community. In 2018, her work was shown on an international stage for the World Body Painting Festival in Austria. She takes great passion in expressing her Indigeneity through her art practices as well as using her art to contribute to her community.

“…a beautiful Powwow dancer.” – Kris Alvarez

After reading the invitation (to select a nominee), Jayda Delorme instantly came to my mind and my heart. For the past five years, I’ve had the privilege of getting to know Jayda in many ways:

as a fierce daughter of a good friend-colleague-matriarch,
a beautiful pow wow dancer,
an inspiring hard-working artist,
a kind, wise human who is constantly fighting for time and space to make art.

Yes, I say “fighting” for her art because of who she is, where she comes from, where she lives and how it is to live in this world right now. She is a young, female, Indigenous – Nehiyaw – independent artist living on Treaty 4 who comes from a family all trying their best to live, work, play, make art and continue to heal from intergenerational traumas.

As an artist myself, I have my own experiences with the struggles of finding money, time and space for my artmaking. But I also have some privileges in my positionality which makes it possible for me to be a full-time artist. I heartily wish this for Jayda:

to continue making art, more often, for longer
to focus on art in a fuller way
to collaborate with other artists
to dig deeper into her practice
to become more of the artist, she wishes to be.

Do I think this small grant will make this wish come true? No. But I do know this small gift will remind her of how important her art is in this place, it will celebrate her, and – hopefully – it will remind her that she can and will continue making art… being an artist.

Also, I am very lucky to collaborate with Jayda this year! She is a guest artist in my upcoming theatre project, Acknowledging, presented this spring at the Artesian in Regina. She will create alongside local artist Melanie Monique Rose to provide this theatre show its visual component through painting, installation and set design.