The Sheep River Artist in Residence program will be returning this September.
Allan Boss, the Town of Okotoks' Culture, Heritage, and Events Team Leader, says the Town has a strategic initiative plan where arts and culture is an economic driver for the community.
"One of the things we wanted to do was invest in our public art program and in our artist community," Boss explains. "This began a discussion between myself and Russell Thomas from the Okotoks Art Council and Sarah Gillie from the library. And the Town proposed that we start this Artist in Residency program, and they were interested."
So, they began the residency program last year.
In order to determine which artist they are going to select for the residency, Boss says they put together a jury to assess the applications and decide who they wish to give the residency to.
The jury included members from the Town of Okotoks, the library, and the Arts Council.
Boss says that September is Culture Days in Alberta, on top of the Town of Okotoks Town Council declaring that September is the month of the Artist in Okotoks.
"So, this Sheep River Artist in Residency program runs the month of September. The artist will come in with a different proposal every year. This year, Wanru Kemp is going to be looking at doing some reflecting on landscapes and trying to really connect to the natural world with her paintings."
Last year's Artist in Residence was Tanya Zakarow who did a series of portraits during her residency.
For the first two weeks of the residency, Wanru Kemp will be in residency at the Okotoks Art Gallery, and the next couple weeks will be at the Okotoks Library.
"They'll be onsite during the day for four hours or so, at least, a day, and people can interact with them. Go talk with them, find out about their projects and what they're working on and get tips and techniques."
This year, Wanru Kemp will be holding a workshop on Chinese calligraphy at the library partway through the residency.
At the end of September, the Town will be hosting a conference called the Face to Face Conference, which is an arts conference, and Kemp will be presenting her work at that conference.
To learn more about the artist residency and Wanru Kemp, click here.