Step into a stunning reimagining of Assiniboine Park and The Leaf with the spring Community Gallery display, Biomes: A Celebration of Biodiversity by Brandi Shabaga, on now at the Pavilion.

Based on a one-year self-led artist residency in Assiniboine Park, Shabaga created striking multimedia pieces using recycled paper materials, acrylic paints, and dried florals. Her collaged works are inspired by observations within the Park and The Leaf, including the water lilies in the Leo Mol Sculpture Garden and the koi fish at The Leaf.

"The Park is this really niche place in the centre of the city where we have all of this biodiversity, and it’s amazing to come see. The gorgeous thing with nature is it’s always evolving - there’s so much you can do and see, with all the different wildlife 

flowers and insects living here. This place is such an opportunity and a blessing to have, and I wanted to pay homage to it.”

Shabaga was always outdoors growing up, spending many summers with her family camping in the Interlake and visiting extended family on their farm. As she grew up and tried to decide where she wanted her career to go, she found herself aligned with her childhood passion in a different way.

“I struggled picking between sciences and fine arts and decided to go the science route. I come from a family of creative entrepreneurs, so I was the first one to go into a science-based field. When I got to the University of Manitoba, I discovered the geology building and thought this was the most amazing place ever. It was everything I enjoyed in science, plus it was outdoors, giving me an opportunity to connect with nature again. People always thought it was funny that I never became a landscape artist because of my combined love for art and geology.”

Her Earth Science degree led to a research position that involved extensive travel, deepening her connection to the world's landscapes. Then, like many, the COVID-19 pandemic prompted her to reassess her priorities.

“I decided I wasn’t getting enough time with my art and art practice and wanted to move into a position where I could also work on my art. I got a job in science publishing, where I’m still in the science field and adjacent to research, but in a bit more creative space where I still have time for my art. I basically have two full-time jobs now.”

Shabaga's nature-inspired art reflects her whole life: a creative household – “I just assumed growing up as a kid that everyone had a full closet of arts and crafts supplies!” – an Earth Sciences degree, a career in science, and now a practice split between science publishing and art. From those two worlds emerged her signature medium, collage.

“I got into collaging because it’s a diverse medium that demands so many layers (pun intended) that can’t be painted or photographed. Plus, with my background and caring about climate change advocacy, I thought, how can I make my art more sustainable?”

She began working with recycled materials and rice paper, which evolved into mixed-media pieces combining printmaking, painting, and collage techniques.

“It kind of just evolved very naturally and organically and has taken over my art practice.”

One theme that incorporated itself into her residency at the Park was birds, a pandemic hobby that grew into a meaningful body of work and a way to connect with her community.

“It was so quiet during the pandemic, when I started noticing the birds. I then showcased bird art pieces in other shows, and people would come up to me and share deeply personal stories about a type of bird or commission me to create a bird piece because it reminded them of a specific memory. They hit the spot for so many people, and now I have a soft spot in my heart for them, too.”

In keeping with her conservation advocacy, each bird piece in her exhibit includes a QR code linking to information about sightings at the Park.

One piece in the display, In The Reeds, was inspired by a quiet moment in the Indigenous Peoples Garden's Water Node.

“My piece In The Reeds was inspired by my first visit during my residency when I was in the garden watching some of the red-wing Blackbirds fly around and land on the reeds - it was so cool because I had never seen a red-wing blackbird in person before. I sat there for awhile on the little pebble bank and just soaked it in. No one was around, it was so quiet and serene and felt really special to experience. That garden reminds me of my childhood, growing up in the wildflowers where it’s more of a wild space.”

In the Reeds, Brandi Shabaga

For Shabaga, choosing Assiniboine Park and The Leaf as the setting for her residency was an easy decision.

“Being an artist was never a choice; it’s just who I am. It’s my calling in life. Creating art is my meditation, my escape, and my way of putting joy back into the world, and the Park is also that kind of escape for many people. The world is a crazy place that’s only gotten crazier. My exhibit is meant to be a little bit of an escape, too, where someone can see the bright colours and nature and think, “Yes, it’s the feeling of spring and of hope.” I want all my art to kind of, you know, bring a little bit of joy and happiness to people's lives because I just feel like this is the best way that I can put some good out into the world.”

Shabaga has not only created a collective exhale of peace and joy within her display in the Community Gallery, but she is also teaching others how to create their own pieces at The Leaf. She is hosting The Art of Collage and Printmaking workshop on May 23 at the Tannis M. Richardson Indoor Classroom.

"I got a lot of questions about my pieces, like, how do I create the backgrounds, what parts are paint, which are paper, what materials do I use to print and collage? So, we're going to spend a morning going through some of that and doing some printmaking and collage, using some of the material from The Leaf to make some of the impressions for the printmaking component. Everyone get to take home a little piece of The Leaf, which is, I think, really kind of special about the workshop. We will also take a trip inside The Leaf’s biomes to draw inspiration. It’s going to be a great time for people getting to try something new and different and expressing their creativity.”

Here's how to experience Biomes and connect with Brandi Shabaga this spring:

• Biomes: A Celebration of Biodiversity by Brandi Shabaga is on now at the Pavilion’s Community Gallery until May 24. Open every day for free from 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
• Brandi is hosting artist hours during the exhibition to draw and talk to visitors about her work. She will be at the Community Gallery from 10:00 am – 1:00 pm on April 18, May 2, and May 16.
• Brandi’s The Art of Collage and Printmaking workshop is on sale with limited spots available on Saturday, May 23, from 10:00 am – 12:30 pm. Visit our event page for more information.