Art Guilds summer exhibition on display at cultural centre this month

There is plenty of local art currently on display at the Moose Jaw Cultural Centre.
On Saturday, the Moose Jaw Art Guild launched its summer show at the cultural centre, displaying works of the organization's 35 members until the end of August.
Guild past-president Jerry Kaiser told the Times-Herald the local organization puts on two shows each year in an effort to show off work, as well as inspire other Moose Javians to take up art and join the guild.
Kaiser's sculpture, displayed at the centre, depicts Prime Minister Stephen Harper playing a cello with a small child.
The child is screaming and Harper has goat feet. The local artist said his work speaks of Harper's attempts to appease the Canadian artist community after imposing cutbacks recently.
Nearby, Sherry Wray's painting, Water Maidens, depicts a woman walking out of water with a dragon at her side. Wray said the painting is meant to show women as strong and beautiful.
"It's something I had in my mind."
She said the dragon is a powerful symbol. The inspiration for the woman in her picture came from herself, her daughter and other female members of her family.
Kaiser said much of the art at the show isn't for sale. However, there are some pieces available for purchase.
For example, Jean Bell's sculpture, Open Moment, is priced at $450. The work depicts a woman's face, with several other faces flowing down from her breast.
"She's in a transcendent moment, where she's at peace with everything and she's holding all those who passed through her life," Bell said. She made much of the sculpture though a process called needle felting. She also designed the faces with her personal air-dry clay recipe.
Bell said she started producing art about eight years ago but this is the first year she has put her art out for public display.

Carter Haydu can be reached at 691-1265.