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Megan Folden

O’Grady Breaks Deeper into Western Canadian Markets with Local Clothing Designs

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Saskatchewan clothing designer and textile artist Kathleen O’Grady’s work is heavily influenced by travels to places like Greece, Japan, Africa, and India. Still, travel isn’t just part of how Kathleen thinks about design, but also business. Using Creative Saskatchewan’s Market Travel Grant, O’Grady spent part of last fall travelling to Edmonton, Calgary, and Vancouver to showcase and sell her work, an experience that she says had a significant positive impact on her bottom line.

“It allowed me to strengthen my market presence in those cities, to recruit new customers to my email list, and to significantly grow my revenues for the current year.”

With support from Creative Saskatchewan, which helped foot the bill for travel and promotional materials like posters and business cards, O’Grady cleared high above her revenue targets for the three events: the Circle Craft Christmas Market (Vancouver), Art Market Art & Craft Sale (Calgary), and Butterdome Craft Sale (Edmonton). One key takeaway O’Grady has from this tri-city experience is the clarification she saw in which garments not only resonate with customers but also are worth investing more into from a financial perspective. It’s data that she keeps close tabs on using tracking software and spreadsheets.

“What I see with going back and looking at numbers is what styles and sizes sold, but also where my time, energy and money is best spent. Rhetorically, do I want to continue with this particular garment for the capacity that I have as a single artist in my business?”

Kathleen was very intentional in selecting the markets she attended. Her products are primarily marketed in Saskatchewan and Alberta, but travelling to BC allowed her to step into a new market which, like Edmonton and Calgary, has a strong customer base. According to O’Grady, going to markets like these gives her clarity about her typical customer, or ideal client. Things like sizing preferences between different markets, as well as the styles that do well there, are all things O’Grady says are difficult to learn in the same way without an on-the-ground presence.

From Kathleen’s perspective, another advantage of doing these market shows is the interplay between her in-person sales and her digital storefront.

“I think the website is really important because I do an online business as well.” From the three shows, O’Grady was able to add dozens of new subscribers to her email list. “One of the beauties of doing a market show is that there’s follow up from people at the show who go to the website and then place an order.”

Participating in these markets allowed O’Grady’s business to pass a significant milestone, reaching profitability over the entire year for the first time after a two-year stretch that was rough on the independent clothing market due to the limitations bestowed by the pandemic.

“Creative Saskatchewan’s support has been so helpful in giving me the opportunity to reach new markets for my designs and to strengthen the sustainability of my business.”

By John Loeppky

To take a closer look at O’Grady’s clothing designs you can go to her website at kathleenogradydesign.com or peruse her Facebook or Instagram pages.

Saskatchewan Duo Bring South African and Canadian Artists’ Work Together with New Business

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Brendan Copestake and Jillian Ross didn’t initially plan to open a business in Canada. The pair, who met overseas and originally settled in South Africa, were originally meant to come to Canada for an artist residency. Due to COVID-19, they came a few months earlier than intended and decided to stay in Ross’ home province. Now, they’ve started a business called Jillian Ross Print (JRP), continuing their careers focused on collaborative printmaking that have seen them partner with world renowned South African artist William Kentridge. To build their business, they applied to Creative Saskatchewan’s Market and Export Development Grant in order to get them started on the right foot.

Copestake says that the funding was key to sustaining the relationship between Jillian Ross Print and their collaborators overseas.

“Starting a new business, there are always cashflow concerns and the Creative Saskatchewan funding gave us access to some finances that allowed us to travel… to South Africa and to work with long-time collaborator Kentridge in his studio and the David Krut Workshop for a period of two months, and produce a significant body of prints.”

While Kentridge is well represented in places like Europe, Australia, and Hong Kong, Copestake says that Jillian Ross Print was and is well positioned to take that role in Canada.

Jillian Ross Print - Creative Saskatchewan
Collaborative team of William Kentridge, David Krut Workshop and Jillian Ross Print looking at a newly pulled print at the David Krut Workshop in Johannesburg, South Africa. Left to Right : Publisher – Brendan Copestake, Artist – William Kentridge, Publisher – David Krut, Collaborative Master Printer – Jillian Ross, Printers – Roxy Kaczmarek and Kim-Lee Loggenberg.

“William doesn’t have representation in Canada itself, there isn’t a specific gallery that works on his behalf in the Canadian market. And so with the close relationship to the Kentridge studio (Jillian and William have been making prints together since 2006), and in depth knowledge of Kentridge’s prints specifically, we are able to present ourselves experts on William’s prints.” If you would like a link to the specific body of prints that were made whilst in SA link to Studio Life Gravures on their website here.

However, their business aspirations don’t end there. They’re in the process of partnering with other Canadian artists like Wally Dion and Russna Kaur. For Copestake, having a collaborative print studio —and being one of the few studios doing this sort of work—is about filling a gap between artists and the broader market.

“So in those instances, an artist like Russna Kaur, who’s a painter and whose paintings will translate very well into print, would approach Jill (the master printer of JRP) or Jill would approach her and say, ‘Let’s work together and develop a body of prints in my studio.’ And so that person would be invited into the studio and they would work together over a period of weeks to produce hand-printed editioned artworks available to a growing network of collectors.” This collaborative work allows artists to excel in a new medium as they don’t have to learn all technical aspects of printing but rather focus on the creativity of the visual presentation.

With so many things on the go, amidst a very expensive move across the world, Copestake says it was funding like that of Creative Saskatchewan that allowed Jillian Ross Print to get off the ground in a more calm way while also being promoted to new audiences and customers.

“That removes a lot of pressure from the project. Because you’re not spending all your time being ultra careful about what you’re spending. You can actually go out and do what is needed for the project.”

As the company grows, its owners are weighing what it might look like to hire assistants, to find different spaces where they can create work, and to enter into a new stage of business development. Still, Copestake says that their next move will largely revolve around what resources are available as they, like many artists, look to expand into newer opportunities that are even more collaborative.

“I think, especially in a place like Saskatchewan, where you are so isolated because of winter, that you need that kind of opportunity to socialize and interact with your community.”

By John Loeppky

If you’re looking to find out more about Jillian Ross Print, their products, or their past, present, and future collaborations, you can do so via their website. You can also follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

Saskatchewan Queer Theatre Company Making International Impact

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The isolation created by COVID-19, especially in the early days, was a challenging environment for artists. Some cancelled tours, some holed themselves away to make albums, and some—like Saskatchewan’s own S.E. Grummett (they/them) —spent their days reworking a theatre show while stuck in Australia. A show, that thanks to Creative Saskatchewan’s grants, was able to be produced at the prestigious Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

Scantily Glad Theatre - Creative Saskatchewan
Grumms

Grummett, known as Grumms, is the head of queer theatre company Scantily Glad Theatre. The show they were working on, called Something in the Water, began its life as part of an artist residency in Washington state before premiering at the 2019 Saskatoon Fringe. It’s a show, rooted in Grumms’ own lived experience, that has an ear-catching elevator pitch.

“It’s a show that’s inspired by my coming out as transgender, told through me turning into a giant squid monster with tentacle penises.”

That squid monster, Grumms says, is an opportunity for the audience to settle into an experience where they can chuckle at the absurdity of society’s expectations when it comes to gender binaries and expectations.

“We can all laugh at how ridiculous it is that my squid monster has to disguise itself as a masculine man, or put on a dress in high heels to try and get into the women’s bathroom. And I wanted to make something that was empowering and funny and accessible for everybody, and especially for queerdo weirdos in my audience.”

Travelling to Winnipeg or Regina, where the show toured in the runup to the Edinburgh festival, is one thing, but travelling across the world to the Edinburgh Fringe – the largest arts festival in the world – is another thing entirely. Grumms says that the funding provided by Creative Saskatchewan was foundational to the tour’s success.

“Sometimes when I would get overwhelmed during the beast that is Edinburgh, I would think back to the Regina shows and how sweet and wonderful they were. So the Tour Support grant helped us do that as well as paid for some of our travel expenses to get to Edinburgh.”

Scantily Glad Theatre - Creative Saskatchewan - Production
Production Still: Something in the Water

But that wasn’t the only funding Scantily Glad received. A Live Performing Arts Production grant allowed for more live video work to be integrated into the show, among some other changes, and the Market Export and Development grant allowed the company to hire a publicist, something that isn’t as needed on the Canadian fringe circuit according to Grumms, but is vital once you get to the UK.

“Artists were having a lot of trouble getting reviews, but thankfully, because we had a publicist, we got a lot of media coverage.”

Because audiences are spoiled for choice with over 4,000 different shows at the festival, the fact that Grumms and their team were able to sell-out close to 50% of their season is a tremendous accomplishment. Their time at the festival also meant that they could build a relationship with their venue, a relationship that looks to be paying off with future opportunities, as the company returns to Summerhall for this year’s Edinburgh Fringe season with their new show, Creepy Boys.

Scantily Glad Theatre - Creative Saskatchewan - Tour Support
Production Still: Something in the Water

However, Something in the Water doesn’t just have a life as an adult-only show. Since that premiere in 2019, the show has also found another life with an adapted version for kids. That adapting process was supported by three local artists and is an endeavour that Grumms and their collaborators feel is vital for Saskatchewan kids to engage with.

“I do a lot of outreach when I tour to queer organizations in a city. And I would get back, ‘Oh, amazing, we have this youth group that’s like 10 to 17 that would love to come!’ And then I would have to turn them away because of the adult-content. So I was seeing such a need for queer youth programming specifically for, preteens and teens.”

Grumms also sees parallels between the discussions about transition, identity, and societal binaries present in their show and the general feeling of being young and trying to figure out their identity.

“I wanted to adapt this to a kid’s version because I think that the spirit of the show, and the puppets and the visuals and the story, all really translate to that sort of [feeling of] being 10 and being just excited and frightened by your changing body.”

As Grumms as their team build out more work, they’re seeing their hard work pay dividends and allowing for more ease in production.

“As a company, going to these bigger festivals means that we can stop touring and producing ourselves and being on the fringe…, and not have to scrape and claw as indie fringe artists all the time.”

By John Loeppky

Scantily Glad Theatre - Creative Saskatchewan - Something in the Water
Production Still: Something in the Water

If you’d like to find out more information about Grumms and Scantily Glad Theatre, including booking them for a performance opportunity, you can do so via their website.

Saskatchewan TV Series Featuring Blind Adventurer Ron Walsh Premiers Second Season in Saskatoon

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
June 28, 2023

Saskatchewan TV Series Featuring Blind Adventurer Ron Walsh Premiers Second Season in Saskatoon

Thomega Entertainment Inc. proudly announces the second season of Blind Adventures With Ron Walsh and Friends, filmed all over Saskatchewan. The first episode premieres on July 17, 2023 on AMI-tv and WPBS at 6pm Saskatchewan time. A private screening event takes place today in Saskatoon.

The series stars Ron Walsh, a blind adventurer who aims to inspire not only other blind and visually impaired people, but also sighted people to push past their comfort zones and explore the wonders of our province, and the world. The show also features Ashlyn George, also known as the “Lost Girls Guide”. In 2015 George was Saskatchewan’s official travel blogger and online personality. From hikes, sailing, camping, and skiing, there’s no challenge that these adventurers won’t tackle.

“This series is a testament to our industry’s exciting growth, as well as to the amazing skills of our Saskatchewan crew and talent, working in some of the most vast and expansive locations the province has to offer!” says Anthony Towstego, Executive Producer with Thomega Entertainment Inc. “This series is a homegrown Sask adventure from start to finish.”

The show was made possible thanks to funding from Creative Saskatchewan’s Feature Film and Television Production Grant. “We support productions that demonstrate a solid return on our investment for the province,” says Erin Dean, CEO of Creative Saskatchewan, “this show is anticipated to result in over $1 million positive economic outputs for Saskatchewan. Not only is this show inspiring to watch, but it’s providing lots of economic activity and jobs.”

Blind Adventures With Ron Walsh and Friends - Thomega Entertainment - Ron Walsh - Creative Saskatchewan
Pictured: Ron Walsh competing in the Don Allen Saskaloppet in La Ronge. Photo courtesy of Ashlyn George, The Lost Girl’s Guide.

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Thomega Entertainment Inc. Film and Television Division is an award winning Film and Television production company since 1988. It is an integrated entertainment company actively involved in the development and production of film and television projects, documentaries, television and web series. The company has built lasting relationships with sales agents, broadcasters and distributors in Canada and around the world.

Creative Saskatchewan is the economic development agency for Saskatchewan’s creative industries and the official film commission for the province. The agency’s investments propel creative entrepreneurs as they create, perform, innovate, and export in their pursuit of commercial success.

For more information, contact:

Sara Eyre
Thomega Entertainment Inc.
Saskatoon
Email: saraeyre.thomega@gmail.com
Cell: (306) 250-0334

Megan Jane
Creative Saskatchewan
Regina
Office: (306) 798-2191
Cell: (306) 529-7377
Email: megan.jane@creativesask.ca

Collaborative Team Bring Indigenous Story to Life

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Alberta-Rose Bear didn’t expect to find herself as a co-author of a children’s book. That project, Nimosôm Anima–Nimihšōmihš Ta-Minciwēnciman: Grandfather’s Reminder, was a recipient of Creative Saskatchewan’s Book Publishing Grant. Published by Your Nickel’s Worth Publishing, and illustrated by Lindsey Bear, the book has gone on to win numerous awards, including being nominated for three (and won two) Saskatchewan book awards, winning the Children’s Picture Book (#OwnVoices category of the Next Generation Indie Book Awards), and being a finalist in the “Children’s Educational Picture Book (6 years and up)” category.
Alberta-Rose says that what became a project focused on sustaining storytelling traditions, for her, began with a simple invitation.
Nimosôm Anima--Nimihšōmihš Ta-Minciwēnciman: Grandfather's Reminder - Creative Saskatchewan
From left to right: Lindsay Bear, Alberta Bear, and Kathleen O’Reilly
“I was approached by Dr. Andrew Miller and Dr. Kathleen O’Reilly, to go and be a part of an Elders meeting. And, you know, how could I not spend my Saturdays with a bunch of Elders. So I did…and I thought it would be fun to go listen in and hear their stories. And so I did. And then just one thing led to another and then we were creating a children’s story.
Dr. Kathleen O’Reilly, a professor at First Nations University of Canada, says that the book had a long trajectory inspired by an earlier project led by Dr. Andrew Miller, which led to a published compilation of Elder stories. Based on these stories, Elders, Knowledge Keepers and community members from Touchwood Hills Tribal Agency asked that they create educational materials, and in particular, a children’s book.
O’Reilly, who teaches in FNU’s education program, is quick to point out that the book is certainly a testament to community and collaboration rather than a solo endeavour.
“It’s a cast of 1000s, who created this. First and foremost, it came from Elders and the community of Touchwood Agency Tribal Council.”
The book is a fictionalised account of berry picking, an activity that appeared often in the community discussions with O’Reilly and her collaborators. The text is in three languages: Cree, Saulteaux, and English, a reflection of the languages spoken in the area the book is representing. All the proceeds from the book are being allocated to Touchwood Agency Tribal Council—which includes Day Star, George Gordon, Kawacatoose, and Muskowekwan First Nations—and their collective education fund.
The book went through many drafts, with translators from the community to ensure its accuracy. O’Reilly says that it was this commitment to the knowledge held by Elders that played a big part in making the project successful.
“I remember, the first couple of times, they said, well add more about the respect aspect… So then we went back to the drawing board, and then we brought it back. So it was very much done in conjunction with them. It was a cooperative effort with a capital C.”
Bear, a teacher, who calls Creative Saskatchewan “a godsend,” says it’s important for people to realize that projects like this are vital in maintaining storytelling traditions and ensuring that not just the languages–both spoken and written–survive, but that so do the stories themselves in a form that young kids can find easier to digest.
“The storytelling that the Elders were doing originally would not pique the interest of the kids as much as they would with a children’s book. There’s pictures, there’s animation, but for an Elder to sit down in front of the classroom or anything, [the students] kind of get lost…I think what the elders are wanting is just kind of having that. Getting back to that root, you know, getting back to that, being able to tell stories.”
The team behind Grandfather’s Reminder are all hopeful that the model they’ve used—partnering with a publisher, Elders, and a community organization or council—can help other Indigenous communities follow their lead.
By John Loeppky
Copies of Nimosôm Anima–Nimihšōmihš Ta-Minciwēnciman: Grandfather’s Reminder are available from a number of retailers, including local bookstores such as McNally Robinson or The Penny University Bookstore.

Saskatchewan Entrepreneur Uses Creativity & Technology to Aid Paramedics

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A unique offering by Saskatchewan entrepreneur Chad Martinson and his company 10-8 Continuing Medical Education aims to help paramedics train virtually to better prepare them for the realities of the job. The product, ParamediSIM, is a piece of software that presents the user with randomised virtual patient scenarios meant to mimic real-world cases. But the path from concept to creation is a long and winding road. In Martinson’s case, a Creative Saskatchewan Market Travel Grant, allowed him to attend the 2022 World EMS Expo in Orlando, Florida.

The trip, alongside his partner Andrea Demaere, allowed Martinson facetime with anyone and everyone who has influence in his target market: those training current and future paramedics. The software’s main selling point is that it is more accessible (and less costly) than more typical training tools like tech-infused mannequins, allowing educators and students to practice their skills from home.

As part of the five-day event, Martinson was able to identify the need for the software to integrate an additional type of monitor used by many industry professionals. He says this led to additional commercial interest that wouldn’t have been possible had he not been able to go to the expo.

“Approximately half of our booth’s attendees use the Zoll X Series monitor at their place of employment and expressed a need to train using the same patient monitor. Since we were already at the conference, I was able to speak face to face with the representatives from Zoll….Zoll was very interested in having their patient monitor featured as an option in ParamediSIM and agreed to mail me a demo model…. If we had not attended this expo, I would never have learned of the need for an additional patient monitor within ParamediSIM and I would certainly never have had the opportunity to speak directly with the appropriate Zoll representatives regarding my needs.”

While at the conference, Martinson was able to reach a deal to provide his software to an American fire department that will use the tool to train more than 100 firefighter-paramedics. There are also plans in the works to have the Saskatchewan Polytechnic paramedic program trial the software.

Martinson’s trip to the World EMS Expo also came with some hardware. ParamediSIM earned an EMS World Innovation award, with one judge likening it’s aesthetic to that of an MTV-esque music video. The project is now in early access, with interested customers able to purchase the software—which runs on both Windows and Mac— for $70 Canadian.

The conversations had at the Expo seem to be paying off, with Martinson hopeful that he can attend in 2023 to solidify and expand on hard-earned relationships.

“We interacted with paramedics, administrators, and EMS educators from around the world and developed contacts at several colleges and universities in the United States and South America that provide paramedic education. The individuals representing these institutions were very interested in ParamediSIM and we are continuing to communicate with them with the intent of integrating our software into their paramedic student curriculum.”

While creativity and paramedic education may not seem synonymous, it’s clear that ParamediSim is bridging that gap, allowing technological innovation, artistry, medical education, and lifesaving care to be combined.

By John Loeppky

You can purchase the tool, access a free trial, or choose to follow the company’s socials on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

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