With a population of less than 300,000 residents, Regina has produced a disproportionately large number of artists and artistic currents relative to its size—including three modern art movements of national significance. The birthplace of the Regina Five and Regina Clay, and home to some of the most important Indigenous artists working in Canada today, Saskatchewan’s capital has long been a vital site for creative innovation. Regina Art & Artists: An Illustrated History is the first comprehensive look at the city’s art history.
Situated on prairie grassland, Regina and its surrounding areas have been inhabited by First Nations for more than 11,000 years. Many of the city’s earliest residents created art about their homesteading experiences—and many more were inspired by their windswept surroundings: the flatness of the plains, the dense northern boreal forests, and the rushing Qu’Appelle River. Since the city’s founding in 1882, Regina’s artists have borne witness to history in the making, creating portraits of significant political and cultural figures, recording urban development, and documenting pivotal events, such as the infamous trial of Métis leader Louis Riel.
“Since Regina’s early days, artists have been fascinated by the Saskatchewan landscape, whether it was the flat plains, the Qu’Appelle Valley, or the northern boreal forest. The traits that allowed the city to develop its art and culture have persisted, progress invariably marked by optimism, resilience, and community spirit.”Philip Dombowsky
Through his groundbreaking research, author Philip Dombowsky highlights the key artists, institutions, and community builders who have contributed to Regina’s storied art historical legacy. He reveals how the city overcame many obstacles—environmental, economic, and political—to establish a vibrant ecosystem for the arts. Centring the major contributions of women artists, as well as educators, collectors, and other visionaries, Regina Art & Artists champions their commitment to making art accessible, and their passion to connect the city to the wider currents of Canadian art and culture.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Philip Dombowsky is an art historian and archivist, formerly with the National Gallery of Canada (NGC), where he specialized in private collections and visual resources. He holds an MA in art history from Concordia University and a Master of Library and Information Studies from McGill University. He is a regular contributor to the NGC’s online magazine and the author of Walter S. Allward: Life & Work (Art Canada Institute, 2021) and Index to the National Gallery of Canada’s Exhibition Catalogues and Checklists 1880–1930 (National Gallery of Canada, 2007), which won the Melva J. Dwyer Award of the Art Libraries Society of North America (ARLIS/NA) in 2008.
