RAI Reception Familiar Congeries

Join us in the Artesian Lounge for a free reception for the latest Regina Artistic Initiative installation. This event happens at the same time as the Richard Inman concert on Nov. 1st, and admission to the lounge for the evening is free of charge. 

About the work...

Familial(r) Congeries –

Artworks by Nikki Jacquin (Nee: Sacchetti)

Familial(r) Congeries is a collection of 2 dimensional artworks in graphite, watercolour, acrylic mixed media and oil, recalling memories of the familiar for the artist. Her children and the children of friends feature prominently. Themes of gardening and hiking trails also reoccur throughout her 23 years as a full-time visual artist.

These familiar subjects; family, gardening, camping and hiking overlap in many ways. Gardening was often a family activity undertaken to sustain her young family of four and was a means to connect through shared work. Camping and hiking were family activities from the time Nikki's children were 8 months of age. They camped from early May right into Sept. for much of their summer as Jacquin would paint commissioned portraits wherever they were. These times spent “unplugged” hiking and telling stories around the bonfire figure prominently in family memories. Although her four children are grown now Nikki has a few more children (married into the family) and 2 grandsons who are beginning to make appearances in her paintings. Favourite campgrounds and provincial parks are still visited in family trips! The west block of the Cypress Hills with it's lack of services and wild beauty remains a family favourite.

Each of these themes have been visited and revisited many times impacting the artist's work. As instructing art classes began to feature more regularly in the artist's practice, exploration into new methods and media were explored using these repeated themes as subject matter. Often times these new methods and mediums would eventually impact and influence her commissioned portrait work imbuing them with new energy and excitement.

After the children had grown, Nikki spent as much as 6 weeks per year; in each of 3 separate years as a Guest Artist in Residence in Cypress Hills. This was a paid position made possible through the Sask. Arts Board's Art in the Park Program. She also participates each year in the Moose Mountain Artists' Colony. Jacquin has led 2 group painting excursion to France, 2 to Cuba and 2 to her beloved Cypress Hills; Sask. She continues these treks and teaches for the Neil Balkwill Civic Arts Center, Life Drawing for 2nd year U of S Medical Students and on occasion for the Art Gallery of Regina. In 2018 she was pleased to be awarded the YWCA Jacqui Schumiatcher Woman of Distinction Award in the Arts.

Art Displayed from October 17th to November 12th 
Reception is November 1st 630-930pm @ Artesian 2627 13th Ave