‘Kind of a crazy idea:’ Indigenous artist wraps up 14 day quarantine at Wanuskewin

Curtis Peeteetuce put down his paint brush for 20 years, but is likely thankful he picked it up in 2020.

The artist is a member of the Beardy’s Okemasis Cree Nation, and it wasn’t until he painted a picture earlier this year that his creative side would venture back out.

“I painted a picture, and I thought, ‘Wow,’” he told 650 CKOM Monday.

“I’ve been doing things in quarantine, I’ve been learning technology, (audio interface), digitization, zoom meetings, going live, broadcasting and I thought, ‘You know, I’ve been learning all of this in quarantine and it is an extra art skill,’ so I pitched (an idea) to Wanuskewin.”

That idea led to a quarantine inside of a quarantine, as the artist likes to refer his journey.

He asked Wanuskewin if he could spend 14 days inside the facility, creating art and broadcasting it live through Zoom, YouTube and Facebook.

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“It was kind of a crazy idea, even hearing it and saying it myself right now is crazy,” he said.

Wanuskewin Heritage Park welcomed Peeteetuce on Dec. 7, 2020, where he stayed up until Monday.

He said it hasn’t all been perfect, however.

“It’s been a little bit rough,” he said. “I have been a travelling artist and going from hotel to hotel, town to town, sometimes, even if it’s a beautiful, awesome hotel, it’s just a new space and you will have trouble adapting and sleeping, in most cases.

“It’s a new place and space for me.”

Peeteetuce said he has been sleeping on a cot with a blanket and buffalo robes. He admitted that there have been some sleepless nights, but the experience has taught him a lot.

“I knew going into this project that I would come out a totally different artist. I’ve had so much time to reflect on who I am personally, and professionally as an artist,” he said.

“I come out of it with new skills, and I come out of this creating work for myself. I think as an artist, that’s the number one goal that we have.”

Peeteetuce was able to describe some of the differences between quarantining at home in his apartment, and on the land at Wanuskewin.

“These are two different worlds. The energy, the spaces, the places … these two environments have really nurtured me in ways that I can’t even explain,” he said.

“There’s a lot of energy here. There’s positive energy, I feel like it’s welcoming, I feel that it’s a safe place for me.”

Peeteetuce described his feeling at home as helpless, thinking about the world, his neighbourhood and those in his immediate circle. He said he sees the struggles and suffering.

At Wanuskewin, he said he feels removed from the city, more focused and living in a more “realistic” way.

“I’m able to focus on my projects, keep myself busy, but at the same time connect in a more realistic, personal way with people through Zoom visits,” he explains.

“I am looking forward to going home, but at the same time I’m going to miss this place.”

During his two weeks at Wanuskewin, Peeteetuce says he’s been able to create some unique work.

“I put a brush in my hand, I obtained one of the old school velvet paintings from a thrift shop in Saskatoon, and I added to it. I’m bringing those back to life,” he said. “I’m very thankful for that. At the same time, I’ve painted some other series, I’ve done some self-portraits … that has been really satisfying.”