At our Local Artist Showcase on November 1st, we’ll be welcoming TWO guest speakers to talk about heritage and art: Jordan Van Sewell and Jen Arnold! Here’s a bit more info on these talented artists, as well as a few examples of their work.

Jordan Van Sewell

Jordan’s five decades of clay mastery is clearly evident. “Where does he get his ideas?” “What could he possibly be thinking?” – these are popular questions, as is the emphatic statement, “I really like his stuff!” Jordan is just fine with all of these comments.

Known for his hilarious, droll and thought-provoking sculptures that explore and translate the world – as he sees it, his ideas seem to come from a magical other world. His cast of characters present insights and well, truths, into and about this crazy complex world – in a refreshing scamp-like way. Gone is the innocent cartoon.

Jordan spent time on the board of the Winnipeg Art Gallery, as Chair of the Works of Art Committee. He served on the Manitoba Craft Council as Executive Director. He held the position of President of the Board of Directors of Heritage Winnipeg. Through the Artist in the School Program, he visited rural and northern communities, teaching the wonders of clay.

Jordan Van Sewell’s ceramic sculptures can be found in a multitude of public and private collections, as well as at Buckingham Palace. The Canoes, a 2017 commission, of this expressive Canadian artist, and master craftsman can be seen in The Common, on the main floor of The Forks Market.

Jen Arnold

From creating jewelry in grade school to crafting miniatures in her 40s, Jen has always had a passion for art. Outside of miniatures, she works as a social worker in community mental health, but creating sentimental minis for customers is her true form of self-care. Jen’s journey into making miniatures began one Christmas when she was unsure of what to give her mom, so she recreated her mother’s childhood home. After posting her work on social media, Jen found a growing audience and has since been commissioned to create over 100 miniatures, including homes, storefronts, cottages, and more.

Jen’s work has been featured by CBC television news, CBC radio, Global television, CTV, the Winnipeg Free Press, the Lac Du Bonnet Clipper, and Canstar community news. One of her proudest moments was competing on Season 3 of CBC’s Best in Miniature, filmed over five weeks in Toronto. There, she made a ‘dollhouse’ which was out of her comfort zone as it was HUGE compared to her usual scale, which she calls “Jen scale.”

Jen was also commissioned to create a miniature of Winnipeg City Hall, requested by former mayor Brian Bowman. Currently, she has a waitlist that extends approximately five years!

Visit the event page to learn more about our Local Artist Showcase. We hope to see you there!