DISCOVERING A TREASURE TROVE IN MANITOU BEACH
Eleven years ago, Michael Gaudet and Sharon Gibson founded the Spirit of Manitou Studio Trail, which led art aficionados on a tour of the region’s artists’ works. It was a resounding success: the couple saw 300 guests tour the little gallery they had created in their home, and “The Spirit” tour became an annual event.
The following year, the couple decided to permanently convert a room of their home into a summertime gallery, and G-G’S Gallery & Gifts was born.
The shop, celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, now teems with locally made gift items and artwork by Gaudet and Gibson.
“The store couldn’t be fuller right now,” says Gibson, who produces many of the items sold there. Using local resources, such as minerals from Little Manitou Lake and wild dandelions, she creates toiletries including, salves, masks and salt pucks that can turn ordinary bath water into a mineral soak.
Other locally made products, such as organic flax, Northern Saskatchewan wild rice, hand-knitted baby sweaters, jewelry and variegated Italian wool-blend socks are also available.
However, the main feature of the gallery is the artwork. Both Gaudet and Gibson are accomplished artists and sell not only the original works, but also reproductions in the form of art cards and fridge magnets.
Gibson’s works are stilllifes that are, says Gaudet, “vividly realistic. Her work is way more realistic than a photograph would ever be. It’s very, very high fidelity and very vivid colours.”
Gaudet creates a variety of works, such as landscapes and commissioned portraits. “His portraits are heirloom quality,” says Gibson, “They can be handed down from generation to generation.” He has also reproduced historic paintings of the Manitou Beach area and created fridge magnets, prints and
post cards.
But Gaudet is arguably more widely known for his murals. He recently created a 20-foot-tall by 80-foot-wide mural for the town of Young. Titled “Forever Young,” it is a historical overview of the area. One entire wall of Saskatoon’s Sacred Heart Church is also graced with a huge mural created by Gaudet, and, in 2017, he was commissioned by SGEU to create two large murals for the organization’s billboard advertising. The originals are now installed in SGEU’S headquarters in north Regina.
Gaudet is also a published author, having written two books about his struggles with kidney disease. The first book, called Dancing with Rejection: A Beginner’s Guide to Immortality, details his near-death experience and how he beat adversity following a kidney transplant from his brother. The second book, A Work in Progress: The Life my Brother Saved, details his evolving career as a mural painter and includes the story of the mural he created at Sacred Heart Church.
To visit G-G’S Gallery & Gifts at 309 Evenson Ave, Manitou Beach, follow the signs throughout the community.
To find out more about this remarkable, artistic couple and to view a photo gallery of their works, visit GG’S Gallery & Gifts’ Facebook page or visit mrgaudet.com.