I Am YEG Arts: Sharon Rose Kootenay & Jason Symington

If the two fit, collaborate? For Sharon Rose Kootenay and Jason Symington, it was never a conundrum. Outstanding artists in their own rights, this duo’s collaborative practice is a natural extension of their friendship and respect for one another’s creative practices. Centred on the extensive conversations they have about life, death, love, and art, their public artwork references both Kootenay’s traditional Métis-Cree teachings and Symington’s exploration of visual rhetoric and the zeitgeist.

Friends, artistic collaborators, and seekers at heart — this week’s ​“I Am YEG Arts” story belongs to Sharon Rose Kootenay and Jason Symington.

How did you first become involved in working with each other? And why do you think the partnership works?

J.S.: We met a few years ago in a photography class I was teaching. After class, Sharon and I would have long discussions about art, photography, and everything else. When we collaborate, we discuss the concept, design, feeling, audience, etc., and there is always a healthy back and forth. I think the success of our partnership stems from these chats. We both like to talk, but we are also excellent listeners, so it’s like the chats have never ended.

S.R.K.: As Jason mentioned, he was my photography instructor… but what he didn’t say was that I was utterly hopeless at it! Of course, the best part of the class was meeting Jason, so we remained very close friends and eventually began an artistic collaboration that brought our strengths into a cohesive and rewarding public-art practice. I think our partnership works because of our friendship — it’s built on the love and respect we have for each other. We are both seekers at heart, striving to communicate, to gain deeper understanding, and to speak as artists.

What themes are you drawn to in your work together? And how do they represent your sensibilities and strengths as storytellers?

S.R.K: I would say that the recurring themes in our work are those of redemption, compassion, and mysticism communicated in ways that are recognizable and only slightly beyond reach. There is a sense of otherworldliness that is expressed through our collaboration that reflects our discussions on spirituality, childhood memories, and land-based experiences.

Tell us about someone who’s mentored you or helped set you on your path.

J.S.: There are a few people I could mention here. But I think going back to the beginning of my art career is where I developed the most as an artist. A special thanks go out to Darci Mallon and Cherie Moses. In very different ways, these fantastic artists/​instructors directed me to become the artist I am and are still in my head, making me accountable for my work.

S.R.K.: My maternal grandmother, Flora Lambert, was instrumental in helping me to develop a sense of being, as both a young mother and a fine-craft artist. Flora was a talented, nurturing, and generous maker, spending her time creating gifts for those she loved. She set a wonderful example for me, encouraging me to make art and to stay true to our Métis heritage and family values.

What’s one piece of advice someone gave you growing up that turned out to be true. What’s one piece that didn’t hold up?

J.S.: Gary Neil Kennedy, in a one-on-one during my undergrad at NSCAD, told me I needed to understand my work from both sides: my side and the viewer’s side. It’s been the way I’ve looked at my work ever since. I can’t say that I remember a piece of advice that hasn’t held up. I mean, there has been advice that wasn’t good. You just hope you recognize it before it goes bad.

S.R.K: Years ago, I took a Myers-Briggs Indicator Personality Type Test. The results left me with only two occupational choices: librarian or artist. Luckily for me, I followed both these career paths and found a lot of satisfaction in each of them. Coincidentally, Myers-Briggs is based on Jungian psychology, which has remained compelling and continues to inform my artistic practice to this day. The only advice I recall that hasn’t held up was someone telling me that I needed to stop being interested in so many things!

Tell us a little about what you’re currently working on together or hoping to explore next.

We are currently working on a larger mobile public artwork that continues our exploration of representation, and the ​“other.”

Describe your perfect day in Edmonton. How do you spend it?

J.S.: It would be a day in late July or early August. Hot, but not crazy hot. I would casually kayak down the North Saskatchewan River with my family and friends. Seeing Edmonton from the North Saskatchewan River is something not many people do, and it is impressive.

S.R.K.: I would also be on the move — driving my car through the city with family or friends riding shotgun — down Groat Road, across Dawson Bridge, touring through old neighbourhoods and places of connection. Windows down and singing along to a vintage playlist!

What excites you most about the YEG arts scene right now?

J.S.: Potential. I think the YEG arts scene keeps getting more robust due to the potential of the artists working in and around Edmonton. It is also great to see the growing variety of mediums exhibited in the city, and kudos to the people making things happen here.

S.R.K.: I am quite excited by the new work being created by young Indigenous artists of all genres. As a senior artist and long-time Edmontonian, it’s been a wonderful thing to witness the evolution and presentation of Indigenous art forms, from the late 1970’s to the present day.

Want more YEG Arts Stories? We’ll be sharing them here all year and on social media using the hashtag #IamYegArts. Follow along! Click here to learn more about Sharon Rose Kootenay and here for more info about Jason Symington.

About Sharon Rose Kootenay & Jason Symington

As a Métis-Cree artist, Sharon is inspired by traditional Native women’s creative practices, her grandmother, Flora, and her sisters, as well as historical and contemporary artists. Sharon’s beadwork transcends boundaries and references traditional teachings, the Female Gaze, and the transmission of cultural lifeways. The designs Sharon creates speak to the spiritual realm, the current socio-political climate, and environmental issues. Her work demonstrates the authentic cultural perspective of constructing an open and honest dialogue with the viewer to foster a greater understanding and appreciation for all peoples.

Jason is a conceptual artist who uses visual rhetoric to engage his audience. He incorporates theory, concept, and various media to create his messaging. Theories of alienation, identity, sexuality, and the ​“other” play dominant roles in Jason’s work. The media vehicles (stills, motion, audio, etc.) delivering his messaging operate through the codes and conventions of the zeitgeist. The goal of Jason’s work is to interpolate his audience to gain greater insight into the ​“other.”

Sharon and Jason’s collaborative practice is an extension of their friendship and respect for each other’s creative practice. The collaborations centre on the extensive conversations the duo has about life, death, love, and art.