Creativity taking root: Meet Yorath House’s new artist in residence
June 11, 2026
In early 2026, the Edmonton Arts Council released a call to artists for the Yorath House Studio Residency, in partnership with the City of Edmonton. The residency provides the space to create in the heart of the river valley over a period of six months. For this iteration of the residency, we’re excited to share that Eunna Oh has been selected to take up residence at Yorath House until October 2026.
Originally from Tongyoung, South Korea, Eunna immigrated to Canada in 2011 and now calls Edmonton home. Her artistic practice explores the intersection of painting, photography, fibre art, and installation, integrating tufted elements and natural materials such as sand, sawdust, dried tea leaves, and yarn. Her artistic journey is deeply rooted in a profound reverence for both humanity and the natural world, creating forest landscape artworks as a way to understand and communicate the essential balance between humanity and nature, along with the value of sustainable coexistence in an age of ecological crisis.
“I was initially drawn to the Yorath House Residency because of its absolutely breathtaking location within Buena Vista Park, right at the heart of Edmonton’s North Saskatchewan River Valley,” says Eunna. “To me, this is so much more than just a beautiful natural view. The river valley is a vibrant, living space where forests, wildlife, waterways, and human communities all coexist. It allows me to observe the immediate relationship between nature and city life every single day.”
Eunna’s artistic practice explores the forest not as a passive backdrop, but a living entity that breathes, grows, remembers, and shares its destiny with us. Yorath House will provide her with the opportunity to fully immerse herself in the environment, making it a natural part of her daily life.
“This residency also comes at a pivotal milestone in my journey,” states Eunna. “I’m currently expanding my practice beyond traditional two-dimensional painting. I’ve been experimenting with fibre art, stitching, tufting, and spatial installations to create more immersive, multi-sensory experiences.”
“During this exciting period of transition, Yorath House is the perfect sanctuary to deepen my observations. What makes it truly special is that observing and creating become one seamless process: I can walk through the woods, take in the seasonal shifts in light and atmosphere, and step right back into the studio to respond through making. It feels incredibly inspiring and beautifully aligned with where my art is heading right now.”
Reflecting on her goals for the residency, Eunna says she is most excited for the time to develop a new body of work that explores the city’s river valley as a continuous living landscape. “The project is based on direct observations and photographic documentation of key forest sites along the river including Terwillegar, Buena Vista, Emily Murphy, Kinsmen, Capilano, Rundle, Hermitage, and the North East River Valley. While each location possesses its own distinct atmosphere and character, they are all interconnected parts of a larger ecological system. Rather than treating them as isolated destinations, I plan to weave these views together into a panoramic visual narrative of the river valley.”
In the studio, by translating familiar urban forests into tactile and immersive environments, Eunna hopes to invite viewers to see these places in new ways and to recognize the rich ecological relationships that connect communities, histories, and natural systems across the city. Ultimately, she wants audiences to rediscover their sense of belonging and reflect on the profound importance of coexistence between humans and the living natural world.
The Yorath House Artist Studio Residency began as a pilot program in 2020 as a partnership between the Edmonton Arts Council, the City of Edmonton, and the City Arts Centre, investing in artists working in a range of art forms and practices to foster experimentation and creative collaboration. You can learn more about Eunna and her residency by following Eunna on Instagram.
