Saskatchewan Brands

From Greg...
This symbol is a family generational cattle brand.  It first started as a backward 'D' when my grandfather first joined the PFRA community pasture system.  He was the fourth patron to sign on to the system and was given the brand of the backward 'D'.  This was a way to identify each patron's cattle.

In the early 1970's cattle producers were allowed to register their brands.  My father decided to add the 'J' because my mother's name was Doris and his name was Joe.  As a cattle producer myself I have kept the family brand.

From Terry Lynn...

The open A L has been in our family for three generations.  Ranchers used branding to identify their livestock and help prevent theft and loss.  The rancher was very proud of their brand, they had it painted on buildings on the ranch and often used it to identify various livestock they owned.

We have had this Symbol in our family for a long time and every time I see it I think of family who are no longer with us and of course those that are here at present.

New Growth- La Ronge

Hey Heather,

I'd like to submit this photo - we took it this year on a camping trip near LaRonge.

Our son turned one in 2012 -- to me this is the symbolic of the growth of our province. 

New people coming in who will be our future. 

Thanks for doing this cool project. 

Nichole 

Carmichael Outreach mural by artist Ron Ewenin

Hi Heather

Please find a photo attached for you project. This is friend and local artist Ron Ewenin standing in front of the mural he painted at Carmichael Outreach this summer.  We live in a city with a deep divide between Aboriginal and non-aboriginal people. While this can be discouraging, it is changing quickly. We are on the early edge of history when it comes to how our people relate.

Thanks and good luck.

-Shawn

Harvest in Saskatchewan

Thanks Karen!

My picture reasons

The reason I chose to draw four pictures is because in Saskatchewan there is too much to draw then settle for one picture.  I put a picture of a person reading because I have to admit I love to read.  I sometimes spend hours reading a book to get to the next series or to get to the next book in the series.  In my opinion, books aren't just pages with words on them, they are adventures.

The reason I put a person standing on hills is because I like to go exploring through Saskatchewan and it beautiful landscape and hike through the bushes and climb the trees.  There is this place I know of near out cabin and we would have to get there by snowmobiles and while the parents would roast hotdogs the kids would hike to the top of a snow covered treeless hill and when we got to the top we would relax for a few minutes and overlook the lake and then when we were finished we would roll down the hill.

The reason why I put a person diving into the lake is because my parents used to call me a fish because I could spend hours a day swimming in the lake and in pools but the only thing bad about this is you would get wrinkled hands and when my parents would come to take me home at like 10:00 I would be so use to swimming that I won't want to leave.  I don't think I will stop swimming even if I am old and gray.

I put a picture of a tent by a campfire because I have done a lot of camping over the past three years and I really have loved every single little moment of it.  I have done quite a few types of camping like I camped in a trailer or just slept in sleeping bags under the sky filled with stars.  But I really like the times I sleep in the tent with my whole family.

Ryan St. Joan of Arc Grade 7

Thanks to MLA Paul Merriman for submitting this special symbol

Paul Merriman has this artwork in his office at the Legislative Building.  It is very special to Paul because it was created by his daughter Courtney.

Symbol of Saskatchewan

The prairie elevator is surely the landmark most symbolic of Saskatchewan.  Born out of the necessity for a more efficient grain-handling system, they followed the building of the railroad and were first constructed by large grain handling companies.  But prairie farmers, not willing to be exploited, rallied and organized a cooperative marketing venture known as the “Saskatchewan Wheat Pool”.  Their elevators soon dotted the landscape – proud beacons of hope and optimism.

Edenwold comes to town...

Thanks to the students and teachers from Edenwold for visiting me at the Saskatchewan Legislative Building yesterday.  Kids in grades K-6 searched the building for Saskatchewan symbols.  The K-1 students created pictures of their pick for a Saskatchewan official animal.  One student approved of our White-Tailed Deer but many others thought a horse would be more appropriate.

UFCW sends in logo

UFCW (United Food and Commercial Workers Union) Local 1400 has been in existence since 1979, with a history (Nationally) of mergers with other labour organizations reaching back more than a century.

In Canada, UFCW is one of Canada's largest unions and represents more than 240,000 workers from St. John's to Victoria; and across the Province of Saskatchewan Local 1400 represents over 6,000 members.

Created During the 100th Anniversary Party Thursday October 11, 2012

We had some very special guests at the Anniversary party, including some Saskatchewan School children.  Thanks to Danton for creating this symbol, I especially enjoy your motto.

Some More Symbols from St. Joan of Arc School in Regina

I will not select my final 100 symbols until after November 1, this archive is an opportunity to show you some of the symbols that people have submitted.

I want to share some more of the student work with you.  During the past week hundreds of students have visited the Saskatchewan Legislature building to participate in my Artist in Residence program.  They have been visual detectives, finding visual symbols in the building and have gone on an official tour.   They also spent some time creating their Saskatchewan symbol!

Heather, I am no artist...

But the farmer in me suggests a collage/bouquet of our prairie grains and oilseeds.  We grow wheat, barley, flax, canola and peas so they would suffice for me.  A bouquet might be a vase (or sack or crock) of those plants in head.  A collage might show random plants or even collage some enlarged seeds from these plants to spell out something like "Saskatchewan's Roots".

Noreen

Roll on Saskatchewan Symbols!

Thanks to Curt for this submission.

Mystery Submission

This lovely painting was left at the front desk of the Saskatchewan Legislature Building for me.  Thank you mystery artist!

Submission from HDLC

St. Joan of Arc School

Thanks to the many students from St. Joan of Arc School who participated in my project!

SFL sends in their Logo!

Sent in on behalf of SFL by Larry Hubich

PresidentSaskatchewan Federation of Labour

Standing Buffalo First Nations School

Thanks to all of the students who participated in my program.  Here are just a few of their symbols.

Grasslands Reflection

I grew up in the southwestern part of Saskatchewan and one of my very earliest memories is of going out to the pasture with my brother to herd sheep. The picture was taken in another part of the south country (at Rockglen) where we lived for 6 years and where our daughters were born. In thinking of what Saskatchewan means to me I can't get away from the images of prairie and ranges of grassy hills.

Mary

Saskatchewan Lakes

Heather, 

In my book Lakeland: Ballad of a freshwater country,  I explored how the lake is one of the unsung symbols of the whole country. Our sheer abundance of them sets us apart from the rest of the world. And this is of course nowhere more true than in Saskatchewan. Our whole fur trade history is shaped by lakes. In contemporary times, we go to them to reconnect with nature. Time spent on their shores — whether it is Katepwa or Waskesiu or any one of thousands of pure wilderness lakes in the far north — represent the good life in our province.  And yet we don't celebrate them nearly enough. 

I am not sure how a lake might be symbolized graphically, but would love to see how an artist might do it.

I've read and agree to your terms of use with this idea.

Best of luck with the project,

Allan Casey

Ness Creek-from a fan

Thanks to MLA Cathy Sproule for participating in my legacy project!

No place like home

The old barn on my home farm, now rickety and decaying, was once sturdy and teeming with life.  It symbolizes, for me, the early optimism, ingenuity, determination, strength and neighbourliness that characterizes Saskatchewan people.  Unique to the west, the modified hip-roof structure with an outside accessible loft, was designed to store maximum amounts of feed for the horses and cattle necessary to the farming operation.  The barns were imposing structures and usually required a sociable neighbourhood “barn-raising” to complete construction.  In the off season many provided an ideal space for a local barn dance!

Inspired by the Legislative Building

There was a time in my development as a visual artist that enjoyed drawing and painting buildings of various types. It just so happened that during this period I visited Regina and was particularly impressed with the “Legislative Building”. It is quite unique with respect to Saskatchewan architecture. I really enjoyed all of the structural detail. It gave me a lot of material to work from. As a result, I made several paintings of this building from various angles. This is one of them.

Description: Oil and conte on panel, 12 by 24 inches, circa 2006

Name: Lorenzo Dupuis

Beaver on your mind!

Trent's symbol...

Hi Heather.. Here is a picture of an iconic Sask. animal that symbolizes the reason for the fur trade and Saskatchewan's part in supplying hats for England.

Good luck with the project.

Trent

My first submission

Thanks to Iain for being the first person to submit a symbol to my legacy project.

Here is what he had to say about this symbol....

Hi Heather:

I thought that the band's new logo would be a good image for your project.

"In 2011, the band developed a new logo, proudly rooted in the prairie wheat
sheaf, which has been an integral part of Saskatchewan's history in the last
100 years. Rising out of the wheat sheaf is the Scottish Thistle, a symbol
the band's work to keep Scottish music and traditions a vibrant part of the
cultural scene on the Canadian prairie."

More than the band, the logo might also be taken to represent the many
pockets of Scottish settlers who contributed so much to the early days of
the province, from the first Premier, to the Scot who designed the
Legislative and Govt House grounds [as well as the tree planning for
Regina], Tommy Douglas even, and many others...settlers at St Andrews,
Colonsay, Govan, Saltcoats, and many more.

Good luck!

Iain