| ARTIST BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH: | Helen Flaig was a self-described naïve painter who used acrylics and oils to paint everyday scenes of her life growing up on a farm in Saskatchewan. Her paintings are spontaneous and whimsical, full of colour and warmth, and reflect the games, play, and the work she shared with her siblings on their farm in the 1930’s. Flaig painted detailed scenes of everyday life; milking cows, shelling peas, and the careful production of washing dishes. She also captured her happy existence during that time, including kite-making, water fights, and riding to school in a horse-drawn cutter.
Flaig trained as a teacher, and moved to Lethbridge with her husband and children in 1955. It was in Lethbridge that Flaig’s passion for art flourished. She joined the Lethbridge Sketch Club and learned the art of watercolour. She continually developed her skills with art courses and workshops from the Lethbridge Community College and the University of Lethbridge; summer courses from Red Deer College; and figure drawing sessions at the Bowman Arts Centre.
Flaig was also a potter and a member of the Oldman River Potter’s Guild, and experimented with clay sculptures and primitive firings. Flaig was active in her arts community and frequently exhibited her art and pottery throughout Lethbridge and Medicine Hat.
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