forestART
Workshops
Immerse yourself in a world where art meets wilderness. Our forestART workshops are designed for adult artists of all backgrounds, offering hands-on learning in the breathtaking landscapes of northern Saskatchewan.
Each program combines expert instruction with time for personal exploration, providing you with the tools and inspiration to expand your creative practice. Whether you're a seasoned artist or picking up a brush for the first time, our workshops invite you to escape, create, and connect with nature in an unforgettable way. Discover your next artistic adventure with us.
Upcoming Workshops
Winter Felting in the Forest
with Melanie Monique Rose
March 8 + 9, 2025
Registration - $250
+ 35 Kit Fee
Join visual storyteller, artist, activist and mother for a weekend of community connection and softness. In the warmth of the Jack Milliken Centre and the magic of Ness Creek we will explore themes of identity , culture, artivism and what it means to move through this world with radical softness. Artist Melanie Monique Rose will share will you some of the stories and subject matter behind her art practice which is informed by both her Métis and Ukrainian heritage. Through the process of needle felting onto blankets we will create
our own blanket stories lifted from the topics mentioned. Participants will create one-of-a-kind artworks and will be equipped with the knowledge to continue this exploration of felting and visual storytelling through their art.
Please visit:
About Melanie
Melanie Monique Rose is a Metis/Ukrainian visual artist from Regina, Saskatchewan Treaty 4 Territory, a citizen of the Metis Nation of Saskatchewan, and a long-time contributing member of Sâkêwêwak Artists’ Collective Inc. Rose’s work centres on kinship and relationships between the land, ourselves and each other. Through plants and flowers Rose invites transmissions of ancestral knowledge and teachings while also imagining and creating a de-colonial future through the lens of Metis worldviews.
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She attended Kootenay School of the Arts with a major in the Fibre Arts in Nelson, B.C. Rose has exhibited her artwork in both group and solo exhibitions. Currently Melanie has her largest showing of work to date in her solo show, Li moond di fleur at the Woodland Cultural Centre in Brantford Ontario. In the summer of 2023 Melanie’s natural dye practice took her to both Ottawa, at the National Gallery of Canada and Santa Fe, New Mexico’s SWAIA Fashion shows, where her work walked the runway. A recent career highlight was exhibiting in the group show, Storied Objects/Metis Art in Relation at the Remai Modern in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Her greatest honor was to receive the distinction of Excellence in Textiles from the Saskatchewan Craft Council in Dimension's 2013 touring show. In 2020, Melanie was named a CBC Future 40 for her work in arts and culture. In addition, she was one of seven artists awarded the Saskatchewan Foundation for the Arts Endowment Award to further artistic pursuits in 2021. In 2023 she was honored with the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal from His Honour the Honourable Russ Mirasty Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan for her work in Arts & Reconciliation. Rose has worked in Saskatchewan as gallery facilitator, story-keeper, and art instructor for the Mackenzie Art Gallery and in addition teaches various workshops at both public and private institutions.
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In 2018 her daughter Meadow Rose was born and is currently a full-time mom, caregiver, and artist. Becoming a mother has increased Rose’s desire to share the stories of her culture and family and has challenged the way she creates independently and as a shared experience with her daughter. Rose is inspired and excited to see where the journey takes her as an Artist.
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How to Get Here
Our classes take place at the Ness Creek Site. Click here to download directions or If you prefer a little technological assistance during your adventures, look up “Ness Creek Site” on Google Maps. Keep in mind, though, that you might lose signal as you get closer to the site.
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Optional Meal Add-On
More info coming soon.
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Accommodations
Please book directly with Ness Core
Upcoming Workshops
Sewing Retreat
November 21-23, 2025
Registration Coming Soon!
Join Jenny Ambrose in the beautiful boreal forest to learn the art of sewing with stretch fabrics! This retreat offers guided tutorials and plenty of open work time with customized support. You will learn how to prepare your work, choose the best equipment, tools, and practices, and work with elastics and finishing techniques. You can choose to work on clothing items such as tee-shirts, dresses, hoodies, activewear, swimwear, or lingerie.
About the Course
Join Jenny Ambrose in the beautiful boreal forest to learn the art of sewing with stretch fabrics! This retreat offers guided tutorials and plenty of open work time with customized support. You will learn how to prepare your work, choose the best equipment, tools, and practices, and work with elastics and finishing techniques. You can choose to work on clothing items such as tee-shirts, dresses, hoodies, activewear, swimwear, or lingerie.
In addition to sewing, there are optional outdoor activities such as a full-moon ski or hike on Friday evening, as well as an afternoon ski or snowshoe on Saturday and Sunday. For those interested, there will also be a yoga flow class on Saturday and Sunday mornings to help ease any tension in your back and shoulders after sewing. Ness Creek offers rental services for skies and snowshoes, so be sure to come prepared with appropriate outdoor clothing.
To make sure that you get the most out of the retreat, telephone consultations with Jenny are strongly encouraged to plan your project goals and make sure that you have all the necessary supplies well in advance.
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How to Get Here
Our classes take place at the Ness Creek Site. Click here to download directions or If you prefer a little technological assistance during your adventures, look up “Ness Creek Site” on Google Maps. Keep in mind, though, that you might lose signal as you get closer to the site.
​
Optional Meal Add-On
$110 includes catered Friday lunch + dinner, Saturday lunch + dinner, Sunday lunch and continental breakfast
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Accommodations
Please book directly with Ness Core