Lillian Loponen, a Yukon artist for almost half a century, is preparing to leave the territory.
Over her 45-year residency here, she has crafted “thousands of pieces” that capture the essence of the Yukon in watercolour.
“I want to be with my sister, brother, and families who I’m close to in Thunder Bay (Ont.), and my son is in Toronto. I want to be closer to my son and more accessible,” she told The Yukon Star recently.
Loponen, 78, has experienced life in a variety of places across Canada, including Thunder Bay, Alberta and Dawson City.
Her professional journey began in nursing, but she was drawn toward art. She has been a part of numerous exhibits since her childhood, consistently securing the first prize, and is predominantly self-taught. Her formal education in art, which began with courses in Alberta in 1978.
“I took a number of university transfer courses, studied design for a year, and took oil painting for half a semester,” she said.
Loponen has participated in numerous art exhibitions in the territory, but two of them hold special significance for her: “Footsteps in the Snow” and “Kalevale”. She shared that all the art shows have a familial touch, with her sons contributing sentences, creating music, or producing films about the artworks.
Starting Aug. 1, there will be a farewell exhibition at the Yukon Arts Centre’s Community Gallery before Loponen leaves the territory.
The exhibition will display 12 paintings that were part of the two aforementioned shows. The goal is simple.
“I want to sell all the big pieces, since I don’t want to fly all of them back to Ontario,” she said.
Looking forward, Loponen plans to continue her artistic endeavours.
“The first thing I’m doing when I arrive in Thunder Bay, once I get settled in, is to investigate the art scene there and make connections,” she said. She also plans to practice Tai Chi, which she sees as another opportunity to form connections.
Being a celebrated artist in the territory, Loponen has a heartfelt message for those who admire her work.
“Oh my God, I’m going to miss everybody, and I want to thank my art patrons and my friends,” she said.
She also wishes to express her gratitude to the Yukon government for its support for local artists.
