Artist Biography

Saskatchewan based artist, Tana Cugnet, has a realistic and detailed approach to capturing the landscapes, agricultural subjects and natural beauty around her. Weeds on the side of a gravel road, a combine taking the crop off or the shifting shapes of the clouds in the never-ending prairie sky. These are the things that capture her attention. 

She attended high school in Weyburn, Saskatchewan where she was inspired by local artist and art teacher Eltje Degenhart and was drawn to landscapes and watercolors in particular. Upon graduating high school she spent a year studying in France and was exposed to many great works of art there. She then moved to Calgary and earned a BA in Communications from the University of Calgary Alberta. Tana occasionally sketched pencil drawings during these years and was focused on light and dark values. She returned to her roots in 2004 to marry and raise a family on a farm outside of Weyburn, SK. Living on a farm surrounded by the prairie landscape sparked her interest in art again and she began painting in 2016, turning this time to acrylic paint.

Staying home to raise her children now provides her with the opportunity to paint and volunteer in the community. She has found an artistic community in Weyburn and enjoys submitting her art to local shows and contests. Her art has been selected for various solo and multi-artist exhibitions locally. In 2017, she won 1st prize in the "Weyburn in Focus" art contest put on by the Weyburn Credit Union and in 2020 she won 2nd place in the James Weir People’s Choice Exhibition. She looks forward to challenging herself with new art projects and building upon her current body of work. A closer look at farming practices or an unexpected treasure in the tree rows are some of the things that inspire her now. 

Exhibition History:

March 2017, Weyburn Adjudicated Art Show Signal Hill Gallery, Weyburn, SK

July & August 2017, Summer in Saskatchewan, Signal Hill Gallery, Weyburn, SK

January & February 2018, Weyburn in Focus, WCU Gallery, Weyburn, SK

January & February 2020, James Weir People’s Choice Exhibition, Allie Griffin Gallery, Weyburn, SK

January & February 2020, Winter in Saskatchewan, City Hall Gallery, Weyburn, SK

December 2020 & January 2021, Solo Show - In The Details, WCU Gallery, Weyburn, SK

November 15, 2022 to January 15, 2023, Solo Show, Cumberland Gallery, Saskatchewan Legislative Building, Regina, SK

January to March 2024, James Weir People’s Choice Exhibition, Weyburn Art Gallery, Weyburn, SK

Awards:

A Familiar View, 1st Place, Weyburn Credit Union, Weyburn in Focus Contest 2017

Light at the End of the Tunnel, 2nd Place, James Weir People’s Choice Exhibition 2020

Chickadee Trail, 2nd Place, James Weir People’s Choice Exhibition, 2024

Where to view or buy my art:

Art is on display at Tana Cugnet Art Gallery & Studio, 33 5th St., Weyburn, SK (ongoing)

Evelyn Lane Clothing, 28 2nd St., Weyburn, SK (ongoing)

Canadian Western Agribition, Regina, SK (Nov. 25-30, 2024)

Viewings available by appointment or inquire when studio hours are (306)861-3879