100 Mile Arts Network

Iris Kiewiet is a Dutch Canadian artist living in Wakefield QC, with a bachelors from Arts Academy Minerva in The Netherlands. Her early career took shape in Rotterdam, where she worked as an illustrator for Dutch national newspapers and book publishers. Living close to the Tenàgàdino Zibi/Gatineau River, forests and hills, her work is influenced by eco systems and speaks to the cycles of life, care, and renewal. She created a public art piece at the Wakefield Spring, inspired by the aquifer and the rhythm of daily visitors. Kiewiet is a PAF artist member and has participated in The Artist in their Environment Tour, La Fab sub-committees, and other cultural initiatives in the Outaouais. Community art projects, independent book collaborations, studio painting series, and art in the schools workshops connect her work to the region.

Jenn is a self-described ‘creative generalist’ and ‘solutioneer’ with a soft spot for string lights, community-building, belly-laughs, and things so beautiful you wish you could gobble them up (paintings, sunsets, babies…). She has been a professional artist, cook, event planner, published writer, and most recently, a mother. Her artwork has been exhibited, collected, and published internationally. She loves new ideas, old forests and ‘heartwork.’

Kate Weekes is a songwriter and instrumentalist based in the Gatineau Hills of Quebec. Kate grew up in the folk music community of Ontario and is currently the artistic director of Blue Skies Music Festival. Kate is a touring and recording artist. Her upcoming album, ‘Rideau Roots’ is supported by the Canada Council for the Arts and features songs that examine our relationship to place and explore the colonial narrative that celebrates the Rideau Canal. Kate is enrolled in the diploma program at the Ottawa School of Art with a scholarship for printmaking. Her passion is building community through the arts.

My passion is storytelling. Everyone has a story. Everyone deserves to have a voice and anyway that might be. I don’t like flashy videos with music pasted over it. I am here to show and tell more than that, even in the most subtle ways. There’s the story, then the story behind it. I shoot want I love. I find that the truest form of art.

Sebastien grew up in Wakefield participating in just about every cultural event and organization around. He studied Political Science at Queen’s university and founded the Arctic Youth Network, an international NGO supporting youth-driven change in the Arctic. His work in media, advocacy, and leadership development was recognized with a Top 25 under 25 Environmentalist award in 2020. He has a passion for storytelling and aims to promote the personal side of the issues of today.