Robyn ScottSA国际影视传媒檚 artwork gracing the cover of NWTSA国际影视传媒檚 phone books was a comfort among cancellations this month.

Scott said it was welcome news when Northwestel chose her painting SA国际影视传媒淓kw貌,SA国际影视传媒� which Tlicho for SA国际影视传媒渃aribou,SA国际影视传媒� to cover its 2020 to 2021 NWT directory last week. In a month that saw Scott facing eight cancellations of creative projects, it was a silver lining.

It was also unexpected: When Northwestel was collecting pieces, Scott wasnSA国际影视传媒檛 even planning on submitting until friends tagged her in the calls for submission over social media.

SA国际影视传媒淚 just threw my hat in the ring and couldnSA国际影视传媒檛 believe they said yes,SA国际影视传媒� Scott said. SA国际影视传媒滻 was so overwhelmed and very excited for my first time submitting.SA国际影视传媒�

Scott painted the piece last July. The work was a departure since she normally paints birds. With the new work, Scott said she was interested in creating something SA国际影视传媒渄istinctly Northern."

SA国际影视传媒淐aribou really spoke to me on that one because it is an essential part of life in the North, especially for Indigenous communities,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

When she paints wildlife pieces like that, Scott has an eye for detail, often working off pictures to accurately capture a subject. But for SA国际影视传媒淓kw貌,SA国际影视传媒� she chose to take some creative liberties.

To create a more hopeful image, she chose to lift the caribouSA国际影视传媒檚 nose, and brighten the light surrounding it.

The result is a contrast to another caribou painting she sold to the Tlicho government. That work conversely pastes new headlines of declining caribou numbers in the background.

It was meant to evoke the looming threats facing the animals, she said.

However, with the phone directory painting, she aimed for a more hopeful image. For her, it shows SA国际影视传媒渢hese animals are proud and strong, and that I believe theySA国际影视传媒檙e going to continue to survive despite human intervention,SA国际影视传媒� Scott said.

ItSA国际影视传媒檚 also some positive news for the artist, who faced several cancellations as a result of pandemic restrictions.

Those include an exhibit at Snow Castle, another as the Northern Arts and Cultural Centre's artist of the month, a residency painting in the lobby at Explorer Hotel, a private art exhibit and reception, the NWT Creative Collective WriterSA国际影视传媒檚 workshop series, a poetry performance, the NorthWords festival panels, and some Fleming College art courses.

Despite winning the Northwestel cover contest, Scott will also miss the ceremony typically arranged for the directory's chosen artists.

Those setbacks were disappointing for Scott, who is just one of several local artists dealing complications stemming from the crisis.

SA国际影视传媒淚 sat despondent in that for a while, and thought, 'okay well, now what do I do?'SA国际影视传媒� she said.

Reconnecting with the local arts community was the answer. Inspired by musicians like Leela Gilday streaming performances online, Scott decided to partner with Kevin Bolstad for an upcoming virtual art gallery tour.

The idea is to hang easels and paintings on trees and walk through the forest with a video camera to simulate the gallery experience, Scott said. To support artists, viewers would be able to find individual pieces and their prices online.

For her, it can be an opportunity to support artists during the pandemic.

SA国际影视传媒淎rt is continuing. Even though weSA国际影视传媒檙e still inside and weSA国际影视传媒檙e supposed to stay home and stay away from each other, thereSA国际影视传媒檚 still beauty and thereSA国际影视传媒檚 still creating happening,SA国际影视传媒� she said.