In 1936 when the Emma Lake Summer Art School first opened, Saskatchewan was a dust bowl in the depths of the Great Depression. Spain was a bloodbath, Europe was on the verge of war, and McKenzie King was Prime Minister. Here at home the provincial grant to the University of Saskatchewan had been cut by 35% and they were operating with a bank loan, but thankfully Walter Murray was the visionary President. It was during these dark and troubled times that he saw the future and opened the first Summer Art School at Murray Point, and in doing so, positioned the University of Saskatchewan as a front runner in Arts and Science education.
Gus Kenderdine, whose love of the north influenced Dr. Murray, was joined by Gordon Snelgrove, Dean Quance, Wynona Mulcaster, Reta Cowley, and McGregor Hone in the early years, and countless more who shaped the Emma Lake Campus as a magical place of inspired learning.
In 1937 the Prince Albert Daily Herald quoted Gus Kenderdine referring to Emma Lake thus:
“This is a place where one may greet an unobstructed dawn, and give the day a full farewell.”
Gus Kenderdine, whose love of the north influenced Dr. Murray, was joined by Gordon Snelgrove, Dean Quance, Wynona Mulcaster, Reta Cowley, and McGregor Hone in the early years, and countless more who shaped the Emma Lake Campus as a magical place of inspired learning.
In 1937 the Prince Albert Daily Herald quoted Gus Kenderdine referring to Emma Lake thus:
“This is a place where one may greet an unobstructed dawn, and give the day a full farewell.”
University of Saskatchewan archives - Smith-Emma %20 Lake Reta Cowley's class, 1953
Emma Lake Kenderdine Campus: the first 76 years
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1936
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Thirty students attend the first Summer Art School at Emma Lake with Gus Kenderdine as teacher. Walter Murray, President of University of Saskatchewan visits the Campus to see his visionary plan in action.
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1937
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The six week Summer School will cost $20 if you share a cabin, or $8 if you bring your own tent. Dean Quance, director of Summer Schools, pays an official visit to Murray Point. Teachers Gus Kenderdine and Gordon Snelgrove have some promising students including McGregor Hone, Wynona Mulcaster, Reta Cowley.
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1955
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Emma Lake Artist Workshop is established, bringing Jack Shadbolt (1955), Will Barnet (1957), Barnett Newman (1959), Clement Greenberg (1962), Kenneth Noland (1963), Jules Olitski (1964), Lawrence Alloway (1965), Frank Stella (1967), Donald Judd (1968), Michael Steiner (1969), Roy Kiyooka (1972), David Alexander (2011) and others to Emma Lake as workshop leaders which would forever make Saskatchewan a ‘world player’ in art history.
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1965
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Biology Department begins active research and teaching sessions at Emma Lake Campus.
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1968
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University of Saskatchewan purchases the Emma Lake site form the province.
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1972
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Mina Forsyth teaches painting, and Walter Ostrom (Order of Canada 2012) teaches ceramics.
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1977
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Sir Anthony Caro is the Artists' Workshop leader. During this time he created twenty large sculptures which he titled "The Emma Series" and which are still touring the world today.
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1978
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Visitor guest book is signed by Mary Pratt, Bob Christie, Molly Bobak, Doug Bentham, Terry Fenton among others.
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1987
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A ten year partnership with SIAST Woodland Campus begins, with SIAST operating the Campus while University of Saskatchewan retains ownership.
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1989
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The Emma Lake Campus is re-named the Kenderdine Campus. Gus Kenderdine’s daughter May Beamish officially opens the Campus. (July 23, 1989)
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1998
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University of Saskatchewan embarked on and completed a review of the Kenderdine Campus resulting in the Board of Governors awarding one million dollars for facility upgrades, among other things allowing washrooms to be added to all the ‘rustic’ cabins.
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2005
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University of Saskatchewan Steering Committee is formed to promote Emma Lake and take advantage of its resources.
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2007
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The Ernest Lindner Cabin on Fairy Island (an island visible and a short paddle from the Kenderdine Campus dock) is designated a provincial heritage property.
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2007
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The Songwriters' Retreats begin this year and run every year for six years until the closure of the campus in November 2012.
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2009
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Core funding of $130,000 is applied to the Kenderdine campus conditional on a cost-recovery operation.
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2010
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The Campus achieves a cost recovery operation as required by University of Saskatchewan, however due to winter closure, the facility statistically shows only a 35% capacity when extended over a full twelve months.
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Renowned Canadian jazz musician, Dean McNeill, organizes a jazz composers retreat which is attended by some of the most notable jazz artists in our country including Juno award winning, David Braid. A second successful retreat was organized by McNeill in 2012.
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2012
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On November 15 University of Saskatchewan announces closure of Emma Lake Kenderdine Campus for a three-year period to provide time for a re-examination of its future.
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2013
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Keep Kenderdine is formed to protect and preserve the Emma Lake Kenderdine Campus.
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"The hands-on education I received at my limnology field course at the
Kenderdine Campus was one of the most valuable experiences of my
undergraduate education. Not everything can be taught in a classroom -
especially in the discipline of Biology."
Laurie J.
