As they cross the stage to receive their degrees at Brandon University’s annual Convocation later this month, graduates will also be presented with a piece of art that was commissioned especially for them.
This year’s Convocation artwork highlights BU’s bobcat mascot and athletics teams, while also incorporating elements of the university such as its campus layout, its motto and colours, strategic plan, and ongoing 125thanniversary.
The annual commission of art for graduating students is in its sixth year and is intended to be reminiscent in some way of the previous academic year at the university.
“Celebrating our BU125 anniversary was a consideration as we deliberated about direction for this year’s art, as was the fact that we would be hosting the USPORTS men’s national volleyball championships — which, although we did not know at the time, our BU Bobcats would go on to win!” said University Registrar Andrea McDaniel, whose office oversees Convocation. “A bobcat is the perfect choice to remember this year by, and graduates will be proud to have a print of Katy Martin’s work for their walls.”
Martin, a Neepawa-based art teacher who plans to attend BU this fall to begin a Master of Education degree, initially proposed a very different vision for the artwork, with more emphasis on campus symbols and buildings. However, when reviewing her submitted portfolio, the committee was really impressed by some of her previous works where animals were the focal point.
“We were looking for something to set this year’s artwork apart from previous years,” McDaniel said, noting that campus buildings had been prominent in several recent pieces. “Collaborating with Katy on a shared vision was a lovely experience and her creation hits just the right notes!”
Martin says she fell in love with the idea of an annual Convocation artwork.
“Not only a very special gift for graduates, but also a bit of time capsule, showcasing something important about each year,” she said. “I hope graduates from BU can look at the piece and reflect on their time walking the campus corridors and meeting inside their favorite brick buildings.”
The piece features a very large central bobcat as the main focal point of the piece but also includes many subtle touches that reward closer enjoyment by viewers.
“I hope the bobcat symbolizes the family they will forever belong to as BU alumni and what it means to be a part of a team,” Martin said.
Presenting a unique Convocation artwork to graduates at Brandon University was first conceived as part of the virtual celebration held in 2020. It received such a positive response that it was immediately added to the must-do list every year.
“I hope the bobcat symbolizes the family they will forever belong to as BU alumni.”
Artist Katy Martin
The original artwork is expected to be displayed at Convocation, where grads will receive their own print as part of their degree parchment package. With a collection now of six pieces, the university is working to identify a permanent place on campus to display the growing set of unique works.
Convocation 2025 takes place May 29 and 30 at the BU Healthy Living Centre. Ceremony details are online at BrandonU.ca/Convocation.
ABOUT KATY MARTIN
Katy Martin is a Canadian Fine Artist with a BFA and experience participating in seven exhibitions, creating several public art pieces and selling hundreds of personal works. Commissioned by Maple Leaf Gardens to produce a painting for the Toronto Maple Leafs to be hung in the Scotia Bank Arena’s permanent collection in 2023. Hired by several businesses to produce prominent downtown murals. Recipient of the Women of Distinction Award in Art, Culture and Design for Western Manitoba 2024. She was one of four selected artists to create an installation for the city of Winnipeg’s Nuit Blanche 2023. Katy’s last four solo exhibitions sold out in 24 hours. She is known for her large, ethereal, landscape paintings of the breathtaking views from Manitoba and Ontario. Her works often carry themes of resiliency, nature and united social progression. Her latest collection (landscape paintings from Canada’s west coast), titled “Higher Ground” will be released July 12 online and the paintings will be displayed at The Forks in Winnipeg over that weekend. Online: www.katymartinartist.com or on Instagram: @katymartinartist
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