Emma Rach-Syslak
Home: Calgary, Alberta
Title: Portrait of the Artist Stan Taniwa
Media: Oil on panel
Dimensions: 65 x 75 cm
Website: emmarachsyslak.com
Instagram: @emmaersart
ARTIST STATEMENT
Canada is often described as a cultural mosaic – a place where identity is shaped by history, heritage, place and story. This painting is of Canadian artist, master potter and family friend Stan Taniwa, whom I have known all my life as a neighbour at my family’s cottage in Manitoba. Born in Chemainus, British Columbia, in 1941, Stan and his family were among thousands of Japanese Canadians forcibly removed from their homes during the Second World War. After settling in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Stan eventually studied fine art at the University of Manitoba, initially as a painter before discovering his passion for ceramics. His pottery has been exhibited across Canada, held in private collections, and his teaching has influenced generations of artists. In 1991, Stan returned to Chemainus to paint, ‘The Lone Scout’, a mural honouring the community’s first Japanese Canadian Boy Scout Troup and reflecting themes of belonging, citizenship, and dispossession. His life and work embody the way heritage can be carried forward and made part of a larger Canadian story. This portrait is my tribute to Stan as an artist and to the kindness and inspiration he has brought to those around him. One of his pots sits in the window, its simple Japanese Raku technique is a subtle reminder of heritage and legacy. The light falling across his face reflects the warmth he carries wherever he goes.