Aganetha Dyck facts for kids

Aganetha Dyck (born September 12, 1937) is a talented Canadian artist. She is a sculptor who lives in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Aganetha Dyck is famous for her unique art projects. She works with live honeybees! The bees help her create art by building honeycomb on objects she places inside their hives. In 2007, she won two big awards: Manitoba's Arts Award of Distinction and Canada's Governor General's Award in Visual and Media Arts.

About Aganetha Dyck

Aganetha Dyck was born Aganetha Rempel in 1937. Her family lived in Marquette, Manitoba, a small farming town. In 1958, she married Peter Dyck.

In 1972, her family moved to Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. There, Aganetha started taking art classes. She learned about pottery, fabric art called batik, and a special type of weaving called Salish weaving. She also learned how to crochet. During this time, she was taught by Professor George Glen and studied Art History. The family moved back to Winnipeg in 1976. Later, from 1980 to 1982, she studied Art History at the University of Winnipeg. Aganetha and Peter Dyck have three children: Richard, Deborah, and Michael.

Her Amazing Art Career

Aganetha Dyck's early artwork often changed everyday household tasks into fine art. This helped show that activities often done at home, especially by women, can be very artistic and important.

Working with Everyday Objects

In her first artworks, Dyck used common things found around the house. These included buttons, wool fabrics, and even cigarettes. One famous piece, Close Knit, was made between 1975 and 1981. She got the idea after some wool clothing accidentally shrunk in a dryer! For this artwork, she intentionally shrunk many pieces of wool clothing.

In 1984, the Winnipeg Art Gallery showed some of Dyck's art. It included hundreds of jars filled with buttons. These buttons were prepared and "cooked" using different cooking methods, just like food!

She also made sculptures using felt, a type of fabric. Some of these felt sculptures include Skirt Issue (1981) and Forest (1975‑1981). She also combined felt art with found objects, which are everyday items used in art. An example is 23 Suitcases (1981).

The Amazing Bee Collaborations

Aganetha Dyck is most famous for her art made with honeybees. This special work started in 1989. She rented beehives and began to work with the bees. She calls this a "collaboration" because the bees are her partners in creating the art.

She got the idea when she saw a store sign made from honeycomb. Dyck places different objects inside beehives. Sometimes, she puts beehives inside larger objects. Then, she lets the bees build their honeycomb on these objects. This process can take many years!

One of her most well-known bee artworks is Glass Dress: Lady in Waiting (1992‑1998). This amazing piece is now at the National Gallery of Canada. It took 10 beekeeping seasons to create! Another cool project with bees is Hockey Night in Canada (1995 - 2000). For this, she turned different sports equipment into beehives.

Her work with honeybees has caught a lot of attention. She was even featured on the CBC television show The Nature of Things with David Suzuki. Dyck often works with beekeepers and scientists who study insects (entomologists) to make her sculptures. She hopes that people will not only see the beauty of the honeycomb but also understand how important honeybees are for our world.

Aganetha Dyck's art often uses things that remind us of women's lives. For example, she has created high heels, handbags, and even a wedding gown covered in honeycomb by the bees.

Where Her Art Has Been Shown

Dyck's art with bees has been shown in many places around the world. These include Troyes and Paris in France, Rotterdam in the Netherlands, and the Yorkshire Sculpture Park in England.

She has won many awards for her art. Some of these include the Manitoba Arts Council Award of Distinction (2007), the Governor General's Award in Visual and Media Arts (2007), and the Art City Star Award from Winnipeg (2013). In 2009, her show "Collaborations" was featured at the Burnaby Art Gallery.

Aganetha Dyck also helps other artists. She is on the board of directors for Plug In Gallery. She has also been a mentor, guiding other artists, especially women, through an organization called Mentoring Artists for Women's Art.

The University of Manitoba Archives & Special Collections keeps a collection of Aganetha Dyck's work. It includes her writings about her art and some of her artworks.

Important Artworks by Aganetha Dyck

Here are some of Aganetha Dyck's well-known artworks:

• Close Knit ((1975‑1981)), held by the Canadian Council Art Bank.
• Closest to Her (2007), at the National Gallery of Canada.
• Queen (2007), at the National Gallery of Canada.
• Glass Dress: Lady in Waiting (1992‑1998), at the National Gallery of Canada.
• Hive Drawing #2 (2008), at the Burnaby Art Gallery.

Awards She Has Won

Aganetha Dyck has received many honors for her art:

• Manitoba's Arts Award of Distinction (2007).
• Governor General's Award in Visual and Media Arts (2007).
• Spotlight on 40 years: Artwork from Canada Council Art Bank (2012).
• Art City Star Award, Winnipeg (2013).
• Making a Mark award by the Winnipeg Arts Council (2014).

Exhibitions and Collections

Aganetha Dyck's art has been shown in many art exhibitions. These are special shows where artists display their work. Some of her solo shows (meaning only her art was shown) include:

• 2009 – Aganetha Dyck: Collaborations at the Burnaby Art Gallery, Canada.
• 2011 – Guest Workers at the Confederation Centre Art Gallery, Canada.

Her art is also part of many important collections. These are places like museums and galleries that own and keep artworks. Some of these include:

• The National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, ON.
• The Burnaby Art Gallery, Burnaby, BC.
• Confederation Centre Art Gallery, Charlottetown, PEI.
• The Vancouver Art Gallery, Vancouver, BC.
• The Winnipeg Art Gallery, Winnipeg, MB.
• The Canada Council Art Bank, Ottawa, ON.