Sask. artist organizing a unique kind of ‘meat draw’ to assist the Regina Meals Financial institution

Saskatchewan residents may be familiar with meat draws, but probably haven’t seen one like this before.

A regular meat draw will see organizations raffle off platters of meat to raise money for a cause. Now a Saskatchewan artist is organizing a different type of “meat draw.”

Aralia Maxwell is raffling off art featuring meat — photographs, drawings and paintings — to raise money for the Regina Food Bank after it’s seen a large increase in use.

“It’s been a pretty rough year,” Maxwell said. “So it was really important for me as someone who is doing OK right now to give back to my neighbours and my community.”

Amber Phelps Bondaroff created Ham Clock with acrylic paint on wood with clock components. It’s one of the items being raffled off in a ‘meat draw’ for the Regina Food Bank. (Submitted by Aralia Maxwell)

Maxwell participated in many traditional meat draws growing up and currently has an art exhibit at Neutral Ground reimagining some prairie food traditions. She was inspired to take it a step further and put the twist on the fundraiser.

“Being someone who grew up on a family farm in rural Saskatchewan, it’s something I think about often,” she said. “This year in particular, being at home more often, it seems like a perfect time to revisit some of these community traditions that I grew up with.”

Slices (3) is a piece by Aralia Maxwell. The acrylic on paper painting is one of the items set to be raffled off for the Regina Food Bank. (Submitted by Aralia Maxwell)

Professional artists from across Canada have donated meat-based art to be raffled off.

“It was a bit of an unusual request, I think, for some,” Maxwell said. “As soon as I explained the idea behind it, they were quickly on board.”

The artists’ interpretations of the subject vary widely.

“We’ve got artists that were doing kind of abstract paintings of sausages. Someone’s interpreted a dream where an individual has a face made out of ground beef,” Maxwell said. “There’s a drawing of a woman devouring a goat. It’s interesting to find the through-lines.”

Every $10 donated to the Regina Food Bank will earn one raffle ticket. Tickets are available until end of day on Jan. 9. To enter, email a receipt showing the donation to the Neutral Ground Artist Run Centre.