Saskatchewan artist presents painting to Governor General

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A painting by Shirley McArthur of Pheasant Rump First Nation has been added to the art works gracing the walls of Rideau Hall in Ottawa.

McArthur painted the work while in high school as part of an outreach program organized by the Mackenzie Art Gallery in Regina. Governor General Adrienne Clarkson saw the painting on display at the gallery during her tour of Regina last year, and expressed an interest in buying it. When McArthur found out about the Governor General's interest, she decided to present the painting as a gift to Clarkson.

McArthur was flown to Ottawa with her mother and a representative from the gallery and made the presentation to Clarkson at Rideau Hall on March 21. Following the presentation, McArthur took a tour of Rideau Hall and later was a guest at a banquet to honor the winners of the second annual Governor General's Awards in Visual and Media Arts.

McArthur, 20, views painting as a hobby rather than a vocation. She is currently enrolled in a computer program at CDI College in Regina, and would like to eventually attend university to study languages.