July 2026
Four glass artists from around the Yukon are coming together to present an exhibition next month that is sure to conjure feelings of joyous abandon, wild burst of spontaneous song and dance, and FUN! The show, called Kittywampus Garden Party, will feature the work of Jeanine Baker, Riley Brennan, Aimee Ellis, and Ruth Foster. Baker and Ellis are both from the Whitehorse area; Brennan is from Dawson City, and Foster from Carcross.
Baker and Ellis conceived of the idea of a ‘kittywampus garden party’ and invited fellow artists Foster and Brennan to join them as they were excited to see what imaginative and whimsical creations their fellow glass artists would bring to the garden party. Visitors to the gallery can expect to see work that portrays the spirit of spring, sunny warmth, gentle breezes, swaying flowers, dancing aspen, singing birds, buzzing bees and floating flutterbies, among other things.
Because the artists live in three different Yukon communities, they created their pieces for the show in isolation from one another, although they kept in touch via text and email. “We certainly were familiar with one another’s work, and the thought of the four of us creating under a single theme was intriguing,” says Ellis. “While we each have very different styles, we all favour vibrant colours and bold
designs.”
“The word kittywampus means something that is chaotic,” says Brennan. “A garden party seemed like the ideal event to pair with such joy and spontaneity.”
“With glass as the common denominator, and kittywampus as the theme, I had a great time staying on the path of springtime garden fun,” says Baker. “I’ve seen a few pieces made by the others and they have inspired me to continue to ‘grow the idea’. Garden it; weed it; enjoy it!”
Coming full circle, Baker’s varied and luminous works have also inspired Foster’s artistic development. “Jeanine has really been an inspiration for me, both for this show and in general,” says Foster.
Kittywampus Garden Party opens with a reception on Friday, July 3 rd from 5 – 7 pm, as part of the monthly First Friday art crawl in downtown Whitehorse. The show runs until August 1 st .