Kelly Terbasket

March 15 - June 15, 2024

Community Artist in Residence (CAiR)

Kelly Terbasket brings the strengths of both her syilx Okanagan and European ancestry to her work as an artist and leader. She is a co-founder of IndigenEYEZ and kinSHIFT, organizations that strengthen creativity. Kelly understands that creativity can be used to transform relational systems and to support community champions to better respond to the impacts of colonization. Kelly is focused on the role of relationships in systems change and is sought out for her capacity to help deepen relations at a time when building connections across differences is essential. She has a BSW, Executive Coaching Certification, and extensive training in creative facilitation through Partners for Youth Empowerment (PYE Global). She lives in her family’s ancestral home on the Blind Creek Reserve in syilx territory in the Similkameen Valley.

Image: Kelly Terbasket

Lately, I have more often found myself in the role of a facilitator than that of a creative participant. But during my time at the Similkameen Artist Residency (SAR), I was able to practice process painting and tune into my creative impulses. I worked in a layered way where I’d pick a few colours I felt called towards, and during my next work session, I’d pick a few new colours. In my workshops, I ask participants to stretch out of their comfort zones and take creative risks for the benefit of growing and tapping into their imagination. We do this to find answers and create new pathways forward. I needed time and space to do this for myself too, and for this, I am grateful for SAR’s Community Artist in Residence (CAiR) studio.

Kelly Terbasket, Testimonial