Marlena Wyman

Marlena Wyman is an Edmonton artist who was raised on her parents’ farm near Rockyford, Alberta, originally farmed by her paternal grandparents. History is an inspirational source for her creative work, fed in part by her long-time work as Audio-Visual Archivist at the Provincial Archives of Alberta. Marlena's artworks have been exhibited across Canada, and are included in private and public collections in Canada and the United States. The consuming immensity and isolation of the prairie environment is a recurring theme in the diaries and letters of early immigrant women to the prairies. In her former work as an archivist, Marlena found that one of the significant gaps in archival collections is that of women’s history. In particular, the voice of early prairie women is largely excluded. As an artist, she honours these women’s considerable contributions, advocates for their rightful place in history, and encourages women to deposit their own and their foremothers’ records in archives.

Marlena was the City of Edmonton’s 5th Historian Laureate, 2018 – 2020, which she interpreted through her art practice. She is the recipient of the Edmonton Historical Board Recognition Award for her contributions to archives and visual arts, and has been artist in residence in Saskatchewan and Newfoundland, and another upcoming in Ontario. For more visit www.marlenawyman.com