Local artist Dustin Wilson has created a memorial tribute to the Humboldt Broncos Hockey team.
Wishing to create a meaningful memento for the players and their families, Wilson created a graphite pencil drawing for the team which also displays the names of each of the players who were on the bus on April 6 when a semi-collided with the players’ bus while the team was enroute to a game in Nipawin.
“I wanted to do an original work of art to be able to present to the Broncos hockey team,” said Wilson. “The original piece, matted and framed, will be donated to the Broncos home arena in Humboldt, to be displayed as a tribute to the team.
“I have had 100 prints of the original made up in total. Twenty-nine of the framed and matted prints will be presented to each player on the bus, or their family, and the number of the print will coincide with the number of each player’s jersey. There will six more donated to the Broncos support staff or families.
“The print is an original compilation of the Broncos different team logos on the goalie helmet. There are 29 names written on the piece.”
“I will have 65 framed and matted prints for sale at a price of $125 each, to help recover the cost of the framing and matting, and getting the 35 pieces to the players and/or their families.
“This is my way to honour the Broncos team. I can relate to the players, because I played junior hockey and rode on a bus with teammates. Any athlete can relate to getting on the bus and feeling safe in the hands of the trustworthy driver.
“Coach Darcy Haugan, who lost his life in the collision, actually coached one of the teams in the NWJHL (Alta., B.C.) that I had played in when I was younger, so that connection also was motivational for me.
Wilson says art has been his passion since his “first memory.” He has lived in Kamsack for the last 15 years, having arrived here in 2003, when some family members, who were involved with a local church, convinced him to come here to share his musical talents. He plays guitar and drums, as well as other musical instruments and is involved in recording.
The Co-op Gas Bar in Kamsack will have the prints for sale at their convenience store location or contact Wilson on FaceBook at dustinwilson art.
