Intake celebrates Mount Carmel Clinic, Canada’s first free medical clinic (Winnipeg, 1926). Layering and overlapping of etched and stencilled paper segments, juxtaposing impressions of the Clinic’s history, elicit a consideration of the nature of memory: I was a child patient of the Clinic when my family came to Canada.

It was first situated on the banks of the Red River in the North End of Winnipeg, an immigrant enclave. It originally served the Jewish community and other local indigents. Now the Clinic serves the Indigenous and Newcomer communities who live nearby.

This artist book is also a tribute to those who work in places where care is provided. Such very special people offer not only health aid, but also welcome and hope.

Twelve original artworks engage with stories of interviewees. I interviewed a dozen people for this artist book, from long-ago patients to the son of a doctor who first volunteered and then became the Clinic’s Medical Director, to current Clinic staff doing outreach in the community and continuing the Clinic’s long-standing mandate of patient-centric care.

This artist book is a research-based project funded generously by the Canada Council for the Arts.