'A really magical place': artist inspired by Jackfish Lake, Sask.

Former Sask. resident Constantine Katsiris has been chosen to have his soundscape included in a national art exhibition.

Different Canadian artists created one to two minute audio snapshots of different regions across the country. The Audio Postcards Canada exhibit was organized by the Canadian Association for Sound Ecology.

Experimental audio artist Katsiris has gathered sounds from around the world, but chose to do this particular piece in his home province.

He recorded his piece, titled "Missing Soffits" at Jackfish Lake, Sask.

Sounds of the past

He was born in Saskatoon and has spent countless hours up at Jackfish Lake, Sask.

"It's a really magical place for me," he said.

"It's nice that it's from Saskatchewan and from a place that I was really emotionally attached to."

His parents live there now, but even before that Katsiris said they would always visit the lake as a family.

The artist's mind is dotted with nostalgic memories of swimming, fishing and seeing fireflies for the first time.

Saskatchewan winds

His soundscape includes shore sounds and lapping waves, but there is also a heavy emphasis on wind in the piece.

Usually, wind ruins audio recordings because it masks and distorts the audio but Katsiris made it a tool.

A storm had created a hole in the side of his parents' house and that created a unique humming sound. He had never heard anything like it.

"The whole house kind of becomes this instrument," he said.

"It's one of the only pieces where I could say that the wind is actually the star of the show."

Shifting perspective

Audio projects like these are good for the imagination, he said, noting they transport him to the past.

"It's almost dreamlike for me," he said. "I can pretty much just close my eyes and I feel like I'm back there — whether it's in the jungle or a busy train station."

Approaching music in an experimental way can shift one's perspective, he said.

The artist explained that the projects he does with sound aren't for documentation, rather they are meant to interpret the sounds of life as music.

Katsiris hopes that when people hear his audio postcard they will feel the same sense of calm he does when he goes up to Jackfish Lake, Sask.

"Its got a real meditative quality," he said.