Constantly finding myself between gender “boxes,” in a society that never failed to mock me for my “sissiness” and constantly told me to “man up”. I felt surely that there was no place for me in this world. I felt that no one would love me because my body was deformed by the syndrome that I was born with, and that also no one could love me due to both my sexual identity and that of my gender. Now, I live in Tokyo. The positives in my life include my spouse, my writing career, my music career, and producing visual art. I would say that yes, my challenges, and managing them gave me many strengths and positive impacts. They’ve served as inspiration for innumerable pieces of art in many mediums, and they’ve given me the chance to try and inspire others; by showing them that if I can do this, so can they.

-Laurier

Iris is a figurative painter who has committed herself to the human form. Hauser has exhibited her works throughout the province and region for four decades, and her paintings can be found in numerous private and public collections. Significant commissions include portraits of chancellors and presidents of the University of Regina, and Chief Justices of the Appellate Court of Saskatchewan.