Recent History – 1999
April 27, 1999
By Cees Mond, Daily News Staff
Ten Peace-Liard artists will have the opportunity to showcase their work in Victoria next month in the provincial exhibition artWORKS 99. The 10 works were selected from 72 entries at the Peace-Liard Regional Juried Exhibition, on display at the Dawson Creek Art Gallery until May 8.
At the show’s official opening Saturday night, Fort St. John juror Bob Bennetts, who chose the works together with Penticton juror Barbara Marchand, said the Dawson Creek regional show is of very high quality. While the jurors were afraid beforehand they couldn’t find 10 pieces of quality, when they walked into the door, “it took us 30 seconds to say: ‘this is not going to be a problem,’” Bennetts said. “The quality of the show is really high, we both agreed on that.”
The show features mostly paintings in oil, acrilyc, watercolour and pastel, but also has pottery and sculptured works, as well as glass art. Bennetts and Marchand chose the 10 pieces from a variety of media, judging three criteria: originality; artist’s use of chosen medium; and strong statement within the art.
In addition to the 10 artworks for Victoria, jurors also issued honourable mentions for 11 additional works that will be travelling the area in a regional exhibition tour.
Regardless of winning, Bennetts said all artists that supplied to the juried show are winners.
“To enter a juried show is an act of courage, because you’re putting yourself on the wall for someone else to reject,” he said.
Dawson Creek Art Gallery curator Ellen Corea said that in addition to attracting a wide variety of artists from throughout the region, the show also represented virtually every age group, from a 14-year-old artist to some artists from the seniors’ pottery class, some of whom are in their early 90s.
The opening Saturday was attended by several of the artists and others interested. Music was provided by In Roads Blues Band of Fort St. John with band members Ed Clarke, Norm Windsor and Amber Taylor.
The 10 selected works are Old Lady Swing [Emily Mattson, Rolla], Ms. Fertility, and Kiskatinaw [Inez Demuynck, Dawson Creek], Children’s Choice [Shirley Ravelli, Dawson Creek] Spring Break [Mary Berge, Dawson Creek], Who Are You? [Laraine Guidry, Pouce Coupe], Dominic’s Homestead [V. Mike Kroecher, Charlie Lake]. Rainbow of Pinks [Joyce Benson, Tomslake], Silent Midnight [Calvin Kruk, Dawson Creek], and Country Garden [Seniors’ Pottery, Dawson Creek].
The 11 works that received honourable mention are: Within [Shirley Roberts, Dawson Creek], Summer Remnant [Ramona Myram, Fort Nelson], Untitled [Anna Eichellberger, Taylor], Forest Mist [Krystle Caven, Chetwynd], Shadow Play [Moe Boucher, Dawson Creek], Untitled #1, [Barbara Swail, Dawson Creek], How Now? [Edna McPhail, Dawson Creek], The Winter Picnic and Break Up Time In Pouce [Suzanne Dixon, Pouce Coupe], Death of the Moon [Laraine Guidry, Pouce Coupe] and Faces of the Past [Trish Croal, Toad River].