DESIRÉE DECOSTE

STAFF WRITER

The Art in the County (AITC) Organizing Committee have announced the 2021 award winners from their 28th annual juried exhibition and the winners represent an especially wide range of media and subject matter.

Presented by the Prince Edward County Arts Council and Welch LLP, the AITC annual show and sale brings together the largest number of artworks by local artists. The exhibit is open to members of the Prince Edward County Arts Council who are residents or ratepayers of Prince Edward County. Qualifying artists were invited to enter up to two original works of art in any media.

“I am thrilled that we are able to offer such a diverse show,” said Committee Chair Amy Shubert. “The artistic community pulled together through a very challenging year, and I am excited for art lovers to view the talent of our County artists.”

The committee was delighted to receive 149 submissions by 85 artists. The number of submissions was on par with last year, but with many new entrants.

“The sheer volume of quality production submitted for consideration commented on the visionary breadth and creative vitality in your community,” added Juror Olexander Wlasenko.

The three recognized arts professionals, who were solely responsible for jurying this year’s exhibition, selected 98 works of art by 63 artists.

The 2021 Jurors were Alice Vander Vennen, Mixed Media & Textile Artist (Cobourg & Toronto), Olexander Wlasenko, Curator, Station Gallery (Whitby) and JT Winik, Visual Artist (Kingston).

“I was impressed by the scope of entries,” continued Juror Vander Vennen. “It truly felt like a community coming together to present what they do and who they are. The show embraced a wide range of talent and creativity that in turn depicted the strength and resilience of the Prince Edward County community.”

The jurors were also responsible for selecting a handful of Jurors’ Choice Awards and five Honourable Mentions.

Jurors’ Choice Award Winners included: Josh Connell, artwork title Hope, Holly Crain, artwork title One Love – 511 Dundas St W, Dianne Kehoe, artwork title Chardonnay!, Michael Lindon, artwork title Facing the Future and Tassie Notar, artwork title Backyard Bog.

Honourable mentions are: Laura Jean Campbell, artwork title symbiotic growth during a pandemic, Iris Casey, artwork titled Corvus Aviator Septem, Pauline Dinham, artwork title Titania, Stewart Jones, artwork title Night Lines w Jupiter_HWY 33 and Rhonda Nolan, artwork title that beautiful feeling.

“The works of art chosen demonstrate a broad gamut of material, experimental and conceptual range,” said Wlasenko. “Albeit diverse, each of the short-listed works shares a formal rigor and artistic sincerity reserved for the finest examples of cultural production. The cultural and material diversity of the area is 2 reflected in this online exhibition. Our felicitations go to all the artists who submitted work to the 2021 edition of the annual juried exhibition.”

Awards have a total cash value of $1,750 thanks to the support of the following businesses: Arts on Main Gallery, County Dental Care, Family Dentistry @ Picton, Gilbert & Lighthall Marketplace, jeffreyscott, Picton Home Hardware, Printcraft, Stay PEC, and The Local Store.

Since 1993, Art in the County has grown in scope and stature to become Eastern Ontario’s premier juried art exhibition, showcasing a diverse range of quality works of art by Prince Edward County artists and artisans.

As in 2020, this year’s show is presented online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Beginning June 18 and closing at 11:59 p.m. on July 4, visitors will find a link to the exhibition on Art in the County’s website homepage. All works are for sale and shipping, delivery, or pick-up is coordinated directly with the artist.

The Prince Edward County Arts Council is a registered not-for-profit charitable organization. Art in the County is also non-profit, and every dollar raised is used to produce the show.

For more information about Art in the County please visit https://artinthecounty.com or call the Prince Edward County Arts Council at (613) 476-8767 or e-mail artinthecounty@countyarts.ca

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