DESIRÉE DECOSTE

STAFF WRITER

The Prince Edward County Arts Council and the Art in the County (AITC) Organizing Committee are excited to announce a return to an in-person exhibition and sale this summer.

With over 100 artworks annually showcased in a wide range of media, including watercolour, acrylic, oil and encaustic paintings, sculpture, fibre, wood, photography, ceramics, glass and more, AITC is our region’s largest juried group exhibition featuring work by local artists. AITC is recognized as the premier art exhibition in Eastern Ontario.

Since its inception in 1993, the show has hosted over 60,000 visitors, showcased more than 2,400 works of art by Prince Edward County artists, and has sold over $360,000 worth of art to collectors, buyers and art lovers alike. This signature event of the summer season generates economic benefits for County businesses as well.

“With a return to an in-person show, I am so pleased to be co-chairing the committee with Christophe Doussot,” said Amy Shubert. “We can’t wait to welcome artists back to The Armoury, and are excited for the opportunity to work with Carson’s Garden + Market in the creation of a new award. We also wish to express gratitude to Elizabeth Crombie Real Estate Team for playing an essential role in making the return to an in-person show possible.”

As longtime sponsor of the People’s Choice Award and Canada Day event, Elizabeth Crombie Real Estate Team, Royal LePage ProAlliance Realty Brokerage continues their support of Art in the County as the 2022 Presenting Sponsor.

The 29th edition of Art in the County will be simultaneously presented in-person and online from June 17 to July 4. In-person visitors can view the exhibition at The Bunker, located on the lower level of The Armoury building, 206 Main Street, Picton. Accessible entry is via the Mary Street entrance. The exhibition will be curated by Vincent Depoivre and Christophe Doussot of Maison Depoivre Gallery.

As in 2020 and 2021, visitors will also be able to view digital images of this year’s selected artworks at www.artinthecounty.com. Online shows have the potential to reach a wider audience. Over the last two years, AITC sold artwork to buyers living outside our region, including in Toronto, Hamilton, Owen Sound, Kingston, Ottawa, Montreal, and Whistler.

Sponsored by Laurie Gruer & Monica Klingenberg of Chestnut Park Real Estate Limited Brokerage, the Community Arts Builder Award returns in 2022. With nominees chosen by County residents, the Community Arts Builder Award recognizes an individual who has enriched community life through the arts. Past recipients include Kato Wake, Visual Artist & Instructor (2021); Hri Neil, Carbon Art & Design (2020); Krista Dalby, Department of Illumination (2019); and Alice & Peter Mennacher, Blizzmax Gallery (2018). All 2022 nominations must be received by June 3. The Award, which includes a $250 monetary gift, will be announced on June 16.

Sponsored by PEC Community Partners and Welch LLP, the People’s Choice Award and the Children’s Choice Award will be determined by visitor ballots and presented at the close of the exhibition. Winners receive a $250 monetary gift.

The Maison Depoivre Award will be presented to an artist whose work demonstrates risk-taking and originality, technical skill, and is thought provoking. Special attention will be given to the use of colour in a daring, innovative way. The jurors will determine the award recipient from Maison Depoivre’s selection of three finalists. The winner will be invited to display their work at Maison Depoivre Gallery for the rest of the 2022 season, once AITC closes its doors on July 4.

New this year is the Carson Arthur Award which will be presented to an artist whose work represents, or evokes Nature in an innovative and original way. The jurors will determine the award recipient from Carson Arthur’s selection of three finalists. This award includes a $250 monetary gift for the winning artist and a $250 donation to a local, non-profit organization advocating for the protection of the environment (organization selected by the winning artist).

“When AITC approached us to do this award I really wanted to take art and connect it to the community, I mean we have phenomenal artists in our community but this was a different way to link it,” Carson Arthur of Carson’s Garden + Market. “The reason why many of us are here in the county is the beauty of the nature, the environment, the joy, the ability to garden and to be at the beaches and landscaping and then to take that and apply it back out. So the artists normally focus on nature and the beauty of nature but the donation that they make to an environmental group links everything back together and I wanted to be part of that. Art captures a moment of time but its translated through somebody else’s lens so the way they see it, I am fascinated by the way people see nature and see the environment different then the way I see it and then at times I look at it and go, ‘oh I never realized that’, and art has the ability to translate a different message, and so I want people to be focusing on that, there version of what nature brings, the beauty, any concept of it that intrigues them as artists the moment they are trying to communicate, so of course, how could I not be a part of this!?”

Five Jurors’ Choice Awards ($250 each) and five Honourable Mentions ($100 each) are supported by local businesses, including 2gallery, Angeline’s Inn, Arts on Main Gallery, Family Dentistry@Picton, Gilbert & Lighthall Marketplace, Kingston Frameworks, Picton Home Hardware, Printcraft, and The Local Store. Winners to be announced on June 16.

AITC is grateful for the continued support of Sage Design & Construction, and welcomes McDougall Insurance & Finance and The Eddie Hotel & Farm as new Supporting Sponsors. With the support of their wonderful sponsors, the organizing committee is looking forward to showcasing and celebrating the extraordinary talent of local artists in this 29th edition of the show.

Artist entry deadline for submitting registration form, image(s) and payment is June 3 at 12PM. For eligibility requirements and conditions, including tips on how to photograph artwork please visit www.artinthecounty.com

Artists will be required to drop-off artwork at The Bunker on June 12.

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

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