Two groups of young people met at the Sunshine Coast Arts Centre in December to receive recognition for their artistic efforts.
Katherine Johnston, volunteer at the Arts Council, welcomed parents, teachers, volunteers and the artists themselves to the Sechelt banner design ceremony. The 20 chosen designs were selected by a three-member jury who wanted to strike a balance in their choice to ensure all the Sunshine Coast elementary schools were represented, to consider the relative ages of the artist and the artistic sense that was depicted.
Later in the spring the chosen designs will be outlined on large banners and painted by local adult artists, to be hung in Sechelt’s civic square this February.
Sechelt Mayor Bruce Milne and banner sponsor Neil Clayton of Claytons Heritage Market handed out T-shirts and congratulations to the assembled kids. Each T-shirt had the artist’s own unique banner design printed on it.
“It’s important to allow creativity to start young,” Milne said, reflecting on the theme for this year’s Sechelt banners: “When I Grow Up.”
The choices were diverse. Some wanted to work with animals when they grew up; others wanted to be ballerinas, photographers, astronauts or athletes.
Last year’s Sechelt banners, taken down and cleaned, were available for sale through the Arts Centre for $20.
Later that same day, another gathering of young artists, their parents and volunteers assembled in an event organized by Sheila Page.
A jury of professional artists selected 17 of the 35 young people who submitted more than 100 works of art. All of the work was required to be completed at home; that is, these were not school projects but were created on their own initiatives.
The results were imaginative: Henry Motloch, 11, took the Best in Show Award for all three of his works. His Self Portrait with Tongue Sticking Out bordered on the abstract while his two portraits of Rowan were novel.
In the ages five to eight category, the judges chose works by Tamo Shinagawa (colourful mixed media), Annabelle Stremlaw, Archer Motloch, Henry Rose, Ainsley Burnison and Isaac D. Izen (photography). In the ages nine to 12 category they chose Chime Peterson, Bonnie Rae, Peyton Lavery and Carley Smith. Ages 13 to 15 were won by Bela Ord (an original graphic book, Elektrik), Mekia Bakewell and Lauren Jamieson. The older youth, ages 16 to 18, were Jason Xu, Jonah Peterson and Emmalyn McKenna (watercolour).
The kids received gift cards for art supplies thanks to contributions from the Sechelt Rotary, Opus Framing and Gibsons School of the Arts. For more information about the show, see www.scartscouncil.com
