Artists from Oak Bay and around the Pacific Northwest are invited to share their impressions of the Salish Sea in a locally inspired art contest and fundraising auction.
The brainchild of Oak Bay’s Bill Smith and other volunteers with the Cattle Point Foundation, the art contest and auction aims both to raise awareness of the Salish Sea and to support ArtsAlive2016, a year-long sculpture walk planned by Oak Bay Arts Laureate Barbara Adams, Smith explains.
“The idea is to incorporate your favourite Salish Sea scene but include at some spot in the work your impression of Chris Paul’s sculpture – out of place, out of context – but in a compelling iconic visual,” explains Smith, Oak Bay News Night Skies columnist, who has been working with Bert Webber, a professor with the Salish Sea Studies Institute at Western Washington University, to raise awareness of the Salish Sea.
“So this art contest has a local Oak Bay dimension with a much grander pan-Salish Sea objective,” Smith explains, noting many local galleries are spreading the word through their artists.
All are welcome and the contest is divided into adults and youth. “No matter what your skill level is you are encouraged to join in, and please encourage your children or grandchildren to submit their creations in the youth category,” Smith says.
The online art auction component of the program runs March 15 to April 16. Contest entries will be judged during the Celebration of the Salish Sea event at the Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre April 2, to be re-branded Shaw Centre for the Salish Sea. To enter, send a photograph of your completed work to upload@cattlepoint.org, including your full name and email address, artwork title, type and size, and reserve price. From the auction, artists will receive 50 per cent of the bid price and 50 per cent will support the Salish Sea projects. For details, visit cattlepoint.org. Find tickets for Celebration of the Salish Sea at 250-665-7511.
