The finalists have been chosen for the 2021/22 Salt Spring National Art Prize.
A total of 1,608 artists submitted 2,756 works into the contest, and organizers said the quality of the art they received was “remarkable”.
“This truly points to the value of more opportunities for Canadian visual artists to exhibit their work, the strength of the Canadian art scene, and the importance of expression, especially during these difficult COVID times,” said a press release announcing the 52 finalists.
The finalists were selected by four national jurists, and artists were anonymous to the jury.
“I salute the amazing, diverse, and relevant artists whose work it has been my privilege to see,” said founding director Ronald T. Crawford. “The fourth biennial SSNAP exhibition, opening Sept. 24, 2021, exemplifies the best in current Canadian contemporary art. It is especially gratifying to see the great response we had to our call by artists during this last very difficult year and how many referenced the effects of the pandemic.”
Among the finalists is Duncan artist David Gluck, and Salt Spring Island artist Connie Kuhns.
There are 10 prizes up for grabs, totalling $41,000, with first prize set at $20,000. Artwork from all of the finalists will be revealed to the public and exhibited online during a month-long exhibition from Sept. 24 to Oct. 25. Finalists works will be available for purchase at the exhibition and online during the exhibition dates.
Still to be determined are the four People’s Choice Awards, which people can vote for in person or online when the online public catalogue goes live.
And there’s more. Artists from the southern gulf islands who submitted works to the contest will be selected by a three person jury for the Parallel Art Show, running alongside the SSNAP exhibition at the ArtSpring Gallery on Salt Spring Island from Sept. 26 to Oct. 17.
For more information and a full list of the finalists, go to www.saltspringartprize.ca
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Events are back at the BC Forest Discovery Centre on the B.C. Day long weekend.
The centre is offering an event they describe as celebrating kids from Saturday, July 31 to Monday, Aug. 2 from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. each day, with the last train ride departing at 4 p.m.
“This event has been a popular tradition for several years now and we thought it was time to triple the fun, so we added a third day a couple of years ago,” says Chris Gale, manager at the BC Forest Discovery Centre. “Train rides, Home Depot Kid’s Building Kits, scavenger hunt, our concession, cotton candy, mini donuts, museum and our Forests Forever Exhibit. These all add up to a great educational experience, and only a few reasons for kids of all ages to come out to the event.”
Admission is $8 for children three to 18, $10 for adults, seniors and youth, and children under two get in for free.
For more information check out www.bcforestdiscoverycentre.com
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The Ladysmith Camera Club is looking forward to getting back to in-person meetings in the fall.
Their first in-person meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 28, and following that, meetings will fall on the fourth Tuesday in October and November (Oct. 26 and Nov. 23). Stay tuned for information on themes and presenters for the meetings.
On Dec. 14 the club will hold a brief annual general meeting and show images from the past year.
Ladysmith Club meetings are held at Hardwick Hall by the United Church at 232 High St., which is at the corner of High Street and 3rd Avenue in Ladysmith. Meetings start at 7 p.m.
