HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2012-09-20, Page 19THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2012. PAGE 19.
Competitions well attended
at 2012 Threshers Reunion
Exhibit brings best of Art Bank together
Continued from page 11
Marys who finished second and
Maria Peppler from Orangeville who
finished third.
The Dikzy Chix from Milverton
took the junior group award and Two
Lucky Guys from the Stratford
area took the open group top
spot.
On Saturday, 23 fiddlers did their
best to take top spots while judges
Matthew Johnson of Waterdown and
Karl McNaughton of Clinton graded
them.
In the 70 years and over category,
John Kukoly of Welland took first
place, Mark DeLong of St. Marys
took second place, Alex Aldcorn of
Badjeros finished third place and
Mary Pearson of Little Britain
finished in fourth place.
In the 50 to 69 years old category,
Al Windmeyer from Kitchener took
first place, Ken Cook of Dorchester
was second place.
Shirley Wardle of Thamesford
finished in third place and Donna
Aldcorn of Badjeros finished in
fourth place.
In the 19 to 49 year old category,
Cassandra Swan of St. Catherines
took first place and Jeff Miller of
Dashwood took second place.
Other top spots went to the
following competitors:
• Mary Sabourin of Wingham
took first in the nine years and under
category.
• Elyse Varney of Paris took first
place in the 12 years and under
category.
• Joseph Flynn of Sebringville
took first place in the 18 years and
under category.
• Ashley Giles and Jeff Miller
took first place in the first-ever duet
competition at the event.
• Ashley Giles from St. Mary’s
took first place in the open class.
Van Egmond said that the
competitions, as well as the jam
sessions and concerts throughout the
week and weekend were well
attended.
After a dozen successful years, the
Huron County Art Bank faced a
crossroads in 2012 when the original
funding that made the program
possible ran out. Thanks to a recent
decision by Huron County Council,
however, the show has now become
part of the county’s annual budget.
Last month a presentation was
made by Huron County Librarian
Meighan Wark that compiled
comments made by those who had
participated in the Huron County Art
Show in the past, detailing its
importance to the art community in
Huron County. The comments came
from a focus group session that was
held in Goderich in June.
In an interview with The Citizen,
Wark said the feedback was
“overwhelmingly positive” towards
continuing the program. Wark says
continuing the art show will now
become part of council’s annual
budget discussion.
Because 2012 had the potential to
be the final year of the program, and
certainly the final year of the
program in its current form, Wark
and others decided to compile a
collection of award-winning works
from the Huron County Art Bank
over the past 12 years and create one
large collection, which is on display
at the Huron County Museum in
Goderich until Nov. 4. Picturing
Huron County: a retrospective
exhibit of the Huron County Art
Bank was also on display for the
summer, closing on Sept. 2.
Blyth-area artist Ron Walker has
several pieces of his work in the
Huron County Art Bank and speaks
very highly of the program.
In an interview earlier this year,
Walker said the program has done so
much for art in Huron County and
prior to the decision to continue the
funding, he said it would be a shame
if it were to be discontinued.
He said the program, and the
people who helped create it,
including Susannah Lattimer and the
members of Huron County Council
in 2000, were very forward-thinking
and they have done so much to
encourage and foster creativity in
Huron County by creating the art
bank.
The art bank afforded Walker
many opportunities to showcase his
work, which he credits back to the
founder and woman who provided
the funding for the program in the
first place: Susannah Lattimer.
Lattimer was a descendant of the
Craig family from Morris Township
and in 2000, Lattimer’s estate made
a bequest to Huron County and the
council of the day thought it fitting
that an art show/collection would be
an appropriate use for the funds.
It was expected that the show
would go on for 10 years, but it
continued for 12, with the funding
drying up in 2012.
The concept behind the show was
that every year there would be a call
for submissions and three winners
would be chosen, and purchased by
the County of Huron. After being
displayed for several months, the
pieces would then become part of
the Huron County Art Bank and
have a permanent place in a
multitude of county buildings.
One of Walker’s long, panoramic
pieces, for example, Wark says, has
been displayed in the Huron County
Health Unit building in Clinton for
years.
Wark says that the collection has
presented an interesting view of
Huron County, as the pieces, in
order to be eligible for the Huron
County Art Bank, had to depict
the artist’s “Huron Roots” in the
work.
The collection features works by
Walker, Paul Sholdice, Tristan
Eekhoff, Catherine Weber, Elizabeth
Van Den Broeck, Gwen Smithers-
Kiar, Madelaine Roske, William
Creighton, Paul Carroll, Barbara
McKnight, Paul Cousteils, Anne
Laviolette, Barbara Grace and
Elizabeth H. Carr. This is the first
time the entire collection has been
together in one gallery on display.
With his third place prize in this
year’s show, Walker’s pieces have
placed seven times over the last 12
years.
“Swamp on Limekiln Line”
earned Walker third place in 2000,
the show’s first year. He would
continue his success with the show
in 2004 with a second place prize, a
third place prize in 2005, a second
place prize in 2006, first place in
2007 and another top prize in 2009.
His piece “Swamp on Limekiln
Line, #1, Series 3” earned him third
place in this year’s show.
Accompanying Walker’s several
pieces currently hanging in
Goderich is a plaque featuring a
biography and a quote from an audio
interview in 2011 on his thoughts on
what it takes to be an artist.
The plaque reads, “I think the
business of the artist is to be visually
aware, you know, and if you’re not,
well I don’t think you can be an
artist.”
For more information on the
Huron County Art Bank, visit the
website at www.huroncounty.ca/
museum/artbank.php
Happy 30th
Birthday
Eileen
Love, your family
Congratulations to Judy Bondi
who graduated from Medix
College, Kitchener as a
Registered Dental Hygienist.
Love Rob and Alivia, Mom and
Dad, Janelle and David.
Graduation
Congratulations to Janelle Bondi
who graduated from Conestoga
College as a Registered Practical
Nurse, April 2012. She is
presently employed at Braemar
Nursing Home.
Love Mom and Dad,
David, Judy and Rob
Graduation
Entertainment Leisure&
On display
Blyth-area artist Ron Walker is featured prominently in this fall’s exhibit at the Huron County
Museum in Goderich celebrating the 12 years of the Huron County Art Bank. Walker has
placed in the show’s top three six times over the last 12 years. The show began out of a
bequest from Susannah Lattimer, but will be continued thanks to a decision by Huron County
Council. (Shawn Loughlin photo)
By Shawn Loughlin
The Citizen
Get entertainment
information on the
Entertainment section
of our
website at
www.northhuron.on.ca