Guelph, ON – November 8, 2016 – Guelph Arts Council is pleased to announce that the 2016 Jane Graham Memorial Award will be shared by two local artists, Christina Kingsbury and Garth Laidlaw. Both artists live and work in Guelph, and submitted requests for assistance to pursue specialized professional development opportunities.
Christina is a multidisciplinary artist who explores place, ecology and labour through paper sculpture and installation. Her request for assistance was to cover the costs of two intensive courses in papermaking as well as a one-on-one mentorship, all at a professional and educational paper art studio. In thus gaining a more solid technical and professional understanding of papermaking, she will be in a position to move beyond her current DIY approach to work with paper in a more proficient, experimental and sculptural way and create new monumental works that integrate landscape, sculpture and installation. The jury commended Christina for her vision, and appreciated her commitment both to her practice and to working with other artists and the public.
Garth is a painter/illustrator/storyteller who writes and illustrates children’s stories that encourage discussion about our society and cultures. He requested assistance to attend the 2016 Packaging Your Imagination Conference hosted by CANSCAIP (Canadian Society of Children’s Book Authors, Illustrators and Performers). In addition to the experience of attending several workshops and panels by established writers and illustrators, this conference will afford him the opportunity to meet art directors and get critical feedback on his work as a foundation for creating another children’s book within the next year. The jury recognized his hard work and his commitment to the local artistic community.
Both Guelph Arts Council and the jury panel were extremely pleased with the applications for the 2016 Jane Graham Memorial Award. The applicants’ stories were all inspirational, presenting the jury with some challenging decision-making.
Established in memory of local artist Jane Graham following her untimely death in March 2005, the Guelph Arts Council Jane Graham Memorial Fund is managed by The Guelph Community Foundation. As a result, Guelph Arts Council is annually able to assist visual artists residing and actively practising in Guelph or Wellington County, helping them to pursue professional development opportunities that will contribute to individual personal artistic growth. For more information about the award program, contact Guelph Arts Council at 519-836-3280 or [email protected].
Since 1975, Guelph Arts Council has been dedicated to supporting, stimulating and promoting arts and culture in Guelph. Guelph Arts Council is funded in part by The Guelph Community Foundation and City of Guelph. We also acknowledge the support of the Ontario Arts Council, an agency of the Government of Ontario.
