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7th Annual Alberta Craft Awards
The Alberta Craft Council is pleased to present the nominees for the 7th Annual Alberta Craft Awards. The recipients will be recognized at a ceremony October 15 in Calgary and will be featured in a Discovery Gallery Exhibition, January 2012, in Edmonton.
Linda Stanier & Family Memorial Award
This annual endowed award celebrates the life of Linda Stanier and honours excellence in ceramics. The nominee is:
Voyager Art & Tile ( Red Deer)
Nominated by Will Truchon
For their excellence in and dedication to fine art and craft, I nominate Brian McArthur and Dawn Detarando for the Linda Stanier & Family Memorial Award. After a recent review of their curriculum vitaes and from personal observation, I would like to recognize their accomplishments in their individual artistic disciplines and as a creative team successfully operating during a sustained high period of their livelihoods.
I first met Brian when he was a student at Red Deer College and Dawn, when they both arrived in Red Deer after earning a Master’s of Fine Art Degree from Ohio State University. At this early junction in their disciplines, both exhibited great excitement and eagerness to develop a viable creative partnership. Since then, they have built a beautiful home/studio and exceptionally talented art careers. The artwork they have produced reflect both quality and substance as recognized by the numerous awards they’ve received. It should be noted that these awards have extended beyond realms of art and craft into industry as is evidenced by the recent award of merit at the 2011 Alberta Masonry Awards. This accomplishment naturally springs from their disciplined energy and excitement in everything they do. Creative explorations in their field include a wide range of ceramics, tile, sculpture, pottery, large scale public artworks, snow carving, sand carving, mosaics, and drawing. Beyond these creative elements, they round out their waking existence with healthy pursuits: curling, swimming, skating, taxidermy, rugby, x-country skiing, soccer, flowers, cuisine, farming, creative writing and music (Brian is learning to play the accordion). These pursuits illustrate an amazing thirst for experience that later surfaces from within the content of their work.
The narrative of their aesthetic has the distinction of reaching out and embracing a diverse and receptive audience. Their core thematic resources resonate with history, touching on Canadiana, migration, whimsy and family. All are relevant to this province while maintaining universal truths that remind us of our humanity. With this, there is a sense of inclusion to their work, and accessibility to all. Within this context of community, the production of the work is often melded with employment opportunities for students and young artists, workshops, teaching at every level and residencies that represent Alberta to the world. Brian and Dawn continually strive for excellence for its own sake. They stretch their limits, not to win, but rather, to take part, sharing accolades, showing support, experiencing, having fun and of course, spreading fun. The reverence they hold for the world of craft is evident in their home where years of collecting and trading has enmeshed their work with the art of those they have welcome into their lives. Their home and studio contribute to a rich existence that feeds back into the development of their persistent output.
It is undeniable that their work shines with the individuality of each. But when they work together the results invariably emerge as a harmonious project of considerable presence enhancing the experience of all. I had the good fortune of knowing Linda Stanier and believe she would be very proud of Brian and Dawn - their art shares some of the same qualities of material and community that could be described in Linda’s work.
By Will Truchon
Award of Honour
Presented to a volunteer/supporter/teacher/ craftsperson that has made a significant contribution to Alberta’s fine craft culture. The nominees are:
George Heagle, Edmonton
Nominated by Brad Goertz
I cannot emphasize enough the importance of a generous figure like George. Through his mentorship I experience a tangible link to the past. In the sense that fine craft artists are living museums and vehicles of cultural knowledge and history; we are fortunate to have a craft artist as committed and studied as he is. Secondly, I now carry the same responsibility to continue my own study and to apply the same generosity to the next generation of craft artists when I am in a position to share with them what I have learned. Additionally, he has spent much effort developing a unique voice that is expressed in his contemporary work. Roughly characterized as a blend of the Arts and Crafts and Japanese woodworking techniques, his furniture exhibits a studied harmony and manages the trick of being useful, beautiful and well-constructed. He has consistently been involved in numerous exhibitions from 1989 to the present and won several awards. His work has been exhibited internationally. One of his most notable honours was his contribution to the RCMP Memorial in Mayerthorpe, Alberta. The furnishings in St. Thomas More church clearly demonstrate his mastery of the design and technical aspects of the craft. He is a long standing member and contributor to the Alberta Craft Council. I have been active in the craft for only a few years and there is so much to learn. My struggle to maintain a studio and business has been made much easier through George’s teaching. He has demonstrated useful and efficient techniques and has also helped me to find work that kept me in the shop, instead of taking a second job. I know of at least two other emerging woodworkers in Edmonton who have also benefitted from George in this manner. With thirty years experience as a professional craft artist George has much practical wisdom to share regarding the day to day management of a studio/workshop. I left my first visit to his shop with an armload of exotic wood, an earful of cautious optimism and the advice to get a real vehicle if I wanted anyone to take me seriously. Anyone who has pursued a career as a professional craft artist will understand the value of this kind of information. We cannot fake or buy experience, but we can borrow and benefit from that of others - if they are willing to share it.
George Heagle’s chief contribution to Alberta’s fine craft culture has been the cultivation of the generation after him. His outstanding body of work will speak for itself, as well as his perseverance in grinding out a career in a difficult climate. These alone are enough to warrant the recognition of this award. Still, I feel that his years of generosity, whether teaching at NAIT, in his own shop or mentoring at a breakfast meeting are his most vital and enduring contribution to fine craft culture in this province.
By Brad Goertz (Designer/Maker)
Simon Wroot, Calgary
Nominated by the Board of the ACC Simon has been an Alberta Craft Council board member since 1997. He recently retired from his 6-year position as Past-chair. Prior to that, he was Chair of the board for 5 years. In both roles he has been a major contributor to month-by-month and year-to-year vision and operation of the ACC, leading the board and executive, chairing member teams, working closely with staff, coordinating events (particularly in Calgary) and representing the Craft Council to other arts agencies and to members.
In addition, Simon was a founding board member in 1998 of the Canadian Crafts Federation. He has been Secretary and then President of CFF for the past 5 years, seeing the CCF through major projects as well as new bylaws, policies and membership structure. He will continue as CCF Past-president. Simon was a cofounder of the nation-wide Craft Year 2007. He worked on several committees for Alberta (2007) and Canada (2009) at the Cheongju International Craft Biennale. Throughout this time, Simon has also been a dedicated and participatory individual member of the Alberta Craft Council, including his work in important exhibitions, selling this work through the ACC Shop and other marketing ventures, promoting and teaching the ACC’s Business Training Program, participating in ACC events as far away as South Korea, coordinating or hosting local ACC events and generally contributing to all aspects of the ACC’s growth.
Throughout his extensive involvement in the Alberta Craft Council, Simon has been enthusiastic, insightful, popular, professional and sophisticated in all his endeavors. Simon has certainly made a greater and longer contribution to the Alberta Craft Council than any other single member.
Simon is a metal artist who has developed his skills in his predominately production oriented studio since 1990. Simon’s most recent work features extremely detailed miniature landscapes created from up to 15 layers of bronze, copper and silver. These are hand-cut and riveted together and are created as both brooches and framed works. His exhibition “Remnants of Community” a miniature metal jewellery series depicting 15 historic Alberta rural churches has been touring Alberta for the past 2 years.
Award of Excellence
Presented to an established craftsperson that excels in his/her area of craft. The nominees are:
Jackie Anderson (Calgary)
Nominated by Jane Kidd
Jackie graduated from the ACAD’s Jewellery + Metal Arts program in 1976 and has maintained an active studio practice for more than three decades. She has traveled extensively to extend her knowledge of contemporary jewellery practice and pursue research in the fields of decorative art and architecture. She is a prolific maker and has exhibited her work in galleries and museums around the world. Her work is included in numerous public collections including, the Canadian Museum of Civilization; the MacDonald Stewart Collection, University of Guelph; the Metal Art Guild of Canada and the Alberta Foundation for the Arts. Her work has also been illustrated in national and international publications most recently in ‘NEW RINGS: 500+ Designs from Around the World’ edited by Nicolas Estrada and recently presented in Barcelona. She has received many awards including ACAD’s Alumni Award of Excellence and recently she was awarded Best in Design Innovation in the ‘Zilberschmuck Art-Jewellery 2011 national juried exhibition. She was elected to the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts in 2002.
Throughout her career Jackie has been willing to push her practice into new territory. In the early 1990’s she extended the visual presence of her pins, earrings and neckpieces by incorporating the wearable work into a sculptural stand or box. The stand or box functioned like a miniature stage set displaying the main character, the wearable jewellery. Together stand and jewellery created an independent object, allowing her work to be both functional jewellery and miniature sculpture. Jackie freely embraces concepts grounded in art, craft and design practice. In her current eye wear series she focuses attention on a familiar product. Creating stylish, humorous and provocative eyewear she is reclaiming a mass-produced and branded object back into the realm of fine craft and unique wearable art.
Her long and productive career has inspired makers in many areas of craft production. She continues to influence the development of fine art jewellery and objects in Alberta through both her own world-class studio production and her generous mentoring and support of emerging artists. Jackie’s influence reaches past the Alberta border. She is recognized as a senior maker and a catalyst for design innovation in the Canadian Art Jewellery field. Her extensive knowledge of contemporary jewellery practice was recently recognized when she was called by the Metal Arts Guild of Canada to jury applications for the guilds highest level of professional membership – Platinum. Jackie is one of only eight individuals currently in this elite category of membership.
It takes enduring conviction and vision to be a full time craftsperson in Canada; Jackie Anderson’s career exemplifies these qualities. She is a pre-eminent practitioner of her craft, an innovative artist and a generous supporter of emerging artists in her field.
By Jane Kidd
Ilya Oratovsky (Edmonton)
Nominated by Sam Uhlick
For the last 40 years I have loved handmade pottery and other tools and objects that are elegant combinations of function and beauty. Our world would be a colder place if we didn’t have anything made by hand. I think that handmade pottery and furniture, hand knit sweaters; quilting and hand weaving have different vibrations than machine made objects. For me, there is a warm glow from these objects, almost like the glow from healthy skin. Other people see or sense this too.
I was honoured by the Alberta Craft Council this winter to be nominated for the Linda Stanier award. I would like to recommend someone who, at 80 years of age, truly is a lifetime craftsman and deserves much more recognition. The hand weaver Ilya Oratovsky, who sells his work at the Strathcona Market, is often overlooked because his craftmanship is so good that people mistake his work for machine weaving. Antonia and I visited Ilya and his wife Maria, who is also a weaver, at their home. We saw in his simple workshop, the looms and warping mill that he built himself. These are not the beautiful looms that are pieces of furniture, but functional tools for a man who knows exactly what he needs. Ilya and Maria were trained in the Ukraine and he designs and weaves beautiful wool, and wool and alpaca blankets. Japan is a country that has had a long tradition of handcrafts and a respect for the craftspeople that make them. If Ilya were Japanese he would be respected and nationally recognized for his skill and dedication to his craft, and his blankets would cost much more than they do here. If anyone has not had a chance to see Ilya’s traditional blankets or to buy one (or a dozen like we have), please look for him at the Strathcona Market. You can find his table in the second aisle from the east and about 100 feet north of the main entrance. His work is also available at one of the only stores in Edmonton where nothing is made in China, the Alberta Craft Council Gallery at 10186-106 Street.
If handmade objects are the warm skin of our interactions with life, Ilya is one of the people who can keep us warm in two ways.
By Sam Uhlick
Award of Achievement
Presented to an emerging craftsperson/student, in recognition of his/her achievement to date and/ or potential. The nominees are:
Brenda Danbrook (Opal)
Nominated by Jessie Danbrook
Brenda Danbrook is an ceramic artist that has proven her commitment in pursuit of a broad education in Visual Art all while maintaining an emerging professional practice. She graduated from the Australian National University with High Distinction in 2009, where she was the recipient of their Emerging Artist Award and exhibited at the Canberra Potters Society, ACT. Brenda’s work was featured in Ceramics Monthly’s Undergraduate Showcase and included in Australian Ceramic Art and Perception, September 2010. Also in 2010, she was the invited artist in residence at Strathnairn Art Association, Australia, and had a successful solo exhibition Vitrified Threads opened by the Deputy High Commissioner for Canada, David McKinnon. Brenda was also feature in The Geese Came Back at the Alberta Craft Council and her work was acquisitioned by the Alberta Foundation for the Arts from CLAY 2010. In Addition, she studied at the pottery workshop Jingdezhen, China.
Brenda’s momentum continues as she is a recent graduate of the BFA transfer program at Red Deer College (RDC), receiving a Diploma of Visual Arts where she made the Dean’s honours list. During Brenda’s studies at RDC she received the Affairs of the Arts Recognition Award for the Student Art Collection and also was selected by jury for the Group of Four exhibition at the Bilton Contemporary Art Gallery, Red Deer. In addition to being an exemplary student at RDC, and actively volunteering, she also taught ceramic workshops for Continuing Education (RDC), while maintaining her studio practice in Opal, Alberta. She is a full time vendor at St. Albert Farmers Market and her work is available at the Homestead Gallery and Number10 Arts Precinct, Australia. Brenda is continuing her endeavours in Visual Art in the Bachelor of Arts program at ACAD as a means of expanding and deepening her existing artistic practice.
Brenda is a student who has proven herself to be extremely hard working and produces work of a high quality. Brenda’s excellence in school and her achievements demonstrate the level of commitment she brings to her practice and her community.
By Jessica Danbrook
Jennea Frischke (Calgary)
Nominated by Kari Woo
Since graduating with a BFA from ACAD in 2006, Jennea has been an active and important member in the metal arts community. She seeks opportunities to exhibit and share her creative work not only in her local area of Calgary, but also provincially and nationally garnering her recognition by peers and colleagues. Her unique work is always fun and thought provoking at the same time. She has a knack of mixing her love of vintage aesthetics with her materials that is both innovative and done in a quality manner.
Jennea’s studio practice remains active alongside many other professional activities. Throughout my time being acquainted with Jennea I’ve been impressed with her continued pursuit of knowledge and experience ranging from being the student “Show + Sale” coordinator during her academic years, acting as studio assistant to esteemed metal artist Jackie Anderson, to her involvement with interdisciplinary projects such as ACAD’s Art Awareness and currently the high profile “Fabricated” event in Calgary.
Early in her professional career as an artist she has also taken on a mentorship role with the Waldorf School Mentorship program and is now an instructor with ACAD’s Extended Studies Program. Passing knowledge on is key to keeping creative culture alive so kudos to her for her contributions to our creative community.
For all these reasons and my strong belief that Jennea will continue to grow creatively and professionally while supporting the creative growth of others is why I would like to nominate her for this award. I think that the best is yet to come!
By Kari Woo
