SARAH WILLIAMS
STAFF WRITER
The breadth of artistic talent in Prince Edward County is on display for the 27th annual Art in the County (AITC), running from June 19th to July 31st.
As with many events, AITC has moved online due to COVID-19. Likewise, their annual opening night celebrations also took to the virtual stage.
The show has grown since 1993 to become Eastern Ontario’s premier juried art exhibition, showcasing a diverse range of quality works of art by County artists and artisans.
As with any year, the opening night marked a night of celebration and is one in which winners are announced.
Pam Carter’s “Tower of Song” was an honourable mention at the 2020 Art In the County. (Submitted Photo)
Presented by the Prince Edward County Arts Council and Welch LLP, AITC is only open to artists who are residents or ratepayers of the County, and who are members of the Prince Edward County Arts Council.
Qualifying artists were invited to enter up to two original works of art in any media created since the previous year’s exhibition and, despite the uncertain state of the world, AITC only saw a 30 per cent drop in submissions this year. In total, they received 149 submissions from 87 artists.
This year, three well-known art professionals were responsible for jurying the exhibition. They selected 100 works of art from 76 artists representing a wide range of media. The jurors for the 2020 season were Lenni Workman, Otis Tamasauskas and Peter Dušek.
“I am so excited for the public to view this on-line exhibition,” says Art in the County Chair Amy Shubert. “The jurors have selected an array of fine art across a variety of mediums that showcase the incredible talents from our artistic community. I hope that everybody enjoys Art in the County 2020.”
This years Juror’s Choice Awards went to four artists: Anne-Sophie Falconer for her casted concreten work titled, “À deux”, J. Douglas Thompson for their acrylic on canvas work titled “A Scot’s Oratorio”, Kato Wake for her oil on mylar piece titled “Winter on East Lake” and Tara Wilkinson for her photographic work “Sea is a Harsh Mistress”.
Honourable Mentions were awarded to: Keith Beaty “Window-Camp Picton”, glicée print, Pamela Carter “Tower of Song”, oil on canvas and Susan Straiton, “Rock-Bound”, oil on canvas.
These awards have a total cash value of $1,300 and are made possible by the generous support of the following businesses: Arts on Main Gallery, City Revival, County Dental Care, Family Dentistry @Picton, Gilbert & Lighthall Marketplace, The Local Store, and The Manse Boutique Inn.
Among other changes, AITC has reduced its commission from 30 per cent to 15 per cent to ensure that artists earn as much as possible. They will process sales and pay transaction fees on behalf of artists who are responsible for shipping or delivering their artwork to buyers.
AITC has not reduced its marketing budget, and will continue to promote the show locally and regionally, including a rigorous social media campaign.
For more information about Art in the County, visit: www.artinthecounty.com, call the Prince Edward County Arts Council at (613) 476-8767 or e-mail: [email protected].
The Prince Edward County Arts Council is a registered not-for-profit charitable organization. Art in the County is also non-profit, and every dollar raised is used to produce the show.