Art in the County celebrating its 20th year

Art in the County chairperson Claudia McCabe, left, and PEC Arts Council chairperson Sue Barclay, at the Merrill Inn, announcing jurors and special elements of this year’s 20th anniversary show.

Celebrating its 20th anniversary this summer, Art in the County has grown to be recognized as a premier art exhibition in Eastern Ontario.

Since its inception in 1993, the show has grown in scope and stature, showcasing high quality works of art by Prince Edward County artists and artisans.

“The show has an extraordinary history,” said Sue Barclay, Prince Edward Arts Council chairperson. “Since its inception, close to 1,600 works have been shown and about $200,000 in art work has been sold.”

What began as a two-dimensional show has become a juried exhibition of an impressive range of media  including paintings in oil, encaustic, watercolour and acrylic; and works in glass, fibre, ceramics, pottery, mixed media, photography, wood, fabric art, sculpture and jewellery.

AITC show chairperson Claudia McCabe announced three renowned Canadian art professionals will be jurying this year’s anniversary exhibition. Katerina Atanassova, chief curator for the McMichael Canadian Art Collection in Kleinberg is to serve as both a juror and curator.
Joining her as jurors are Linda Jansma, senior curator for the Robert McLaughlin Gallery, Oshawa and Peter G.S. Large, elected member of the Ontario Society of Artists and past president of the Society of Canadian Artists.

“The credentials of these three art professionals are in indeed impressive,” said McCabe. “We are simply delighted that they have agreed to lend their time, talent and expertise… and they will be helping us shine a spotlight on the many talented artists and artisans that make up the fabric of Prince Edward County.”

Jurors are responsible for the show’s content, as well as selecting the five Jurors’ Choice Awards and five Honorable Mention Awards. The People’s Choice Award is determined by visitor ballots and is presented at the close of the exhibition.

In celebration the 20th anniversary, a recipient of the new Manly E. MacDonald Award for Excellence is to be chosen.

In addition, an Artist in Residence program will see a dozen Prince Edward County artists from a range of art disciplines demonstrate their craft in the front window of Books & Company on weekends and periodically throughout the exhibition June 27 to July 14 upstairs at Books & Company, downtown Picton.