FINALISTS ANNOUNCED FOR FORT WILLIAM HISTORICAL PARK'S REGIONAL YOUTH ART CONTEST
To celebrate Ontario and Canada's 150th birthdays, Fort William Historical Park (FWHP) held North for 150, a regional youth art contest. Northern Ontario's young artists between the ages 5 to 21 were invited to submit new, original art pieces that expressed their community's identity and connection to Canada's culture, history and 150th birthday for a chance to win great prizes. Northern Ontario's young artists answered the call and submitted works that included paintings, mixed media and video.
A panel of local judges comprised of representatives from Lakehead University's Visual Arts Department, Definitely Superior Art Gallery and the Community Arts & Heritage Education Project (CAHEP) evaluated the entries. All the artworks were evaluated primarily on their connection to the Canada 150 theme. The judges selected six semi-finalist art works from two age categories, 5 to13 and 14 to 21. From this group of semi-finalists, two finalists were chosen, one from each age category.
"I would like to thank all the young artists who participated in the North for 150 art contest. Fort William Historical Park is proud to be able to highlight Northern Ontario's amazing talent. I would also like to thank our panel of local judges for sharing their time and expertise," says Sergio Buonocore, FWHP's General Manager. "Fort William Historical Park is grateful to Ontario 150 for supporting the North for 150 Art Contest and providing Northern Ontario's youth with this great opportunity."
All the art pieces will be available for viewing on a special online showcase at www.fwhp.ca. They will also be on display at the following FWHP summer events:
• Canada Day Celebrations - July 1st, 2017
• Karnival on the Kam - July 20th-23rd, 2017
• Battle of Fort William - August 19th & 20th, 2017
Click Here to View All Art Submissions in our Digital Gallery
Congratulations to the semi-finalists and finalists:
Our Canada Emily, age 13
Finalist, Age category 5 to 13
Artist Statement: Scenes of Canada placed inside the majestic National bird.
North for 150, Thunder Bay Erika, age 18
Finalist, Age category 14 to 21
Artist Statement: My artwork is a painting incorporating all the aspects I believe define my city, Thunder Bay. I’ve included symbols depicting Canada’s identity and connecting my city to Canadian culture, such as the Union Jack and the Nishnawbe Aski Nation flags, and the cities of Port Arthur and Fort William coming together.
The four semi-finalists are:
My Canada Maia, age 10
Semi-finalist, Age category 5 to 13
Artist Statement: All of the pieces I used in my art were found locally and help to represent Canada: The purple background represents amethyst rock. The Inukshuk is made of slate rock found on the beaches of Lake Superior. The Sleeping Giant is made from birch bark. The water/waves are made from the pine cones of a spruce tree. The beach sand is actual beach sand from the Lake Superior Shores. I also included white pine bows and moss. I painted a totem pole as it represents the culture of Canada and it represents many special events and stories.
The Wonders of Canada Avia, age 12
Semi-finalist, Age category 5 to 13
Artist Statement: We spent two summers traveling across Canada. Canada is a beautiful country. I hand crafted all of the sculptures to represent a special scene of each province.
Thunder Bay – Sleeping Giant
New Brunswick – Hope well Rock
Alberta – Hoodoo
Manitoba – Polar Bear
Northwest Territories – Northern Lights
Nunavut – Igloo
Yukon – Gold mine
British Columbia – Rain Forests
Quebec – Maple Syrup and Poutine
Prince Edward Island – Lobsters
Saskatchewan – Grassland
Thunder Bay – Reflecting Canada’s Past and Present Haneen, age 18
Semi-finalist, Age category 14 to 21
Artist Statement: My artwork illustrates and highlights key aspects and symbols of Thunder Bay that represent Canada as a whole, while reflecting on its past and present. Not only does it showcase Canada’s history, but it also spotlights Canada’s rich and diverse Native culture as well as some of its recognized spots and wildlife.
Goose Riley, age 17
Semi-finalist, Age category 14 to 21
Canadian Goose to represent Canada with an aboriginal style reflection to represent Canada’s multicultural roots.
This project is proudly supported by Ontario150.
