Budding artists received their awards last Sunday at a ceremony at the Sunshine Coast Arts Centre in Sechelt presided over by Linda Williams of the SC Arts Council, Carol McKee who organized the 17th annual Sechelt banner project and Mayor Cam Reid. In the ceremony, attended by over 60 people, parents and youngsters, awards for the best in the Arts Council sponsored show were handed out, along with certificates for those whose banner designs had been selected. A jury of the Arts Council chose 19 banner winners from hundreds of entries. The kids' banner designs will be reproduced by professional artists in full size and will hang along Cowrie Street throughout the summer. Banners will then be available for purchase next fall.
Reid thanked the parents involved "for planting the seeds," and he also applauded the many children who had participated. They were a range of ages, including banner artist Nicholas Hammond, who was so young he was carried to the podium to receive his certificate.
Those children who had taken honours in the exhibition of art on display at the Arts Centre from Nov. 8 through 26 were also awarded. Because of the support from the Sechelt Rotary Club and Sunshine Coast Teachers' Association, the Arts Council was able to award cash prizes to the young artists.
Local artists who judged the show looked for imagination, originality, design elements, presentation and communication. They chose: (first to third prize respectively) Isaac Oka, Grayson Desharnais and Emma Judd in the ages five to eight category. Ayla Stockwell won an honourable mention and also had her banner design chosen. Mikayla Lewis, Lily Lavigne and Maya Broeke won in the nine to 12 year old category, with Madison Russell picking up the honourable mention. Elizabeth Haines, Jason Jeffrey and Charie Daigneault won for the ages 13 to 15. Alana Wall won for the 16 to 18 category.
For a special prize, the Arts Centre's life drawing class awarded honours to Bethany Sunday Shortt for her drawing Dragon Cave in the five to eight year old category.
