HARRISTON – The Minto Arts Council held an opening night and awards reception for its eighth annual juried art show at the Harriston Public Library on May 8. The show runs until May 30.
The Minto Juried Art Show presents a mix of mediums, styles and subjects.
There were 31 artists in this year’s show, and over 90 pieces of art entered in the competition. Artists were from Wellington, Bruce and Grey counties, as well as Waterloo Region.
When it came time for winners to be announced, Minto Arts Council president Juliane von Westerholt first thanked everyone in attendance for coming out to support the show.
“This is a wonderful turnout. It shows me that art is important to people, which is fantastic,” she said.
“We’ve definitely got a wide spread of talent, and we’re very pleased and honoured that you chose to enter this show.
Winners announced
The first winner announced was Darrol Belin, for Best Sculpture for his piece made out of stained glass titled Licorice Candy.
Belin later told the Advertiser the creation of the sculpture was a total accident.
“I was going through glass, and I was picking out some stuff for a different project, and I saw these colors, and I thought ‘that looks like licorice candy colour. I could make licorice candies,’” he said.
Belin noted he has been doing glass art since the COVID-19 pandemic, when he first bought a kit from Amazon.
“You couldn’t go anywhere, right? You couldn’t have anybody over. So we converted our guest room into an art studio,” he added.
The award for best watercolour was then given to Moumita Roychowdhury for their piece Sunkissed, a painting of a maple leaf hanging from a tree. Roychowdhury was absent for the opening night.
An award for Best Emerging Artist recognizes “a young artist to encourage you to keep up your work and to keep painting and enjoy what you do,” said von Westerholt.
This award was given to Eden Roberts-Potter for her piece titled Death.
Other awards included Best Print to Andrea Colquhoun for Heavy Sigh; Best Photography to Scott Dietrich for his black and white photo Bald Eagle, which also won the Viewer’s Choice Award; third place overall was awarded to Bev Morgan for scratch art/watercolour titled Shakespearian Time; second place overall was given to Sharon Eurig for her oil piece Harvest Evening; and first overall was presented to Beryl Roswarne for a pastel piece called The Day’s Last Hurrah.
Eurig also spoke to the Advertiser after winners were announced, explaining she has been painting for “many, many” years now.
She began taking lessons when her kids were in school, and can be found at times watching videos on YouTube for inspiration.
Eurig also noted she used to be a Grade 2 teacher, was a supply teacher for 18 years while she was home with her children, and got into teaching Grade 2 again afterwards.
“When I retired, I had more time to paint,” she said.
Typically painting with oils on canvas, Eurig decided to instead paint on wood with water-mixable oils for the juried show.
Gallery hours
Located on the upstairs level of the Harriston Public Library, the art show is available for viewing until May 30.
Minto Art Gallery hours are as follows:
- Tuesday: 6 to 8pm;
- Wednesday: 2 to 4pm;
- Thursday: 2 to 4pm, and 6 to 8pm;
- Friday 2 to 4pm;
- Saturday: 11am to 1pm; and
- closed on Sunday and Monday.
For more information, email info@mintoartscouncil.ca.
