If you are an artist looking to showcase your work, mark June 1 on your calendar.
That’s the deadline for submissions to the 2023 Sooke Fine Arts Show, which is open to artists on B.C.’s coast islands who create original paintings, sculpture, photography, fibre arts, ceramics, and hand-formed jewelry.
Submissions are reviewed by three art professionals from B.C. who will jury this year’s show based on their art knowledge and experience.
Mile Svob, Kathleen Prince, and David MacWilliam will choose from more than an estimated 300 submissions for the show, and determine which pieces merit SFAS awards and special recognition.
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Svob, an artist and teacher since 1982, has extensive experience in both exhibiting his own work and serving as a juror for shows throughout Canada and the U.S.
His passion for juried shows shows comes from an appreciation 0f the opportunity for artists to have their work evaluated by their peers.
“The process helps you figure out where you fit in the art world,” Svob said. ”The best way for an artist to intrigue a jury is to submit a piece that will stand out. That is what almost all jurors will reward in a show like this.”
Prince, manager of the Avenue Gallery in Victoria, draws from a deep understanding of the the experience of viewing and appreciating art, and how to deepen that experience as an art show attendee.
She believes art that isn’t afraid to tell a story and the clarity of that conviction is what stands out to jurors.
“Trust your instincts and be true to your own voice,” Prince saidd. “I would recommend one pay greatest attention to their own personal response when engaging with art. What emotions or memories does it bring up, and what questions does it evoke?”
MacWilliam, a professor emeritus at Emily Carr University of Art and Design, said he likes to consider art within a greater context, and encourages all emerging artists to follow and trust in their curiosity and passions, wherever they may lead.
“What is the subject of the work, and how does it help us to make sense of the world we live in?” are questions he ponders when viewing a piece.
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This marks the 37th year for the Sooke Fine Arts Show, which will be held from July 29 to Aug. 7 at SEAPARC Leisure Complex.
For more information, sookefinearts.com.
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