LIFETIME ACHEIVEMENT AWARD
Richard Owen
There is little in the area of music, theatre or visual arts that doesn’t have Richard’s fingerprints all over it – you’ve likely seen his work but never seen him. Richard was recognized early in his career as artist with great talent, which earned him a dinner with Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh as they hosted promising young Canadians in the Arts and Sciences.
His professional career began in Stratford in 1959 as a wardrobe and props fabricator. From here Richard moved on to work with CHCH on such memorable shows as Tiny Talent Time and Randy Dandy, toured with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, and eventually returned to Hamilton to become the Stage Manager for the Hamilton Philharmonic, Hamilton Opera Company, and finally for Hamilton Place.
Richard has taught welding for sculpture at MohawkCollege, opened his own gallery, exhibited at the AGH, and reached out the community on countless occasions to lead fundraisers for fellow artists and organizations.
While the jury felt that all of the nominees in this category were incredible, Richard stood out as a rare combination of professional artist, community mentor, and behind the scenes developer. Throughout his career he has used his creative talents to build the capacity of other artists and organizations, more often than not without recognition.
MUSIC
Established Artist: Jeffrey McFadden
Emerging Artist: Sara Traficante
Jeffrey McFadden: Over the last 20 year, Jeffrey McFadden has established a place among the preeminent guitarists of his generation. His concert engagements have taken him throughout Canada, the United States and Europe. His debut recording has sold tens of thousands of copies and is frequently heard on CBC and NPR. Jeffrey is currently a Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Music at University of Toronto.
ARTS ADMINISTRATION
Established Artist: Emma Rush
Emerging Artist: Christian Cowsill
Emma Rush: Emma is the Director and Founder of Guitar Hamilton, a non-profit organization started in 2007, which presents a concert series and the Hamilton International Guitar Festival. The festival brings some of the world’s tops musicians to Hamilton and will be presented in July this year. Emma is also an active educator, teaching at Hamilton Conservatory for the Arts, RedeemerUniversityCollege and MohawkCollege, and from her home studio.
ARTS EDUCATION
Established Artist: Matt McInnes
Emerging Artist: Becky Katz
Matt McInnes: Currently Matt McInnes is the Print Studio Education Coordinator. A graduate of the OntarioCollege of Art & Design, Matt started with the Print Studio in 2005 and has since created and delivered programs that have reached more than 10,000 students, curated multiple exhibitions, and is now working on a project entitled 100 Faces of Steel – engaging steel industry professionals, environmental activists, artists and historians.
COMMUNITY ARTS
Established Artist: Vitek Wincza
Emerging Artist: Renee Jackson
Vitek Wincza: Vitek founded the HamiltonBalletSchool in 1997 after defecting from Poland. He later formed the Canadian Ballet Youth Ensemble giving young dancers the opportunity to perform alongside professionals from all over the world. In 1999 this dedication to youth expression gave birth to Culture for Kids in the Arts, a charitable organization providing youth experiences in the arts regardless of financial circumstances. Culture for Kids has reached more than 40,000 children through its innovative programming.
FINE CRAFT
Established Artist: Christopher Reid Flock
Emerging Artist: Paul Blair Leithwood
Christopher Reid Flock: After finishing studies at University of Western Ontario in English Literature and Classical Violin, Christopher continued formal studies at the School of Ceramic Design at SheridanCollege. Following his craft, Christopher moved to Japan to study for 9 years. Upon his return to Hamilton he re-established his practice where he actively mentors young artists, and is currently experimenting with oxidation firing.
MEDIA ARTS
Established Artist: Nora Hutchinson*
Emerging Artist: Aaron Hutchinson*
Nora Hutchinson: Nora received her MFA from the University of Guelph and has carried on to have a substantial career as both a practicing artist and teacher of video, performance art, music composition and installation. Nora’s work has shown both locally and internationally, she’s played a vital role in many local organizations with projects such as Urban Moorings and The Soul of Street.
*artists are not related
THEATRE
Established Artist: Colette Kendall
Emerging Artist: Stephanie Yantsis
Colette Kendall: Trained at The Second City, Colette is the Executive Director of the Staircase Theatre and has programmed more than 100 events focused on drawing together the theatre community. As an artist Colette tours nationally and internationally with her original works, and has been nominated for two Canadian Comedy Awards.
VISUAL ARTS
Established Artist: Liss Platt
Emerging Artist: Laura Marotta
Liss Platt: Liss is both a successful artist with her own career spanning photography, painting, sculpture, performance and video, as well as a respected teacher and supporter of emerging artists. As the Associate Professor of Multimedia at McMasterUniversity, Liss works to nurture young talent in our community through collective projects and commissions. Liss is a member of the Hamilton-based collective Shake & Make and her work has been shown throughout Canada, the US and Europe.
WRITING
Established Artist: Adam Getty
Emerging Artist: Jennifer Jones
Adam Getty: Adam Getty’s first book ‘Reconciliation’ won the Gerald Lampert Memorial Award and was short-listed for the 2003 Trillium Award. In 2009 he was short-listed for the Premiere’s Award for Excellence in the Arts. Currently Adam teaches creative writing here at MohawkCollege and is heavily involved in the local writing community through workshops and public presentations.