VANCOUVER, Sept. 22, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The British Columbia Achievement Foundation announced today the recipients of the 2017 Carter Wosk BC Creative Achievement Awards for Applied Art and Design.
“Creative innovation is a cornerstone of healthy societies,” said Scott McIntyre, Foundation Chair. “The Carter Wosk Awards in Applied Art and Design honour those who push boundaries to enhance our lives, while strengthening the British Columbia economy. Their ingenuity shines a light on what we can achieve here, and why it matters,” he added.
Recipients of the 13th annual awards are selected by jury and include:
Steven Pollock – furniture design
Anita Sikma – jewellery design
Brad Turner – glass artist
The Board of the BC Achievement Foundation named Sam Carter the recipient of the 2017 BC Creative Achievement Award of Distinction. Well known for his decades long commitment to applied art and design in BC and beyond, Carter was selected for his substantial contributions. Professor Emeritus at Emily Carr University of Art and Design, creative director and consultant, exhibition designer and travelling curator, Carter was instrumental in establishing the Carter Wosk Awards for Applied Art and Design, and they carry his name for his unwavering dedication to recognizing excellence in his field.
The above artists and designers were selected by jury members: Allan Collier, freelance curator, furniture designer and educator; Dina González Mascaró, multi-disciplinary artist, jewellery designer and past recipient; Katherine Soucie, textile and fashion designer and past recipient; and Christian Woo, furniture designer, wood worker and past recipient.
The awards will be presented later this fall at a formal ceremony in Vancouver.
The Carter Wosk Awards are named in honour of BC philanthropist, academic and visionary Yosef Wosk, Ph.D., OBC and for Sam Carter, BC educator, designer and curator.
The British Columbia Achievement Foundation is an independent foundation established and endowed by the Province of BC in 2003 to celebrate community service, arts, humanities and enterprise. For information on the British Columbia Achievement Foundation, visit www.bcachievement.com.
BACKGROUNDERS:
Steven Pollock, Furniture Design
To pursue a career anchored in creativity and design, Steven Pollock dropped his briefcase 15 years ago and picked up an unconventional material: concrete. Using self-taught techniques, Steven finishes the cast concrete and incorporates other materials to create minimalist pieces, which leave very little room for forgiveness; each piece must be perfect and no detail goes unnoticed. Mirroring the environment around him and drawing on the relationship between humanity and its interaction with nature, Steven’s work utilizes BC’s homegrown materials and is often inspired by local architecture. In his own words, “Working with concrete is a commitment. It’s a material that retains the ugly and the beautiful.” Steven’s award-winning bold and distinctive designs are easily recognizable and make a unique contribution to BC’s cultural and creative economy.
Anita Sikma, Jewellery Design
Anita Sikma grew up the daughter of an automotive technician and it is this experience that informs both her design aesthetic and love of handcrafted labour. Her most recent collection is named after her father’s automotive shop in Saskatchewan and features jewellery inspired by muffler clamps, cold connectors and sprockets. With her intuitive understanding of mechanical design, Anita has developed her collections using the traditional process of ‘lost wax casting’, blending contemporary elegance with Art Deco influence to create her androgynous classics. Starting in her East Vancouver apartment and growing into an independent studio space, Anita’s use of raw materials and hand tools supports a shrinking handful of local, family-run businesses. Her work has been featured widely in numerous publications and has a strong following of jewellery lovers and dedicated collectors.
Brad Turner, Glass Artist
Brad Turner creates sculptural and functional glass objects with a strong focus on conceptual originality, superb craftsmanship, and cohesive intent. He maintains a diverse practice that weaves in-and-out of craft, art and design. While his work displays the care and technical expertise expected of top artisans, it is imbued with a unique design sense. As an object maker, Brad strives to create well-made, thoughtful objects that add relevant content to creative culture. He has steadily garnered recognition for his work, receiving 24 industry awards over the years, and readily pursues artistic development over stability. Brad has quickly become a positive influence within the Vancouver glass scene and is considered a talented and committed artist, designer and craftsperson who contributes his wealth of knowledge to the community.
Award of Distinction: Sam Carter – Educator, curator + designer
Sam Carter has dedicated himself to the trumpeting of BC’s vibrant applied arts and design community for the past four decades. Artist, mentor, curator, advocate and educator, Sam has guided and inspired scores of young artists and provided them with international opportunities through his work as Professor Emeritus at Emily Carr University and beyond. Determined to define design in BC, to educate British Columbians and Canadians about the exemplary work happening in their backyard, Sam sees design as a life force, integral to our quotidian tasks and unique experiences. Through his curatorial work, Sam embraces both cutting edge technology and ancient techniques, seeing all excellence in design as worthy of celebration. His efforts have challenged and changed the conversation around local applied art and design and helped focus an appreciation of the role of functional art within the province’s cultural economy. Sam continues to mentor students, serve on civic boards and committees, travel extensively as curator and educator, while devoting his time to art and design initiatives throughout the world.
Cathryn Wilson
Executive Director
BC Achievement Foundation
604.261.9777
cathrynwilson@bcachievement.com