Outstanding BC Applied Artists and Designers Honoured With Awards

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - Oct. 23, 2015) - Premier Christy Clark and British Columbia Achievement Foundation Chair Keith Mitchell are pleased to announce the recipients of the 2015 Carter Wosk BC Creative Achievement Awards for Applied Art and Design.

"British Columbia is rich in many things, including a community of artists and designers who make creative, cultural and economic contributions that enrich communities across the province," said Premier Clark.

Recipients of the 11^th annual awards are selected by jury and include:

• Kelly Austin - Ceramics
• Alastair Heseltine - Basket Weaving
• Renée Macdonald - Shoemaking

Arc'teryx, a technical high-performance outerwear and equipment company located in North Vancouver, was named the recipient of the 2015 BC Creative Achievement Award of Distinction. This award celebrates the Arc'teryx team's innovation and design in its production for more than 25 years. Arc'teryx was selected by the Board of the British Columbia Achievement Foundation.

The awards will be presented in late November at a formal ceremony at Shaw Studios in Vancouver. The Foundation is grateful for Shaw's continued commitment and sponsorship in hosting the annual awards ceremony.

"The BC Creative Achievement Awards celebrate British Columbians who infuse the province's cultural and economic fabric with their creativity," Mitchell said. "They honour excellence in art that has a practical or functional application, combining purpose with beauty and showcasing the best of BC's design community."

The 2015 jury includes Sam Carter, Professor Emeritus at Emily Carr University of Art and Design; Angelika Werth, renowned fashion artist and 2007 BC Creative Achievement Award winner; Ron Kong, manager of Circle Craft Co-operative Shop & Gallery and former curator, Canadian Craft Museum; and Rob Johnston, principle designer and founder, Tangram Design and 2009 BC Creative Achievement Award winner.

The Carter Wosk BC Creative Achievement Awards for Applied Art and Design are named in honour of BC philanthropist, academic and visionary Yosef Wosk, Ph.D., OBC whose financial support made these awards possible 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.

Backgrounder

2015 Carter Wosk BC Creative Achievement Awards

Kelly Austin, Vancouver

Ceramics

Kelly Austin is an emerging ceramic artist from Vancouver, BC who has had an active creative practice since 2007. A graduate of the Emily Carr University of Art and Design in 2011, Kelly is currently working on her Masters of Philosophy in Ceramics at the Australia National University in Canberra. Kelly's work ranges from the directly functional object - used in restaurants, cafés and the home - to engagement with conceptual ideas of relationships between objects, still life and architecture.

Alastair Heseltine, Hornby Island

Basket Weaving

Educated and trained in the UK, France and Canada, Alastair Heseltine has made Hornby Island, BC his home and inspiration for more than 20 years. He practices his craft as a sculptor working with mixed media relating to the environment. The inherent nature of materials, chosen along with construction systems evolved through mindful observation and play, guide the imagery of his work. Alastair draws from the full spectrum of routines and activities that support his practice: design, craft production, farming and rural life.

Renée Macdonald, Vancouver

Shoemaking

With no formalized program of study available for shoemaking in North America, Renée Macdonald created her own educational path to learn her craft. Renée honed her skills and learned about shoe construction, design and materials through completing an introductory shoemaking course, working as a shoe retail associate and, finally, as a shoe repairer. In 2012, Renée opened her one-woman shoemaking practice called Westerly Handmade Shoes, from which she designs and crafts her bespoke shoes - offering her clients beautiful shoes that can be worn and loved for years to come.

Detailed information about the awards and a list of past winners is posted on the foundation's website at www.bcachievement.com.