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Arts community honours business supporters By Paula Henriques OAKVILLE BEAVER STA FF The 17 finalists of the 2003 M ayor's Awards for Business and the Arts helped increase arts awareness in Oakville by "spreading the word." By renewing their support year after year and formulating new ideas to enrich the arts, community awareness of the arts has grown tremendously, said Mayor Ann Mulvale at a media confer ence held last w'eek at Sheridan College's Crafts and Design studio. Mulvale, w'ho leads the selection committee said choosing the finalists from the initial 29 nominated wasn't easy. "As in past years the M ayor's Awards jury was struck by the dedica tion and enthusiasm of the businesses represented. Many individuals singlehandedly expanded audiences by tens, hundreds, even thousands. The arts groups they support are the richer for the leadership of individuals and busi nesses large and small that truly believe in the value of the organizations they support," said Mulvale. "We are fortunate that so many peo ple feel so intensely about their art and are willing to roll up their sleeves and see that the show goes on." For the past 14 years, the Oakville Arts Council (O A C ) together with Mulvale, has awarded businesses and individuals - corporate, small business, media and arts leadership - recognition for their contribution through monetary and in-kind donations as well as volun teer time to arts organizations in the community. Nominations are submitted by local arts organizations and evaluat ed by a selection committee. The corporate finalists are Acres International. Guardian Group of Funds. Mattamy Homes, Procor Ltd., RBC Financial Group and Tim Hortons (TDL Group). The small business finalists are Abbozzo Gallery, Assante Capital Management Ltd.. Charles Havill Chartered Accountant. Dan Cooper of Royal LePage, Gren Weis Architect and Associates and O 'C onnor Macleod Hanna LLP. Media finalists are A M 740 Prime Time Radio, The Oakville Beaver. Oakville Today, and Wave 94.7 Smooth Jazz. Michael Caine from A M 740. the only individual nominated, won the Arts Leadership award. "We are very fortunate in Oakville to have businesses large and small make arts sponsorship a priority. Not only do businesses make multi-year commit ments to support the arts but they also look for new and creative ways to help part of the grow ing arts community. "I enjoy the arts myself, and I try to help in every way that I can. I've always liked partnerships. They can be used as a creative marketing tool." said Zigrossi. who has sponsored produc tions at the Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts for the last eight years. The awards themselves are one-of-akind original works o f art that are designed by students from Sheridan's School of Craft and Design. Each year the OAC invites qualified students to compete for this commission and seven students from the Textiles, Glass and Furniture Studios were cho sen to design the pieces that will be given to the first, second, and third place winners at the gala awards dinner on May 1 at the Harbour Lighthouse Banquet and Conference Centre. Andrew Hassen, a third year textile student, created a silk wall hanging in bold colours with an image of the oak tree in the center, a symbol of Oakville's heritage. "I wanted to show Oakville's bloom ing arts community," said Hassen. Lara Finley, a third year furniture student, used laminated oak to create a three-dimensional structure that depicts Oakville's industrial and commerical growth. "It's a three-part bow and arrow form, and it has the appearance that it's launching forward to show the increased urban community." said Finley, who named the piece TriBow. "It was a good feeling when I was chosen to commission one of the pieces. It's great to be able to contribute to the arts community, and give back to them when I've gained so much," she said. DebrahLee Mclnnis. a third year Textile student spent almost 100 hours creating the red and black cotton-based hanging, depicting an Oakville hotel in 1855. After researching Oakville's archi tectural heritage in depth, she was inspired by the hotel, a building that still stands in downtown Oakville. She enlarged the image on the com puter and transferred it to a silk screen where she stitched every detail of the Chantal Ayotte · Special to the Oakville Beaver building to give it texture. "It's very rewarding to be a part of T he 17 finalists for the 2003 M ay o r's Awards for Business and the A rts w ere announced last week. Seven students from the arts community. And it's satisfying the Sheridan School of C raft and Design were commissioned to design the one-of-a-kind aw ards. A ndrew Hassen, top, to be able to please people using visu a th ird y ear textile student created a silk wall hanging with the silhouette o f an oak tree to symbolize O akville's h e r als," said Mclnnis. itage. M arisa W ard, a glass student, designed a glass oak tree, above left, with a blue sphere in its core which repre Tickets for the gala dinner on May 1 sents diversity and strength - the heart of the town. L ara Finley, a third year furn itu re student, used lam inated oak to cost $150. To order tickets or for more create a three-dim ensional stru ctu re, above center, th at represents O akville's industrial and com m erical grow th and information call 905-815-5977 or visit T ara Burke, a glass student, designed a kiln cast sculpture that has a solid glass core with a carved surface. www.oakvillearts.com. The Harbour Lighthouse Banquet our arts organizations bring the very "Without these business sponsorIneke Zigrossi, owner of Abbozzo best in arts programming to the commu- ships and support, many arts and cultur- Gallery and board chair o f the down- and Conference Centre is located at nity," said Mulvale. al groups could not survive." town BIA. says it's very exciting to be a 234 0 Ontario St. in Bronte. H O P E D A LE SHOPPING CENTRE CANADA LIFE CN TOWER CUMB Each step you take and every pledge you acquire will help raise funds to assist WWF-Canada protect our oceans and coasts, freshwater, and forests. COME VISITTHE HOPEDALE "ZOO" Our Polar Bear H.O.P.E. (Help Out Planet Earth), his talking buddy bear and plush friends will all be waiting to greet you in Centre Court. Come on out, fill out a ballot and you could win WWF Merchandise! You can pre-register in person At Hopedale Saturday, April 5t h Team Challenge Public Climb - Thursday, April 24th Saturday, April 26m W W F ©1986 WWF (©Registered Trademark At Hopedale Saturday, April 5t h Centre Court 3rd Line & R ebecca HOURS: Monday to Friday 9:30am - 9:00pm Saturday 9:30am - 6:00pm Sunday Noon - 5:00pm 905-827-0229