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Artscene By Dominik Kurek OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF 19 · Wednesday, May 19, 2010 OAKVILLE BEAVER · www.oakvillebeaver.com Sign up now for guitar, bass, drums, and piano OAKVILLE'S MUSIC STORE Stars shine at red carpet gala O akville's top creative talents were awarded for their work May 13 at an awards show filled with good entertainment, good laughs and a red carpet reception. The Cogeco Stars Among Us award ceremony was held at the Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts. Artists took home awards for best in media, literary, performing, visual and -- new this year -- young artist categories. "We believe in building community vitality," said Jeff Black, board president of the Oakville Community Foundation, which presented the young artist award. "Arts are not just a nice thing to have, they're essential to have." Black noted arts are essential to a child's development. The award went to Andrew Chown, a Grade 11 student, involved in theatre at school and last summer at the Stratford Shakespeare School. "I want to thank the Oakville Arts Council," he said. "And to Leslie (Ashworth) and Quinn (Dalgarno), I've both seen and heard your work and it's truly wonderful." Ashworth and Dalgarno were also nominated for the award. The media arts award went to Bartosz Pawlowski, a cinematographer who currently resides in Los Angeles, but grew up in Oakville. "Oakville is a great place to escape to, to find my bearings and get my inspiration," he said. The other two nominees here were Mike Przysiezny and John Serre. The literary arts award went to Peter Gruner, a local playwright who wrote a play that was a hit at the Hamilton Fringe Festival. Also nominated were Kim Addison and Derik Hawley. The performing arts award went to Scott Laurin who, in only a few years, taught himself to play the electric and acoustic guitar after getting the instrument at age 15. Paula Gardin was the only other nominee. The visual arts award went to Ixchel Suarez, who, for 30 years, has worked in painting, photography and fibre art. "I want to thank you on behalf of all the fibre artists who, for a long time, were not getting recognized," she said. Other nominees were Anna Kutishcheva and Bill Smith for the award. The awards show also included performances by local artists, including some of those nominated, like Ashworth. Internationally-known musician Johannes Linstead also performed on guitar. "Oakville and arts are words that go closely together," said the evening's host Vince Carlin, a local actor. "A community that values its artists is a civilized community." The Oakville Arts Council hosted the awards show. It will be broadcast on TV Cogeco, the event's title sponsor. Peter Gruner Andrew Chown Scott Laurin ERIC RIEHL / SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER STARS AMONG US: Above, Ixchel Suarez, centre, walks the red carpet with Esteban and Sofia Powell at the Cogeco Stars Among Us event at the Oakville Centre for Performing Arts last Thursday. Suarez took home the Visual Arts Award. Other award winners were, from top right, Peter Gruner (Literary Arts Award); Andrew Chown (Young Artist Award); Scott Laurin (Performing Arts Award); and, Bartosz Pawlowski (Media Arts Award). Bartosz Pawlowski PHOTOS BY PETER C. MCCUSKER