Saturday August 5, 2023 | SOOKE, BC
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
Many of the high profile public events of the 2023 Sooke Fine Arts Show are now behind us, but the show remains open through this BC Day long weekend.
Show hours on BC Day long weekend:
- Saturday August 5: 10 am to 7 pm
- Sunday August 6: 10 am to 7 pm
- Monday August 7: 10 am to 5 pm [BC Day / closing day]
Link for admission fees and tickets. Buy tickets online or at the door.
Awards to artists:
Last night the annual Sooke Fine Arts Show awards night was held to recognize award winners and the sponsors who have supported the show this year.
Sponsor/presenters came first to the stage as the name of the winning artist was announced; quick photo op, and done.
Awards of Excellence come with $1,000 on top of the art world honour; Honourable Mention awards come with $250. Each specialty award includes a $500 prize. | See list of all 2023 Sooke Fine Arts Show awards.
Guest speakers included Langford-Juan de Fuca MLA Ravi Parmar and Sooke Mayor Maja Tait. Parmar was a new face for many, being the new MLA for the constituency that spans Langford, Highlands, Sooke and Juan de Fuca. Tait promoted the gift shop in now her 10th year as mayor.
Attending from the District of Sooke council were councillors Jeff Bateman, Al Beddows, Kevin Pearson and Tony St-Pierre.
Major sponsors:
The coordinator of the Sooke Fine Arts Show is Terrie Moore, Executive Director. On the stage last night she thanked the sponsors, the contributing artists and the jurors.
Highlighted as sponsors Friday night were:
- all levels of government: Government of Canada, Province of BC, District of Sooke
- venue: SEAPARC Leisure Complex
- media sponsors: Times Colonist, Sooke News Mirror, Island Social Trends, CFAX 1070, CTV, and Used.ca
- show sponsors: Butler Concrete, Keycorp Development, Marsden Group, Point No Point, Tom Lee Music, Seacliff Properties, Air North.
Also see list of Gold, Silver, Bronze and Copper Sponsors.
After the 45-minute award presentation event people flocked to tour through the main exhibit and the youth art exhibit, as well as enjoy some beverages and hors d’oeuvres. Regular patrons got a head start, touring the gallery while the awards event was going on.
Background music topped off the quality show ambiance.
Bright upbeat exhibit:
Each year the feel and flavour of the Sooke Fine Arts Show is unique, dependent on both what artists have created over the past year and the preferences of each year’s three jurors.
This year’s show greets guests with a bright open fresh feel. Plenty of bright yellows, fresh relaxing blues, warm wooden tones, and surprising frivolity.
There is less evidence of the heavy emotions of the pandemic years in this year’s show, as artists interpreting the world around them and within them are trying to move on, like the rest of us.
There was also an almost refreshing absence of stark exploratory nudes. Gentler and more whimsical emotions are explored.
Usually a common theme, ravens and were other birds were less prevalent this year.
===== RELATED:
Cash prizes to 2023 Sooke Fine Arts Show award winners (August 3, 2023)
Full List of 2023 Exhibiting Artists
Full list of 2023 show sponsors (July 19, 2023)
2023 Show runs for 10 days | About the jurors (July 28, 2023)
===== ABOUT ISLAND SOCIAL TRENDS:
In 2023 Island Social Trends is proud to once again be a Platinum Sponsor of the Sooke Fine Art Show.
Editor and Publisher Mary P Brooke has been covering the Sooke Fine Arts Show each year since 2008 (first in MapleLine Magazine, then Sooke Voice News and West Shore Voice News, and now at IslandSocialTrends.ca).