Monday May 2, 2022 | SOOKE, BC
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
BC coastal island artists have about three weeks left to submit their works to the 36th Sooke Fine Arts Show (SFAS). The deadline is midnight on May 24, 2022.
2022 Sooke Fine Arts Show submissions may include original paintings, sculpture, photography, fibre arts, ceramics and hand-formed jewelry. Those submissions will then be reviewed by three exceptional BC art professionals whose considerable art knowledge and experience inform their responsibilities for jurying this year’s show.
This year’s show marks a return to the SEAPARC Leisure Complex for the live arts festival, after two years being presented online during the COVID pandemic (summer 2020 and summer 2021).
From July 22 through August 1 the event includes access to the gallery of juried art works, as well as music, demonstrations, talks, guided tours, and activities for youth and seniors.
The festival kicks off Thursday July 21 at the arena with the popular Purchasers’ Preview Night.
Jury builds the theme:
This year’s SFAS jury panel includes some of BC’s most experienced arts professionals, all with considerable depth and breadth in their knowledge of the arts, says SFAS Executive Director Terrie Moore.
This year’s jurors are Mark Heine, Nicholas Tuele, and Barbara Zeigler. They will review and select over 300 art pieces for the Show and determine the pieces for SFAS 2022 awards and special recognition.
- Mark Heine is a previous winner at the Sooke Fine Arts Show and looks forward to rewarding the adventurous spirit of the submitting artists and bestowing the same confidence in them that was once given to him. He believes that each artist has influences and experiences that are as distinct as a fingerprint. “No two artists are alike,” says Heine. “And the changing preferences of a different jury opens the door to appreciating a wider scope of art. What doesn’t catch the jury’s eye one year may in the next, through a different set of eyes.”
- Nick Tuele looks for excellence, innovation, presentation, and achievement of the artist’s objective in submitted pieces. “Artists must be attentive to every detail of their work, because the smallest of reasons will allow the juror to pass over the piece,” says Tuele.
- Barbara Zeigler agrees that submitting to a juried show can be helpful for the artists as they learn how to effectively communicate the meaning of their work. “I’m always most interested in works in which I sense I am seeing something in a way I have not seen it before,” says Zeigler.
The role of art:
The role that art plays in providing a medium for social and cultural commentary is an important part of its purpose, according to the jury members. Tuele suggests that artists can raise the dialogue on social issues by using their art to inform viewers of an issue and appealing to their sense of justice.
“Understanding art is generally a multifaceted process and, of course, influenced by what the viewer brings to the work of art,” says Zeigler.
Heine believes art can be a powerful soapbox: “If your expression has caused the viewer to re-assess their point of view … congratulations, you’ve just changed the world!”
Encouraging artists:
All three jurors also offer hope and encouragement to emerging and established artists. “Get lost in the dark and scary woods to explore and discover,” says Mark Heine. “Then find your way home a little older and wiser.” Barbara Ziegler agrees, “If you enjoy and find producing art intellectually and emotionally challenging and fulfilling, go for it!”
Artists are encouraged to submit works for the 2022 Sooke Fine Arts Show now through May 24. For more information on submissions see www.sookefinearts.com.
2022 Juror profiles:
MARK HEINE has exhibited throughout Canada and the US for the past 40 years, garnering over 40 national and international awards, including the designation “Associate Living Master” by The Art Renewal Centre in New Jersey. His work can be found in public collections across Europe and he has completed numerous commissions for major corporations including Sony, Disney and Starbucks. Heine lives in Victoria, BC.
NICHOLAS TUELE has worked in the cultural sector in Northern Canada and BC for more than 40 years, including 18 years at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria (AGGV) where he was Deputy Director and Chief Curator. Tuele is also a published author and owns The Art of Art Consulting, a specialty company in Victoria, BC that provides tailored solutions to cultural institutions, collectors, and artists.
BARBARA ZEIGLER is professor emerita of the Department of Art History, Visual Art and Theory at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. She is also an artist working in printmaking, photography, drawing, installation, video, and collaborative public art projects. Zeigler’s artworks have been widely exhibited and are in numerous national and international public collections.
Important Dates
- SFAS art submissions: Call to Artists is open now and closes at midnight, Thursday, May 24, 2022. For submission information and details see www.sookefinearts.com
- Purchasers’ Preview Night: July 21, 2022. Tickets on sale in May at www.sookefinearts.com
- Sooke Fine Arts Show: July 22 through August 1, 2022 at SEAPARC Leisure Complex, 2168 Phillips Road, Sooke, BC
About the show:
The Sooke Fine Arts Show and Sale is a volunteer driven, community-proud event with a 36-year history of showcasing art and culture of the region. The popular event is an economic driver for the Sooke region, drawing visitors from the local area, from the Lower Mainland, across Canada, the US and abroad to enjoy and celebrate the unique culture of Sooke and BC’s coastal area.
Sooke Fine Arts Society respectfully acknowledges that they live, work, and create on the traditional territory of the T’Sou-ke First Nation, and we are grateful to be in this beautiful place.
The Sooke Fine Arts Society is a not-for-profit, federally registered charity #R852375765RR0001.