Awards
Congratulations to all of the nominees and award winners at the 2011 Thunder Bay Arts & Heritage Awards!
Ten awards were presented on Nov. 30 at the Thunder Bay Community Auditorium to celebrate the efforts of those involved in the cultural sector of our community. Thanks to everyone that attended and nominated the many deserving candidates!
award winners
- Performing & Media Arts - Paul Morralee
- Visual Arts - Christian Chapman
- Heritage - Dr. Michel Beaulieu
- Organization (non-profit) - Thunder Bay Art Gallery
- Emerging Youth Artist (2 awards) - Jason Miller and Jenna Townson
- Cultural Educator - Westgate C&VI Arts & Culture Specialists
- Cultural Supporter - Bruce Stonehouse
- Cultural Business - The Walleye
- Small Business - The Picture Store & Framing Centre
Congratulations to all of the nominees! Profiles of all nominees are listed below:
cultural educator category
Westgate CVI Arts & Culture Educators - Specialist High Skills Major Program
This group of talented and committed educators delivers an enriched bundle of credits, reach-ahead experiences, industry-recognized certifications and more in the field of arts and culture. At Westgate they offer a specialized program to enable students to gain sector-specific skills and knowledge in the context of engaging, career-related learning environments. The group includes Marian Stevenson, Barbara Boucher, Dino Pepe, Jennifer Godin, Kimberly Buonocore, Tina Vieira, Tara Green, Wendy Juan, Janet Marostica, Mary Ann Tuomi and Jamie Philp.
Rebecca Pugh - Rebecca's contribution to excellence in the teaching of the arts is considerable. As a cultural educator, she has taught many courses in various art establishments including spring and summer sessions at the Thunder Bay Art Gallery. Currently involved in an educational internship at the Thunder Bay Historical Museum, Rebecca has also demonstrated her leadership as a cultural educator during a 52-hour visual internship at Superior Collegiate and Vocational Institute.
visual arts
Judy Czank-Mayor – Judy’s contribution to local art is immense; her work focuses on Thunder Bay area landscapes, scenery and wildlife. She has been with Local Colour Art gallery since its inception, and is currently displaying works there. Her works are in oils and acrylics, and she has recently started paintings on birch bark to add an even more Northern and outdoorsy feel to her art. A member of the Lakehead Visual Arts for over two decades, she loves to spend time in and around the Thunder Bay area to gain inspiration for her work.
Rebecca Pugh – Rebecca Pugh is an award-winning young artist whose works have included juried shows at the Thunder Bay Art Gallery (2009, 2010, and 2011) and the Definitely Superior Art Gallery. Rebecca’s work has been on display in The Study, Seattle Coffeehouse and at the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra Reception at Lakehead University.
Stephanie Siemieniuk – A passionate artist and advocate, Stephanie Siemieniuk has exhibited in both solo and group exhibitions and has supported various community groups with numerous donations of artwork and volunteer time. Having worked with acrylics, watercolours and oils, Stephanie’s experience spans illustration, cartooning and painting. She is a dedicated artist who is always willing to share her creative expression through her artwork and teaching others various methods of creating.
Christian Chapman - Christian is an accomplished young artist and role model for youth as well as mature, established professionals in the arts community. Christian is well known for his effective mixed-media work and advocacy of the arts. In 2009, Christian was commissioned by the Chiefs of Ontario to paint a portrait of Elijah Harper, which was presented to Chief Harper and exhibited at the 6th Annual Youth Symposium in Kenora, Ontario.
cultural organization category
Consortium Aurora Borealis - Consortium Aurora Borealis is entering its 33rd year of educating and entertaining by providing professionally performed concerts of early chamber music. Always striving to provide the very best talent available for the audiences, the concerts provide needed employment for Thunder Bay’s professional musicians. Additionally, the organization holds a number of specialized workshops each season, often using some of the superb talent used on stage.
Eleanor Drury Children’s Theatre – This year the Eleanor Drury Children’s Theatre is celebrating its 30th year of bringing live theatre to the community. It has evolved from adults performing theatre for children to youth writing and performing theatre for their peers. The EDCT is a parent-run organization that takes great pride in ensuring each season is a memorable experience.
The Thunder Bay Art Gallery – Since its beginning 35 years ago, the Thunder Bay Art Gallery has provided the citizens of Thunder Bay and Northwestern Ontario with a rich variety of art and cultural exhibitions and a wide scope of programs and initiatives. The Art Gallery strives to demonstrate creative originality in the art that it collects, the artists it promotes and the exhibitions it presents.
Raag-Rung Music Circle – In existence since 1983, the Raag-Rung Music Circle has brought the rich cultural heritage of India to Thunder Bay. Through the years, they have created a fan base out of a handful of people and expanded it into thousands of people across a wide spectrum of ethnicity and culture within our region. Since they began, they have provided over 60 concerts, numerous workshops and have been able to attract artists numbered among the topmost-ranked in their artistic endeavor from India.
heritage category
Dr. Michel Beaulieu (Cultural Heritage) – Dr. Beaulieu is Director of the Centre for Northern Studies and Associate Professor of History at Lakehead University. For the past decade, he has taught courses on Northern Ontario history, the history of Canada’s North, Canadian politics and labour and the North American fur trade. He has served on a number of community organizations such as the Thunder Bay Museum and the Northwestern Ontario Archivists Association. He has published two books and has more forthcoming in 2012.
Bruno Valente (Built Heritage) – Bruno Valente is the current owner of the property and building known formally and historically as the ‘Murphy Mansion’. Located at 431 Selkirk Street, this designated heritage property has been painstakingly maintained and restored to its original grandeur and elegance. Over the past two years, several extensive renovations have been undertaken on the main floor of the mansion maintaining the integrity and originality of the property. Since its restorations, the building has been used by charitable organizations to host fund-raising functions, as well as other groups such as the Northern Ontario School of Medicine.
emerging youth artist category
Jason Miller – This 14-year-old artist and accomplished drummer is beyond his years in both visual and performing arts. Jason’s teachers have been impressed with his vision for creating mature, high quality art, some of which has been chosen out of thousands of entries in the Robert Bateman “Get-to-Know” Calendar for the third year in a row! Jason has already built up an extensive portfolio of art, as well as professionally recorded CDs including songs that he played on and co-wrote. Quite an accomplishment at only 14 years of age!
Hanna Wainio – Hanna Wainio is an emerging artist with a social conscience. Her work has been exhibited in the High School Art Show at the Thunder Bay Art Gallery in 2009 & 2010 and in the entrance foyer of Superior CVI. She has been very involved with mentoring children at art camps, and parents have been heard to say they are amazed by the quality of work produced by their children with Hanna’s guidance. Hanna’s interests are diverse. When not involved in visual arts, she can be found playing music, writing her blog or acting as a volunteer cross-country ski coach.
Gayle Buzzi – This talented art student is currently enrolled in Grade 12 at Westgate CVI. She creates amazing art in and out of school, constantly challenging herself by using a wide variety of media, and developing and refining her technical skills. She has exhibited her work at the High School Art Show at the Thunder Bay Art Gallery in 2010 & 2011. She has received top honours from art competitions staged by the Canadian Lakehead Exhibition and the Hymers Fall Fair. Gayle also received Tiger Achievement Visual Arts Citizenship Award in 2010. Gayle plans to pursue arts at Lakehead University and has a sincere desire to carry on in the field.
Gregory Lewis – Gregory Lewis is a multi-talented 15 year old musician who has achieved high levels of accomplishment in both piano and violin. He has competed annually in the Lakehead Music Festival where he has won scholarships, the Silver Tray and the Rose Bowl. He has also competed at the Provincial level, and in July 2010 he placed first in the Provincial Student Instrumental Competition. He has attained his Associate Performer’s Diploma with the Royal Conservatory of Music in violin, an achievement usually not reached until a musician is in their early twenties.
Jenna Townson – While Jenna Townson is able to perform on many instruments (piano, tin whistle, clarinet, violin, voice) she has built her musical reputation on the harp. Jenna is a voracious music learner and has attended many higher level music sessions for the harp and Celtic music in general, including time spent at the Goderich Celtic Institute. She is a member of the Thunder Bay Symphony Youth Orchestra, Hammarskjold High School Band and her own performing group “the Fiddleheads”. A grade 12 student, she has already built a long list of accomplishments as a community volunteer and plans to pursue a career in music.
small business category
The Walleye Magazine - The Walleye has re-energized the arts and culture scene in Thunder Bay. The writing and photography is dedicated to promoting local artists in all genres, serving to remind us every month that Thunder Bay has a diverse and vibrant arts community and a rich cultural fabric. On a continuous basis, the Walleye provides enthusiastic editorial coverage of local artists and cultural events.
The Picture Store & Framing Centre - The Picture Store was established 18 years ago by owner Lucio Coppola in response to the need for a framing and framed art shop in Thunder Bay at an affordable cost. The Picture Store & Framing Centre has grown in recent years to offer artists a venue to display their work, and to support programming for incarcerated youth by offering discounted framing for work that the youth have created. The Picture Store now hosts exhibitions for a number of community groups and has extended its operations at the new creative centre called Local Colour Gallery on Cumberland Street.
cultural business category
The Walleye Magazine - The Walleye is a business with a small but dedicated team of individuals that works hard to showcase artists, events and unique aspects of life in Thunder Bay. With honest writing and full-colour photos, the team at the Walleye Magazine covers arts and culture with a passionate voice that exemplifies our collective enthusiasm for life in Thunder Bay. The Walleye seeks to share the talents of artists living in our midst and cultural stories, whether from our past, present or future.
cultural supporter category
Bruce Stonehouse - Bruce has played a significant role in the development of several cultural organizations and programs in Thunder Bay for the past 13 years. He has served as a volunteer on many organizations and committees including the Thunder Bay Art Gallery, Thunder Bay Cultural Services Advisory Committee, Public Art Committee, Inspire Thunder Bay Cultural Plan Steering Committee and Clean, Green & Beautiful Committee, to name a few. These various committees have made significant contributions to Thunder Bay’s cultural development during his tenure. He inspired his fellow committee members with the depth of his knowledge of the arts, and approached his work with both passion and professionalism.
performing & media art category
Nicole Armstrong – Nicole has contributed to the arts community in myriad ways through her teaching initiatives, her volunteer efforts, her event coordination, her performances and her work with community theatre. This past year, Nicole singlehandedly organized, produced and directed ‘An Evening with the Arts,’ an interdisciplinary arts event involving over 30 artists and an eclectic array of musicians, dancers and actors. Nicole is committed to a lifelong education in the arts and has obtained her associate teaching certification with the Cecchetti Society of Canada at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School.
Paul Morralee – With over 25 years of film experience, filmmaker Paul Morralee's MorVision Films is based in Ottawa and Thunder Bay. His work includes commercial, industrial and charitable productions focusing on promotion, advertising, instruction and documentary. His filmography includes such recent projects as ‘100 Days of City Hall’ and ‘Where on Earth is My Bike?' Paul exemplifies community spirit, volunteerism and involvement in our community and has had leadership roles in over 20 community-based organizations in the last 20 plus years.
