Fanshawe Students Win National Student Art Competition

STEPAC exhibition opens Saturday, May 9 and runs until July 4, 2009.
Opening reception: Saturday, May 9, 2009, 7:00 to 9:00 p.m.
St. Thomas-Elgin Public Art Centre, 301 Talbot St., St. Thomas, Ontario

The St. Thomas-Elgin Public Art Centre (STEPAC) has announced the winners of the fourth National Student Art Competition. First place winner Brian VandeVelde, will receive a solo exhibition and a cash prize of $1,000. Monique Bedard and Laura Acosta will receive the runners-up awards of $250 and a group exhibition to be held at the same time. All three winners are students of Fanshawe College's Fine Art program, graduating in June 2009.

Fanshawe's Siskind Gallery (H-Building, London Campus) will also host an exhibition of first-prize winner Brian VandeVelde's work from Monday, August 17 to Friday, September 18, 2009. A detail of VandeVelde's artwork is shown at right (click for a closer view).

The National Student Art Competition recognizes artistic excellence for students graduating from a Canadian university or college fine art program. STEPAC provides an opportunity for emerging young artists to present their work in a professional gallery, supporting a new generation of artists in Canada.

The jurors for the 2009 competition were Catherine Elliot-Shaw, Curator of the McIntosh Gallery at The University of Western Ontario; Jens Thielsen, owner of the Thielsen Gallery in London, Ontario; and internationally-recognized artist Gerald Pedros.

For more information please contact Laura Woermke at 519-631-4040, lwoermke@stepac.ca, see the exhibition poster, or visit www.stepac.ca.