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w m m m Phone: 905-845-3824 (ext. 5559) Fax: 905-337-5567 e-mail: rjerred@hattonsearch.com W E D N K S D A Y . A P R I L 3 . 2<X>1> · I \ lg e C H Awards honour partnership between business and the arts By Liz Campbell SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER Even a bad cold couldn't keep Mayor Ann Mulvale from announcing this year's finalists for the Mayor's Awards for Business and the Arts. For 13 years, the Oakville Arts Council and the Mayor have offered arts and cultural groups the opportunity to pub licly acknowledge the businesses which support them through these awards. Since the first presentations in 1989, more than 200 businesses have been nominated and more than 50 have received awards. Despite her cold, Mulvale was not going to miss announc ing the finalists at a reception at Sheridan College last week. "This is an amazing community. We have it all right here." said Mulvale. " When my children were young, we took them to see theatre performances. We walked in Gairloch Gardens. We visited the museum. And I want nothing more than to give this to the next generation of children." This year's corporate sponsors for the awards are Cooper Construction, the C IB C and the Oakville Beaver. " One of the strengths of this community is the empower ing of the arts that has resulted from this partnership," said Mulvale. "W e're fortunate to have this degree of commitment from the business sector." The awards are presented in three main categories: Corporate. Small Business, and Media. The winners are cho sen from nominees suggested by local arts organizations, rec ognizing financial, in-kind and volunteer support they have received. This is only the second year that the Media catego ry has been added. In addition, a cheque for $1,000 is pre sented to an individual or individuals for providing Leadership in the Arts. The Oakville Arts Council, an umbrella organization that promotes arts and culture in the community, worked with the Mayor's office to originate these awards which encourage the participation of the commercial sector in the arts. In addition, these awards open the door for arts and cultural organizations to develop innovative sponsorship proposals for local busi ness. The winners are announced at the Mayor's Awards for Business and the Arts Gala at the SC A ET Building at Sheridan College on May 9. Perhaps what is most unique about this presentation is the actual award that the winners receive. Not your usual ready made trophy, these are designed and created by students at Sheridan College. Each is a unique work of art, which reflects the significance of the contributor as well as the community. This year, the work of seven students will be used as the awards. Mulvale praised companies like the C IBC , which have gone the extra mile. At the first awards, Sheridan students were recognized for their contribution without financial reward. But, said Mulvale, the C IB C not only suggested that a small monetary prize be provided for the winning students, but also contributed the funds for the honoraria. Elaine Magri. of the C IBC , presented cheques to the students last Wednesday. " It's just as important to build this sector as the social serv ices network and the business sector." said the mayor. Tickets for the Mayor's Awards Gala are available through the Oakville Arts Council. (See The' page C7) Riziero Vertolli · Oakville Beaver Sheridan College Crafts and Design students (left to right) Julie Gibb, Dave Clark. Pia IsrueLson. Shelley MacDonald, Kriston Gene, Melanie Lewis, and Rhonda Kozan created the seven awards which will be presented at Mayor's Awards for Basiness and the Arts Gala on May 9. Designing awards is all about artwork By Liz Campbell SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER It's all about creativity. " I used to be an accountant, but that's not a field you can get too creative in. In fact, cre ative accounting is frowned upon by most comptrollers" laughed David Clark, a wood working student at Sheridan College and one of the seven students selected to design the Mayor's Awards for Business and the Arts 2002. " I chose Sheridan because I wanted to learn to start with the concept and build it. right what drives creativity and self-expression. Shelley MacDonald is a ceramics student, who is much influenced, she said, by Celtic art. She has a Bachelor of Commerce from Concordia University and spent 12 years in the commercial furniture industry before coming to Sheridan. Her ceramic plate, which will be the Honourable Mention prize in the Small Business category, features the intertwined branches and roots of a central oak trunk. "1 chose to do this image with the idea that business forms the roots of the community, the trunk is the arts," she said. (See `Awards' page C7) Julie Gibb referenced nostalgia and pop culture in a piece that incorporates glass and wood. through to the finish." Clark's design, a unique cabinet made of sapele, a mahogany-like wood, and embossed with marquetry oak trees created from poplar, walnut and redwood burl, is the first prize in the Small Business category. It's both beautiful and functional, which is the point for Clark. " I didn't want to create something that just sat there like a bowling trophy," he said. Kriston Gene's creation, which will be the Runner Up award in the Small Business cate gory, speaks to the power in a piece of glass. "It was interesting to go through the experi ence of applying for a commission for the first time," said Kriston. His tower of glass is inset with steel rods in a powerful and moving statement. With a back ground in psychology. Gene is interested in David Clark's unique cabinet made of sapele. a mahogany-like wood, is the first prize in the Small Business Category. Melanie Lewis's black glass bowl is inset with murines to create colourful swirling patterns in the interior. Canadian Cancer Society Societe canadienne du cancer Relay For Life w w w .oakvillebeaver.com Ho Exceptions ALL 0 1-02 W in te r G o o d s -- S K I DEPARTMENT · -CL -SKIW EAR DEPARTMENT^/ -- SNOWBOARD DEPARTMENT » > »BOARDWEAR DEPARTMENT 120 SPEERS RD, OAKVILLE