RBC names distinguished panel for ninth annual Canadian Painting Competition

RBC, with the support of the Canadian Art Foundation, today announced the judging panel for the 2007 RBC Canadian Painting Competition.

“The RBC Canadian Painting Competition recognizes the skill and talent of Canada’s emerging artists,” said Gay Mitchell, executive vice-president, RBC. “An important part of the competition is giving the artists the opportunity to have their work viewed by some of the most respected members of Canada’s visual arts community.”

The 2007 Jury Panel is made up of nine distinguished members of the visual arts community, including curators, gallery directors and artists, representing every region of Canada.

Among the nine judges is Michèle Thériault, a curator, writer and editor who is currently Director/Curator of the Leonard & Bina Ellen Art Gallery of Concordia University in Montreal. She has organized numerous exhibitions both here and abroad addressing critical issues in the work of Québécois, Canadian and international artists.

Also selected is artist John Hartman who has been exhibiting for more than 25 years internationally. His recent focus has been aerial depictions of port cities and world harbours. Currently, Cities: John Hartman, is on tour across Canada and in New York and London through 2008. A companion book of the same title, with text by Noah Richler, Dennis Reid and Stuart Reid has just been released by Altitude Publishing. Mr. Hartman has a Bachelor of Fine Arts from McMaster University.

Paul Butler, artist and gallerist based in Winnipeg, will also be judging the RBC Canadian Painting Competition. In addition to exhibiting his work internationally and being the director of Winnipeg’s Other Gallery, Mr. Butler has organized Collage Parties, gatherings where artists make their own art publicly and then immediately display it, all over North America and Europe. Recently, he founded theuppertradingpost.com - an alternative economy for artist trading. Mr. Butler graduated from the Alberta College Art & Design and has a degree in Fine Arts from the University of Manitoba.

The complete 2007 Jury Panel consists of:

Paul Butler, Artist and Gallerist, Winnipeg.

Peter Dykhuis, Artist and Director of the Anna Leonowens Gallery at NSCAD University, Halifax.

John Hartman, Artist, Penetanguishene, Ontario.

Ron Moppett, Artist, Calgary.

Michèle Thériault, Director, Leonard & Bina Ellen Art Gallery, Concordia University.

Pierre-François Ouellette, Director and owner, Pierre-François Ouellette art contemporain.

Ben Portis, Assistant Curator, Contemporary Art, Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto.

Mary Sue Rankin, Director, Edward Day Gallery, Toronto.

Reid Shier, Director/Curator, Presentation House, Vancouver.

“The Canadian Art Foundation and RBC take great pride in the quality of judges we are able to offer the entrants of the annual RBC Canadian Painting Competition,” said Ann Webb, acting executive director, Canadian Art Foundation. “The jury’s expertise and insight is integral to delivering a top quality competition.”

Entries are now being accepted for the annual RBC Canadian Painting Competition and must be submitted by May 4, 2007. Details and rules of the competition may be found at www.rbc.com/paintingcompetition. The submitted works will be short-listed to 15 semi-finalists by regional judges. All regional jurors come together in September to determine one national winner and two honourable mentions kicking off the national touring exhibition in Toronto. In addition, the national tour will exhibit the works of all 15 semi-finalists at prominent galleries in Moncton, Barrie, Winnipeg and Vancouver. Dates and locations of the RBC Canadian Painting Competition tour are as follows:

--National
Ontario College of Art and Design
100 McCaul Street
Toronto, Ontario M5T 1W1
September 18-27, 2007



--Eastern Canada
Galerie d’art Louise-et-Reuben-Cohen, Université de Moncton
Pavillon Clement-Cormier
Moncton, New Brunswick
October 3-12, 2007



--Central Canada
MacLaren Art Centre
37 Mulcaster Street
Barrie, Ontario L4M 3M2
October 17-24, 2007



--Western Canada
Winnipeg Art Gallery
300 Memorial Blvd
Winnipeg, Manitoba R3C 1V1
October 31 - November 11, 2007



--Emily Carr Institute of Art + Design
1399 Johnston Street, Granville Island
Vancouver BC V6H 3R9
November 24 - December 1, 2007



All finalists will be featured in Canadian Art magazine and on the web at www.rbc.com/paintingcompetition and at www.canadianart.ca.