Duncan MacDonald, Brock University associate professor and chair of Brock’s Visual Arts department, accepts his award for Established Artist at the St. Catharines Arts Awards held Saturday night.
It was a moment Duncan MacDonald and others at Brock won’t soon forget.
In one of the last celebrations to be held at the Sean O’Sullivan Theatre, MacDonald, Brock University associate professor and chair of Brock’s Visual Arts department won the Established Artist Award at the St. Catharines Arts Awards Saturday night.
“Being awarded the Established Artist Award was a big surprise to me,” MacDonald said. “As an artist who has been exhibiting for about 20 years, it is encouraging to know that my artwork resonates with the local community.”
MacDonald said he plans to use his $400 prize money from the award to buy a piece of art by recent Brock University Visual Arts graduate Ben Mosher.
MacDonald was one of a handful of winners either from Brock or with a connection to the school. Seven of the nominees had Brock connections.
“I am very pleased to see Professor Duncan MacDonald win the Established Artist Award,” said Carol Merriam, interim dean, Faculty of Humanities. “It’s a well-deserved recognition of his body of creative work to date, in both its quality and its almost infinite variety. That the recognition comes from his peers in the Niagara Arts community demonstrates the value and impact of his creative practice.”
In addition to MacDonald, Debbie Slade, the outgoing director of Brock Centre for the Arts won the Making a Difference Award while Janis Barlow, former Arts Administration lecturer won the Volunteer in the Arts Award.
The winners were selected by an independent jury of local arts community members covering various artistic disciplines.
Below is a complete list of the nominees.
Arts in Education Award
Sponsored by the Department of Dramatic Arts, Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts, Brock University
– Kasia Dupuis – 4Cats Arts Studio
– Dena Colling Gelentso
– Carly Manley
– Catherine Parayre
Emerging Artist Award
Sponsored by Centre for the Arts, Brock University
– Jacob Bergsma (Music/Comedy)
– Mary-Maria Bourdeau (Music/Dance/Theatre)
– Lindsay Jack Brauweiler (Poetry)
– Mike Enns (Film)
– Emma Lee Fleury (Music/Visual Arts)
– Maureen Brown Gratton (Visual Arts)
– Maggie Groat (Visual Arts)
– Chad MacDonald (Visual Arts)
– Kathy McBride (Visual Arts)
– Sarah Milan (Visual Arts)
– Jordan Versluis (Visual Arts)
– Ann-Marie B. Zammit (Music/Theatre)
Established Artist Award
Sponsored by the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre
– Matthias Bork (Visual Arts)
– Tim Denis (Theatre/Music)
– Geoff Farnsworth (Visual Arts)
– Rick Gratton (Music)
– Lynne Honsberger (Music)
– Kevin Richard Hotte (Music)
– Duncan MacDonald (Visual Arts)
Making a Difference Award
Sponsored by the Department of Visual Arts, Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts, Brock University
– Marcie Bronson
– Jane Elliott – Ballet Etc.
– Mendelt Hoekstra
– IndoorShoes
– Katie (KT) Job
– Katia Perez Mendez
– Debbie Slade
Patron of the Arts Award
Sponsored by The St. Catharines Downtown Association
– Sarah Giovannone – Yoga by Sarah
– IndoorShoes
– Chris and Catharine Lowes – Mahtay Cafe
Volunteer in the Arts Award
Sponsored by Scotiabank St. Catharines
– Janis Barlow
– Sara Palmieri
– Jennifer Wallace
