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2010 President’s Message
Since my inauguration into the PineRidge Arts Council in 1994 when our membership totalled a mere 33, this totally voluntarily adminstrated organization, through dedication and passion has blossomed to an individual membership of over 300 with 70 group memberships which would encompass hundreds more people. What fun it has been to be a part of this artistic group of people and I look forward to even more exciting developments in the future. Here is a brief synopsis of what we have been up to over the past year.
- Newspaper: Our run is 2700 and every two months we mail out approximately 1900 ArtScenes. Another 800 copies are distributed at various locations in Durham Region and beyond.
- Website: Mary Cook is our Webmistress and does a fabulous job keeping our site up to date and our members informed.
Check us out at www.pineridgearts.org
- Facebook: Allan O’Marra has engineered and is maintaining our presence on Facebook, an interactive website that permits our members to establish a profile, post photos and links. www.facebook.com
Activities During the Past Year:
- Organized our 11th Juried Art Show at the McLean Centre in Ajax resulting in 161 entries. We were able to exhibit 68 works and presented $4,500 in awards to 18 winning artists.
- Were able to give $1,950 back to the community (over and above our Juried Art Show) by sponsoring local projects and events – to name a few:
- Durham Philharmonic Choir Ajax Creative Arts | Pickering Rotary Music Festival |
Visual Arts Centre, Clarington | Artfest on the Esplanade | Pickering Museum Village Foundation ~ Rubber Duckie Race | StoneCircle Theatre | Station Gallery |
Pickering Teen Art Show | Musicians Meagan Turner and Kevin Odorico |
Dunbarton-Fairport United Church
- Partnered with the City of Pickering for the 13th annual Artfest on the Esplanade where we once again excecuted our successful a new hands-on youth event “Sculpt With An Artist”.
- Art in Public Places exhibitions were expanded to include:
w McLean Community Centre | Ontario Power Generation Information Centre |
Reeds Florists (Pickering Town Centre) | Dentristy on Liverpool |
Body and Wellness Family Chiropractic Centre
- Held another successful AGM/Arts Event at the Information Centre of Ontario Power Generation in Pickering, raising $1,810. Presented Honorary Memberships
to Gwen Williams and Dorsey James. Featured guest was thespian Carol Smith from the StoneCircle Theatre.
- Dorsey James and Susan Lindo instructed workshops at Ontario Power Generation’s popular summer family program Tuesdays on the Trail.
- Supplied judges for two City of Pickering art events: Dorsey James for their Employees’ Art Exhibition and Robert Hinves, Sharon Steinhaus and Gwen Williams for their Student Creative Arts Contest.
- Dorsey James and Janice McHaffie were judges and guest speakers at Pickering’s Teen Art Show.
- Gwen Williams and Cathy Schnippering spoke at an Optimists of Ajax meeting.
- Worked with the Pickering Museum Village, carving and demonstrating pumpkin carving for their Fall Family Festival.
- The PineRidge Arts Council received the Arts and Culture Community Award from the Town of Ajax.
- Cathy Schnippering received the City of Pickering Civic Arts Award.
- Thanks to Mary Cook, we can now complete our PRAC memberships on-line and pay by PayPal.
We Wish to Thank:
- • Ontario Power Generation, Pickering Nuclear for donating our AGM venue and refreshments.
- The Lemmon Sisters and musicians for being our featured AGM guests this year.
- The City of Pickering for our monthly meeting space at the Recreation Complex.
- The Town of Ajax for the use of the McLean Community Centre during our Juried Art Exhibition.
- Our Art in Public Places exhibition venues.
- Our special donors, advertisers and sponsors who support PRAC throughout the year.
- Artist Maggie Burgess for donating her “Fiddle Player” for our Artful Draw.
- Our hardworking executive, committee people and volunteers whose aforementioned dedication and passion make our Arts Council flourish.
Respectfully submitted,
Catherine Schnippering, President |
