Double honours for Burk

Congratulations to Amanda Burk, associate professor in the Fine and Performing Arts department, on earning third place for her drawing Quiescence, in the exhibition Drawing 2014 at the John B. Aird Gallery in Toronto. There were 33 drawings accepted into this 15th Annual Juried Exhibition out of the 137 drawings submitted. The two jurors were Ed Pien and Dale Barrett. Pien is one of Canada’s foremost contemporary artists. His drawings, paper cut-outs and installations are exhibited nationally and internationally. Barrett has served as Director of the John B. Aird Gallery since 1998. He has been curating and coordinating exhibitions in the Public Art Gallery sector for over 30 years.

Barrett writes, "Drawing 2014 opened at Toronto's John B. Aird Gallery on Thursday evening to a packed house. Over 150 people were in attendance to take in the Drawing 2014 awards ceremony and celebrate with the 27 artists who were accepted into this exhibition. Drawing 2014 celebrates the diversity and vitality of drawing, showcasing a range of processes, styles, materials and conceptual approaches. As jurors, we were receptive to works that negotiate the boundaries of what constitutes drawing and hope our choices further discussion and enjoyment of this vital and engaging artistic practice."

“I am thrilled to have my work acknowledged by this award and by having my work accepted into the exhibition.” Said Burk. “Quiescence is a large scale graphite drawing from my most recent series which contemplates the experience of winter and dormancy in the human body. This series of work has been generously supported by the Ontario Arts Council."

Drawing 2014 is on view until Friday, February 28 at the John B. Aird Gallery, Toronto.

In addition, Burk's drawing Dual (Wooten and Miller), featuring an image of two grackles, was recently chosen by Collective Arts Brewing as one of the images that will be published on their labels in their Series Two production run of their Rhyme and Reason Extra Pale Ale starting in mid-February. This competition was international in scope and for Series Two there are 78 selected artists and musicians that will be included.