About The Salon Prize 2012/13

Our 4th year everyone! Can you believe it!!! My intentions with this prize still remain the same (no ego yet and don’t worry it wont happen.) This prize is still about you the entrant more importantly the artist. Through facebook I have seen many of the individuals whom entered last year have shows of their own, win larger prizes and to be totally honest have adorable babies. Last year was semi-emotional and really heart warming. We almost lost a runner up who could not afford to frame their work for the show. Yes…everyone I managed to bull my way into our local framing shop and “borrow” a frame so that their work could be hung on the wall along with everyone else. What a nice feeling! And that’s what this prize is about. (Of course the money is important too!). And only yesterday my car’s back seat was finally empty with the last painting being returned to their rightful owners from last year’s show. It’s like delivering a kid you have protected from the elements for the past year.

This year our biggest obsticle was venue. Kingston is notorous for lacking venue space to show artwork and with our non-exisitant budget we cannot pay fees as high as $250/day or $3200 for 2 weeks (not including food/beverage/security/promotions). This is our biggest set back. The rest of the show is like a travelling circus….a sort of “pop up” gallery opening. And it all works because of your patience and my persitance. However I believe that we are stronger in numbers…the more entries we get the less likley the city can ignore us. And hopefully (while I am still not wrinkly and “quacking like a duck”) we will be able to secure a venue of our own. That is the vision…bigger prizes…larger venue…simple right!??? Sigh!!

Do not worry (this year!) we have a venue…….Studio 22 (www.s22.ca/gallery/index.html) has very kindly given us the whole month of Feb 2013. Think of  the later date for the show as a time to paint…time to paint better….time to over paint…re-paint….andddddd paint some more.

So please this year take advantage of what I’m handing out…I have money (sort of) and I want to give it away…devour my kindness like a hungry savage dog

and ENTER!

cause this year (2012) may be the last year.

We wish every entrant the best success!!

And we look forward to meeting you in 2013.

Sincerely,

Cleah Bunting