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LIFE’S MOODS: ANNUAL JURIED EXHIBITION

Written by jolmes on .

December 4, 2023 – January 27, 2024

Each year, this well-loved end-of-year event motivates our creative supporters to create submissions based on a specific theme. “Life’s Moods” is an open-ended and versatile theme that’s sure to ignite diverse, thoughtful responses.

Art is about moods: how people feel, how people respond and how they respond to one another. Our emotional states can change when we express ourselves creatively. This year’s theme seeks to explore the emotive dimensions of visual culture.

To view a 3D Matterport tour of this exhibition, please click HERE

Award Winners:

Irwin Family Award (presented by Steven Laurie and Jennifer Bedford)

JURORS’ CHOICE         Sarah Cowley – The Messenger

ADULT AWARDS (presented by Steven Laurie and Jennifer Bedford)
1st Place                       Elayne Windsor – Joy and Sorrow
2nd Place                     Kathleen O’Connor –  Hiraeth: the deep yearning…
3rd Place                      James McKeag – Avocado, Ham & Cheese

YOUTH AWARDS (presented by Marg Luit)
1st Place                       Easton Torrens – One Candle, Two Wishes
2nd Place                     Reem Al-Musowi – count your losses
3rd Place                      Amrita Babulall – Last Dance       

MAYOR’S CHILDREN’S AWARDS (presented by Town of Whitby Mayor, Elizabeth Roy)
1st Place                       Nika Sotleykin – Swan Lake
2nd Place                     Markus Mansfield – Rainbow Robot
3rd Place                      Yeji Seol – Happy Me

Peoples’ Choice Award – Diana Nadia Lawryshyn for her acrylic on wood panel painting titled Kobzar.

Below is Diana’s artist statement:

“In this painting, I aim to evoke the essence of the Bandura, a traditional Ukrainian stringed instrument. My intention is to capture not just its physical form, but its reverberant sound quality and the significance it holds within me and the broader Ukrainian community. My personal journey with the Bandura, an instrument I’ve played within a close-knit community since childhood, had profoundly shaped my sense of identity, belonging and connection to my Ukrainian heritage. The historic context of the Bandura is also one of freedom fighting, creativity and cultural legacy—serving as a symbol of our collective resilience and the enduring spirit of our people.” – Diana Nadia Lawryshyn