The A. J. Casson Award is given to an artist whose work is considered the best submission to the annual "Open Water" competition organized by the Canadian Society of Painters in Water Colour (CSPWC). It is named after Alfred Joseph Casson (1898–1992), painter.[1] and a member of Canada's "Group of Seven".[2] It is officially given "for outstanding achievement in watercolour painting" and is considered Canada's most significant award in this most challenging medium.[3]

"Open Water" is as implied open to any artist working in watercolour. The juried exhibitions have over the years been held in a number of notable exhibition venues including The National Gallery of Canada (Ottawa, Ontario), The Art Gallery of Ontario (Toronto, Ontario), The Beaverbrook Art Gallery (Fredericton, New Brunswick), The University of Alberta [Edmonton], The Art Gallery of Nova Scotia (Halifax), The Art Gallery of Greater Victoria (British Columbia), The Peel Art Gallery, Museum and Archives (Brampton, Ontario) and the John B. Aird Gallery (Toronto, Ontario).

The competition has attracted a distinguished series of jurors and entries from not only Canada but from many other countries.

The award consists of a bronze medal created by Dora de Pedery-Hunt which carries an image inspired by one of Casson's most iconic landscapes. The naming of the award in honour of a beloved CSPWC member and the longest surviving founder of the Society was approved by Casson himself shortly before his death. He was actively involved in the selection of the image and in approving the first sculpted maquette.[3]

Accompanied by a cash award the medal was first presented in 1991 when it replaced the CSPWC's Honour Award, a diploma, which had been presented annually from 1956 onwards to the "outstanding watercolour of the year".[4] During a transition period 1991 to 1997 the medal was accompanied by the Honour Award diploma but the latter was phased out in 1998.

Winners[edit]

1956-1990 Honour Award Recipients 1991-2011 A. J. Casson Award Winners
1956 Tom Hodgson 1991 Michael Dobson[5]
1957 Maxwell Bates 1992 Sam Black[6]
1958 Ethel Raicus 1993 June Selznick Drutz
1959 Marion Greenstone 1994 John Inglis[7][8]
1960 William Roberts 1995 Neville Clarke [9]
1961 Bobs Cogill Haworth[10] 1996 Anthony J. Batten[9][11]
1962 Peter Kolisnyk 1997 June Selznick Drutz
1963 Herbert Ariss[12] 1998 David Ladmore[13][14]
1964 Goodridge Roberts 1999 Neville Clarke[3][9]
1965 Ray Cattell[9] 2000 Daniel Barklay[15]
1966 D. Mackay Houston[16] 2001 Marilyn Blumer Cochrane
1967 John Henry Martin 2002 Vivian Thierfelder[9]
1968 Bobs Cogill Haworth 2003 Chow Jian Sheng[17]
1969 Harriet Manore Carter 2004 Karen Wilson[18]
1970 Eric Freifeld 2005 David McEown[19]
1971 Ray Cattell[9] 2006 Jennifer Annesley[20]
1972 Tom LaPierre 2007 Joanne Lucas Warren[21][22]
1973 John Newman 2008 Linda Kemp[5][9]
1974 Dainis Miezajs 2009 William Rogers[23]
1975 Ray Cattell[9] 2010 Josy Britton[24]
1976 June Selznick Drutz 2011 Pat Fairhead[25][26]
1977 Les Tait 2012 Daniel Barkley
1978 recipient unknown 2013 Andrew Kish III
1979 Janet Mitchell[27] 2014 Lisa O'Regan
1980 Tom LaPierre[28] 2015 Jansen Chow
1981 Osvald Timmas[29] 2016 Fan Zhang
1982 Sam Black 2017 Inge Kjeldgaard Tajik
1983 Dainis Miezajs
1984 Ann MacIntosh Duff[9]
1985 Sam Black
1986 Bobs Cogill Haworth
1987 Vivian Thierfelder[9]
1988 Pat Clemes[30]
1989 June Selznick Drutz
1990 Susan Leopold

References[edit]

  1. ^ "A.J. Casson, A Tribute" by Paul Duval, Published by Cerebrus/Prentice Hall, 1980, ISBN 0-920892-02-7, ISBN 978-0-920892-02-2 , ISBN 978-0-13-000596-0
  2. ^ "A.J. Casson. My favourite watercolours 1919-1957" by Paul Duval, Published by Cerebrus/Prentice Hall, 1982, ISBN 978-0-920016-13-8
  3. ^ a b c Awards Archived July 19, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ "Aquarelle, a history of the CSPWC 1925-1988" by Rebecca Sisler, Printed by Porcupine Quill and Press.
  5. ^ a b "Water Colour March 2009" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  6. ^ Open Water Information Archived July 19, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^ Inglis Quest - Biography Archived August 18, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  8. ^ "John Inglis Integral Life". Archived from the original on 24 November 2010. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Canadian Who's Who" 2010 edition, University of Toronto Press, Elizabeth Lumley editor, ISBN 978-1-4426-4155-6 [2010 ed.v 45]
  10. ^ "ONTARIO SOCIETY OF ARTISTS PRESIDENT'S ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDING FEBRUARY 29th, 1962". Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  11. ^ "Anthony J. Batten, bio". Archived from the original on 11 August 2017. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  12. ^ "ONTARIO SOCIETY OF ARTISTS PRESIDENT'S ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 1963". Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  13. ^ "David Ladmore - Artist, Fine Art Prices, Auction Records for David Ladmore". www.askart.com. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  14. ^ David Ladmore Biography/Contact Archived July 11, 2012, at archive.today
  15. ^ Awards for Daniel Barkley Archived February 5, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  16. ^ "ONTARIO SOCIETY OF ARTISTS PRESIDENT'S ANNUAL REPORT 1966". Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  17. ^ "Exploring hectic city life on canvas". 17 October 2012. Archived from the original on 17 October 2012. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  18. ^ "Welcome fareasterner.com - BlueHost.com" (PDF). fareasterner.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 March 2012. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  19. ^ DAVID McEOWN bio Archived September 11, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
  20. ^ "Diocletian's Palace" Archived September 4, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  21. ^ Auction Warren Archived August 7, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  22. ^ Kortemann, Lisa (4 July 2008). "Now showing". The Oakville Beaver. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  23. ^ "Water Colour October 2009" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 March 2012. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  24. ^ Josy Britton Exhibitions Archived September 7, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
  25. ^ The Newsletter of The Arts & Letters Club of Toronto, December 2011 Archived March 15, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  26. ^ The Ontario Society of Artists Archived January 7, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  27. ^ Glenbow Museum - Janet Mitchell fonds Archived July 6, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
  28. ^ "Artists in Canada". 16 December 2012. Archived from the original on 16 December 2012. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  29. ^ Osvald Timmas Biography Archived July 26, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  30. ^ Pat Clemes Biography Archived July 21, 2011, at the Wayback Machine