The Strathbutler Award is a biennial prize awarded to a New Brunswick visual artist. It was first awarded in 1991 as an annual prize of $10,000, which increased to $15,000 in 2005.[1] In 2011 it became a biennial award with a value of $25,000, the highest for any visual art prize in New Brunswick.[2]
| Strathbutler Award | |
|---|---|
| Awarded for | visual arts in New Brunswick |
| Sponsored by | The Sheila Hugh Mackay Foundation |
| Country | Canada |
| Reward(s) | $25,000 |
| First awarded | 1991 |
| Website | sheilahughmackay |
The Strathbutler is awarded by the Sheila Hugh Mackay Foundation, which was founded in 1987 by the New Brunswick philanthropist in order to promote the visual arts and fine crafts. A native of Saint John, Mackay lived from the mid 1980s in a cottage on her family's Rothesay estate, which was called Strathnaver. The cottage having been previously occupied by a man named Butler, she called her house Strathbutler, and later gave the name to her foundation's first art prize.[3]
The Strathbutler Award recipients are chosen by jury. Once informed of the jury's choice, Mackay personally called the winners to congratulate them, and presented them with their awards, accompanied by a poem of her own composition, at a gala.[1] Mackay died in 2004.[3]
Since 2015 award recipients have received an "iconic presentation piece" in the form of a sterling silver and copper knife designed by 2006 Strathbutler laureate Brigitte Clavette. The design is based on the Mackay family crest and named Manu forti (with a strong hand), after the family's motto.[4]
Recipients
edit- 1991 John Hooper
- 1992 Tom Smith
- 1993 Peter Powning
- 1994 Kathy Hooper
- 1995 Nel Oudemans
- 1996 fr:Marie Hélène Allain
- 1997 Freeman Patterson
- 1998 fr:Roméo Savoie
- 1999 Suzanne Hill
- 2000 Rick Burns
- 2001 Gerard Collins
- 2002 Gordon Dunphy
- 2003 Thaddeus Holownia
- 2004 Janice Wright Cheney
- 2005 André Lapointe
- 2006 Brigitte Clavette
- 2007 Dan Steeves
- 2008 Anna Torma
- 2009 David Umholtz
- 2010 Linda Rae Dornan
- 2011 Herzl Kashetsky
- 2013 Susan Vida Judah
- 2015 Paul Mathieson
- 2017 Herménégilde Chiasson
- 2019 Bruce Gray
- 2021 Mathieu Léger
- 2023 John Murchie[5]
References
edit- ^ a b Wallace, Kate (27 November 2010). "Sheila's legacy". New Brunswick Telegraph-Journal. Saint John, NB. p. S4.
- ^ Burston, Cole (24 September 2011). "Honouring Kashetsky". New Brunswick Telegraph-Journal. Saint John, NB. pp. E2.
- ^ a b Lawlor, Allison (2 November 2004). "Sheila Mackay, philanthropist, 1946-2004". The Globe and Mail. Toronto. pp. S9.
- ^ "Manu Forti". Sheila Hugh Mackay Foundation. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
- ^ "John Murchie to receive the 2023 Strathbutler Award". Sheila Hugh Mackay Foundation. 30 August 2023. Retrieved 3 October 2023.