On Friday October 17, 2009 , artists and art supporters gathered to acknowledge the recipients of the 2nd Annual VANS Awards at the Nocturne Launch Party.

Yo Rodeo: Outstanding Year
Yo Rodeo is the name of screen-printing art team Seth Smith and Paul Hammond. They partnered in 2003 primarily to design and create screen-printed show posters for local events. Over the last 6 years they have focused our collaborative energy on fine art and posters, among other projects. Their ongoing project, Three Dee Realms is a series of screen-printed images meant to be viewed with anaglyphic (red/blue) 3D glasses. Each piece describes a fantasy realm or landscape and its occupants.

Karen Schlick: Art Educator of the Year
Karen has been an art educator in HRM for thirty years and has just retired at the beginning of this year. In addition to teaching art to Grades 7 – 9, she has also contributed to the future of art education in the province by writing the largest part of the new Jr. High curriculum in Visual Arts.  “As an educator, Karen Schlick is a champion of the arts who allows her passion and enthusiasm for her field to permeate all of her encounters with students and other teachers.”

Mark Stebbins: Emerging Artist Award
Mark received his BFA from Western in 2002. However took a hiatus from his art making to pursue a degree in Law from Dalhousie University (2008). Mark has recently returned to his professional career as an artist. Earlier this year Mark was the winner of the inaugural Mayor’s Award of Distinction, Contemporary Visual Art for his painting, Datamine.

2009 VANS Honour Roll: Andrew David Terris
Nominated by Charlotte Wilson Hammond, she writes, “his incredible perseverance over the years in defending and explaining what it is that artists do, why it is important to society, and why artists should have recognition that translates into a reasonable living has certainly been inspirational to me and many others in the arts community.” Andrew has worked as a craftsman, designer, artist, administrator, researcher and consultant since moving to Nova Scotia in 1971. Since 2002 he has been the principal of ARTS NOVA Cultural Research and Consulting. He is currently Chair of the Research Committee of the Nova Scotia Cultural Action Network, which recently released its groundbreaking report Nova Scotia CAN: Building the Creative Economy in Nova Scotia.