September 11, 2009
BEECAUSE ART EXHIBITION AND AUCTION
Celebrating Sweet Solutions, Supporting the Arts, and Fundraising for Bee Research
September 11, 2009 – London, ON – Honey Design, Marketing and Communications is pleased to announce the 23 artists selected for the BeeCause exhibition and auction by the jury, Robin Honey, Brian Meehan and Michael Gibson. Over 140 works of art were submitted through www.beecause.ca by 70 artists from Halifax, NS to Victoria, BC.
"The volume and quality of work pleasantly surprised all of us," said Robin Honey. "This event has been promoted solely through social networking, e-marketing, word of mouth, and sponsorship, and the results have been incredible. By reaching out to the arts community, beekeepers and apiarists, and our colleagues and friends, we've gained momentum and support for the cause and the upcoming gala auction."
The BeeCause gala auction event takes place on Thursday, September 17, 2009 at The Arts Project, 203 Dundas Street, London Ontario from 7:00 – 10:00 p.m.
The auction includes three silent auction and 20 live auction works of art that can be viewed online prior to the event at www.beecause.ca/gallery. Tickets cost $20, are available in advance at The Arts Project box office, and are good for one free Bee-tini upon entry. Honey Design has also created a commemorative Bee-Shirt, available at the event and on the BeeCause website for $20. All proceeds will be donated to The Arts Project and the Canadian Bee Research Fund. The BeeCause exhibition at The Arts Project runs from September 15 – 26, 2009.
The event promises to entertain and inform, with a live Bee Colony on display by local apiarist, Andrew Stankus, and several of the artists in attendance. Speaking that evening will be Bruce Johnston, on behalf of The Arts Project; Alison Van Alten, a researcher with the Ontario Beekeepers' Association; and Robin Honey, founder and president of Honey Design, Marketing and Communications. The live auction begins at 8:30 p.m., with Master of Ceremony, Bill Brady.
Feature Artists include Aganetha Dyck, Andony Melathopoulos, and Geoff Fitzgerald
The selected artists include Aganetha Dyck, a recipient of a Canadian Governor General Award in Media and Visual Arts in 2007, and the Arts Award of Distinction from the Manitoba Arts Council in 2006. Her piece entitled, “Lady in Waiting,” features a porcelain figurine covered in honeycomb.
Andony Melathopoulos, a honey pathology technician with the Canadian federal agricultural research department (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada). Andony is also an active member of the Chicago-based Platypus Affiliated Society, which asks: How is the thought of critical theorists of modern society such as Karl Marx, Georg Lukács, and Walter Benjamin relevant for the struggle for social emancipation today? His work, "Disappearances" is a first attempt to mediate the two aspects of Andony’s life; honey bee science and political theory and practice.
Geoff Fitzgerald is a freelance photographer who has exhibited photography ranging from small coffee shops on the streets of Toronto, to high-end galleries in Toronto’s Distillery District as well as a group show and a current solo show at the Airspace Gallery Terminal 1 in the Toronto Pearson International Airport. "The Collector" is part of a photographic series entitled "Cool Creek Apiaries", a documentary style photo shoot showing the beauty of these dying insects, and the intimate relationship between the apiarist and his bees.
For a complete list of the 20 artists and their biographies, please see the Artist’s Bios page, attached.
About BeeCause: Artists and Honey bees have more in common than one might think. Both contribute in subtle and more apparent ways to the beauty and richness of our environment. Both share a mysterious language, innate to them and sometimes indescribable to on-lookers. And sadly, both do not always receive the recognition and support they so often deserve.
When Honey Design first considered how to celebrate its 20th Anniversary the goal was to do more than host a party. The BeeCause event combines supporting the local arts community, funding research on the disappearance of honey bees, and celebrating 20 years of sweet solutions and business success. For more visit: www.beecause.ca About Honey Design, Marketing and Communications: HONEY was founded in 1989 by the principal, Robin Honey. The firm offers in-house expertise from beginning to end with all creative services including communications strategy, planning and research; key message development, public relations, copywriting; creative concept and graphic design; and, website design, development and programming. With a hive of talented professionals, including graphic designers, web programmers, strategic thinkers, public relations and communication specialists, the HONEY team produces sweet results for clients. For more visit: www.honeydesign.ca.
About The ARTS Project: The ARTS Project is a very unique organization in the community as it is the means through which hundreds of artists of all disciplines are offered an opportunity to develop and showcase their work. The main goal of the ARTS Project is to give artists the support to be creative and develop their work and to offer them an outlet for which they can share that work with the community.
In addition to this arts incubator approach, The ARTS Project offers its own original programming in theatre and visual arts, education programs and seminars. The ARTS Project offers private artist studios, workshop classrooms, rehearsal space and community event space at a very affordable cost. For more visit: www.artsproject.ca.
About the Canadian Bee Research Fund: The Canadian Bee Research Fund (CBRF) is a charitable organization established to counteract the problems caused by severe reductions in federal and provincial funding for honeybee research. It is a joint project of the Canadian Association of Apiculturists and the Canadian Honey Council. Research is needed to help find the reasons for high honeybee losses.
The Canadian Association of Professional Apiculturalists (CAPA) was formed in 1959. Members study, educate and administrate in the fields of apiculture and pollination. CAPA members engage in diverse pursuits, including: research into the secrets of bee and pollination biology and conservation initiatives to encourage wild species of bees. For more visit: www.capabees.com.
The Canadian Honey Council (CHC) is the national organization of the beekeeping industry. It is a not-for-profit organization, established in 1940 and incorporated in 1950 with 8,000 member apiculturists across Canada. For more visit: www.honeycouncil.ca.
For more information, or to arrange an interview please contact:
Liisa Sheldrick, Honey Design
519-679-6755 ext. 213
liisa@honeydesign.ca
www.beecause.ca