Record-breaking year for Artists in Bloom thanks to Dawson community
Dawson’s beloved Artists in Bloom event was back for the first time this year since 2019 and thanks to the extraordinary Dawson community of employees and retirees, we broke the art sales record at the conclusion of the 24th edition on April 27.
This year’s weeklong online auction of original artwork and art print sales raised $6,830. Our previous record for art sales was in 2017 when $6,675 was raised. In-person events raised additional funds through sales of admission and raffle tickets as well as drinks.
“Once again, the Dawson community’s generosity and support for students was shown,” said committee member and organizer Carey-Ann Pawsey. “Thank you to everyone who bid, purchased and promoted the event.”
This year, 100 per cent of the proceeds went to the Support for Educational Assessment Services Fund (SEAS) of the Dawson College Foundation. Assessments are essential for students who require support from the AccessAbility Centre.
“On behalf of the Student AccessAbility Centre team and the students supported by this initiative, thank you!” wrote Christine Lister and Geoff Kloos.
“Many of our students are unable to access the professional assessments needed to receive support and accommodations at Dawson, university and beyond. With the generosity of the community and all of you who contributed your time, effort, money and talent, these students will now receive the support they deserve….The SEAS Fund has consolidated the money raised by this year’s event with that raised in memory of dedicated Dawson employee Lorraine Lister to support this important cause.”
The stats for the exclusively online 2022 event are impressive: 939 visitors, 98 people registered to bid, 216 bids (of these 21 winning bids), and 68 art print sales. Harmonic Series (pictured) by Kimberley Mok was the artwork that brought the highest winning bid of $500.
Next year, the committee is looking forward to hosting an in-person Artists in Bloom event where participants will get to witness the student artists creating original artwork and enjoy the food and socializing of a Dawson event.
Thanks to the Artists in Bloom Committee: Neal Armstrong, Meinert Hansen, Michelle Lee, Carey-Ann Pawsey and Cassandra Poirier, CRLT student intern in the Communications Office. Special thanks to the talented student artists: Samira Ashian, Stella Avolio, Justine Bouchard, Laurence Breton-Turbide, Lauriane Carignan, Angela Chiarelli, Lou Choquette , Natalia Czaharyn, Rebecca Feng, Myriam Pariente Fuks, Mackenzie Gervais, Jane Hao, Lily-Rose Juneau, Juliette Lafleur-Laughrey, Kimberley Mok, Danial Parvizi , Grace Rondon, Camille Shurbaji, Julia Sidorenko, Natalie Sidorenko, Argy Stroubakis and Sergio Manuel Veranes.
The committee is also grateful for the contributions of Melanie Matthews, who procured donated canvases from Apollon Gotrick; Vahan Panikian, who did all the printing; and the Communications Office team, who supported and promoted the event: Christine Layne, Christina Parsons, Stephanie Ricci and Donna Varrica.
