Four new works have been added to the Provincial Art Bank bringing the total number of pieces in the provincial collection to over one hundred. Community and Cultural Affairs Minister Gail Shea announced the selection of the works and stated, "I am very pleased that we have been able to acquire more works of the Island's outstanding artists. This program allows us to assist visual artists in a very concrete way and makes their work available to the public."
The works purchased are: "Palimpsest," an oil by Donald Andrus; "Twelve Roses from an Angel," ink and pastel by Lucie Bellemare; "Twisty Stick," a work in wood and feathers by Levi Cannon; and "Silent," an acrylic by Karen Gallant. The works purchased were recommended for acquisition by the jurors of the Confederation Centre's Great Garden of the Gulf exhibition which recently took place at the PEI Council of the Arts.
Works in the PEI Art Bank are on display in buildings of the PEI provincial government to which the public has access. These include Access PEI locations, boardrooms, minister's offices and public areas. The Art Bank program has been in place for almost twenty years, and during that period an extensive collection of the work of Island artists has been assembled.
The Department's Director of Culture and Heritage, Harry Holman, said, "One of the best things about this program is that it allows us to make Island art an integral part of the workplace and shows off our talented visual artists to both staff and the public."