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visual arts by Carole Badgley DisCOVEry 2000:The Alpha A Ipha, this year's t h e m e f o r the / l a n n u a l DisCOVEry e x h i b i t i o n at the S e y m o u r A r t G a l l e r y , has b e e n g e n e r a t i n g an e x c i t i n g b u z z a m o n g s t artists as they focus t h e i r c r e a t i v e energy o n c r e a t i n g a w o r k that represents t h e i r i n t e r p r e t a t i o n o f "alpha." A r t i s t s , w h o may s u b m i t o n l y o n e a r t w o r k in this j u r i e d e x h i b i t i o n , were encouraged to submit their " p e n u l t i m a t e " piece early. F o r this year's e x h i b i t , artists began s u b m i t t i n g w o r k s in early 1999 in an effort t o s e c u r e a place in t h e 2 0 0 0 show. S e c u r i n g a s p o t is a c o v e t e d a c c o m p l i s h m e n t f o r many artists: c o m p e t i t i o n is stiff. F r o m Discovery T h i s year's j u r o r s , Eric A l l e n M o n t g o m e r y and Kevin M c K e n z i e , b o t h installation m i x e d - m e d i a artists, have p a r t i c i p a t e d in p r e v i o u s D i s c o v e r y e x h i b i t i o n s and easily relate t o the e x c i t e m e n t of having an a r t w o r k s e l e c t e d . It's a daunting task f o r the j u r o r s , but the w o r k s that e m e r g e d u r i n g t h e challenging p r o c e s s are definitely c o n s i d e r e d the c r e a m of t h e c r o p . A glimpse at past s h o w s u n d e r s c o r e s h o w and w h y this s h o w has b e c o m e an integral p a r t of t h e S e y m o u r A r t G a l l e r y . In Discovery '94: Oceon Inspirations, 26 e n t r a n t s w e r e c h o s e n t o exhibit. B o w e n Island painter Ian Fry's a c r y l i c - o n - c a n v a s painting 8/ue Boot was a w a r d e d the m a j o r m o n e t a r y p r i z e , p r o v i d e d by the W e s t Vancouver Foundation. T h e n u m b e r of e n t r a n t s f o r the 1995 e x h i b i t i o n increased by 50 p e r cent. C o n s e q u e n t l y , t h e w o r k s of 41 successful e n t r a n t s w e r e o n v i e w d u r i n g t h e Fantasy show. M o n i c a P r o c h a z k a , n o w living and painting in S o u t h A m e r i c a , r e c e i v e d the A w a r d of Merit. In 1996. the t h e m e Spirit in Art a t t r a c t e d 101 artists. P a i n t e r Libby M a r c u z z i c o m m e n t e d , "I'm v e r y i m p r e s s e d by the w h o l e exhibit, and especially the hanging. I w o n d e r e d h o w y o u w o u l d manage t o pull t o g e t h e r 44 a r t i s t i c visions i n t o a c o h e s i v e unit, [but] t h e t h e m e Spirit in Art c a m e t h r o u g h . " N o r t h V a n c o u v e r e n v i r o n m e n t a l i s t and p h o t o g r a p h e r M i c h a e l Easton r e c e i v e d the B e h n s e n G r a p h i c Supplies A w a r d of M e r i t . Left Discovery Folly of ' 9 9 : T h e End. The Timeless Man Klepak Right: D i s c o v e r y '94: O c e a n Inspirations. B/ue Boat by Ian Fry by Lisa ' 9 4 t o D i s c o v e r y ' 9 9 , a t o t a l of 465 artists s u b m i t t e d pieces; o n l y o n e t h i r d had t h e i r a r t w o r k s e l e c t e d .