Revitalized sculpture contest turns trash into treasure

Artists across Windsor-Essex have the opportunity to turn junk into art at the Walkerville Artist’s Co-op’s revitalized sculpture contest.

The contest gives everyone in the community equal opportunities to participate, according to Suellen Evoy-Oozer, who is one of the five founding women of the Walkerville Artist Co-op.

Evoy-Oozer said the entire co-op idea is that everyone works together to cooperatively run the gallery, including the community. There’s a large variety of artists who use the gallery, from painters and photographers to sculpters and glass blowers.

“The whole purpose of it is to encourage people to do something creative. And with sculpture, there’s a lot of latitude there that they can recycle things and put them together in a unique way. It’s not much cost to them and also gives them a chance to try their creativity,” Evoy-Oozer said.

Rod Scholey, a woodworker and stone carver, has been participating in the contest since it began four years ago. He said the contest is a great way to show off your work.

“Being here in an art gallery, people know more about it. There’s better critiques,” Scholey said, “There is a lot of people who come in this place. It’s vanity, you like to see people and what they think of your stuff, because that’s the only way to get it out. They’re not going to come to my house, I have to go to them.”

Scholey’s carving won the first year he entered. He described it as two opposing primitive faces, carved into a stone from the pond in his backyard.

“See what other people are doing. If you feel like you have to do something like that, I think that’s good. If you have it in you and you need to bring it out, this is a good place to show it off,” said Scholey.

Winners are chosen by a panel of judges as well as a people’s choice award, encouraging people to visit the gallery and cast their ballot. The revitalized sculpture contest runs until April 14, 2019.