Gillian Willans pictured with Julian Forrest (previous winner of the Foote Prize) at the ceremony on June 21st. (photo by Chris W. Carson)
Gillian Willans is the winner of the $10,000 Eldon and Anne Foote Edmonton Visual Arts Prize.
Willans, a contract painting instructor at both MacEwan University and the University of Alberta, is known for work that considers domestic interiors. She has a Master's degree in painting from the University of Alberta, and has held solo exhibitions in Toronto and Edmonton. In July, she will exhibit at the McMullen Gallery in Edmonton.
She was nominated by Heather Hamel of Edmonton's Scott Gallery.
Two short-listed artists, Isla Burns, nominated by the Peter Robertson Gallery, and Blaine Campbell, nominated by the Art Gallery of Alberta, received cheques for $1,000.
The Foote award, now in its seventh year, is open to Edmonton-area artists nominated by a regional gallery, art group or arts organization. Previous winners are Arlene Wasylnchuk, Paul Freeman, Brenda Draney, Julian Forrest, Gary James Joynes and Sean Caulfield.
Source: Visual Arts Alberta - CARFAC