CFAP Selected Artists 2008-2009
Pilot Project | 2003-2005 | 2006-2007 | 2008-2009 | 2010-2011
Averns, Dick
Dick Averns was born in London. In his works of writing and photo-essay he seeks to explore the politics of national identity. Specifically his project will deal with how different nations either enable or disable conflict-related cultural canons. Through this work he proposes to provide benchmarks for “understanding how art and military activity can re-frame the War on Terror.”
Dick Averns is currently living in Calgary. He teaches at the Alberta College of Art and Design. He studied at the Wimbledon School of Art in London and completed a Master of Fine Arts degree at the University of British Columbia. He has exhibited at over twenty solo shows in Canada, the US and the UK and is a frequent contributor to several art publications.
In August 2009 Dick Averns worked alongside Canadian peacekeeping troops deployed with the Multinational Force and Observers. Located in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula Averns was based at MFO North Camp, near the border with Gaza and Israel. He also travelled to Cairo, the West Bank, Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.
McKay, Sharon
Sharon McKay was born in Montreal. She writes collections of stories about children in war conditions, for children. She proposes to interview children and adults about difficult moments and to provide Canadian children with “real insight into the role of their Canadian Forces in the world.” She visited Afghanistan in March 2009.
Sharon McKay is currently living in Kilbride, ON. She has published seven works of historical fiction for young adults, two of which were short-listed for the Governor General’s Literary Award. She has also written eleven other works of non-fiction, seven for children and four for adults. She is frequently invited to schools to explain the role of the military in the world to young audiences.
Riley, Erin
Erin Riley was born in Toronto. She seeks to express through her works universal themes and characteristics focusing on specific individuals and details in their surroundings. She proposes a multi-media combination of audio interviews, photography and texts in order to create portraits of personnel on duty to help find the universal in the specific. She visited the Canadian North in April 2009.
Erin Riley is currently living in Toronto. She studied at the University of Western Ontario and Loyalist College, has exhibited works across Canada, and worked for several publications including the Toronto Sun, the National Post, ROB Magazine and Chill.
Steele, Suzanne
Suzanne Steele was born in Vancouver. She proposes to record the Canadian soldier’s experience (relationships with colleagues, environment, equipment, people encountered, internal journey) through her poetry, reflecting “the challenges, the humour and the realities of the contemporary Canadian soldier.”
Suzanne Steele is currently living in Victoria. She has studied in Scotland, Banff, at the University of British Columbia and University of Western Ontario. She has communicated her works through many publications and public readings.
Thauberger, Althea
Althea Thauberger was born in Saskatoon. Through photography, murals, film and other media she explores “self expression and difficulties of communication; relationships between the individual and social/political structures; and nature.” She visited Afghanistan in March 2009.
Althea Thauberger is currently living in Saskatoon. She studied at Concordia and completed a Master of Fine Arts degree at the University of Victoria. She has had twelve solo exhibitions throughout Canada, at New York, Berlin and Utrecht. She teaches at Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design.
