Works by five local artists will soon be flying from street posts all around Delta.
At council on Monday (March 6), Mayor George Harvie recognized the winners of the City of Delta’s 2022 Community Banner Contest, presenting each with an honorarium and a banner featuring their design.
“I very much on behalf of council want to congratulate each of our banner contest winners,” Harvie said. “Your beautiful and creative banner designs capture so many aspects of Delta’s natural character and really show’s our collective sense of community and what makes us, Delta, a great city.”
Now in it’s eight year, the competition is an opportunity to showcase the work of local artists by challenging them to create a street banner that will engage the community and raise awareness of Delta’s natural beauty, culture, diversity and heritage, according to a city press release.
A volunteer panel of local artists (Tsawwassen’s Gary Nay, UBC professor Kit Grauer, and 2021 Community Banner Contest winners Priya Sharma and Leanne Trepke) and Steve Daniel of the city’s recently-concluded Heritage Advisory Commission selected the winners from more than 60 submissions across four categories — Delta Heritage, Discover Delta, Emerging Artist (ages 13 to 17) and Aspiring Artist (12 and under).
Linda Wong was chosen as the winner in the Delta Heritage category for her design titled “Beauty at Dusk.” Wong’s banner was inspired by Delta’s natural environment and the new and old structures that make up the community, such as the Alex Fraser Bridge and Harris Barn in Ladner.
Lucy Yepes Ramirez won in the Discover Delta category for her work “Delta Under the Sun.” Ramirez’s banner depicts “the sunny weather that we’re so fortunate to have — most of the time — in Delta, and the significance of our agricultural landscape,” Harvie said.
Noella Yang’s design, “Peripherals of Bird’s Eye,” was selected in the Emerging Artist category. The design captures Delta’s beauty “from the perspective of its natural domains, from the bald eagle’s gaze to the signature heron,” according to a blurb provided by the city.
Kirkland Dewsbury topped the Aspiring Artist category with her painting “Flowers Next Door,” which depicts the flowers on Westham Island at the end of summer.
The judges also selected Robyn Gill’s design “Sunset Over Burns Bog” as this year’s Honourable Mention. Gill’s design “celebrates Delta’s glory through the beautiful sunset that it has to offer,” Harvie said.
The banners are already being installed around the city and will remain up until May.
At council Monday, Harvie said he and council appreciate the winning artists’ valuable contribution to Delta’s public art scene.
“Speaking personally, it’s so nice, such a great feeling in our city when we drive by the banners when they’re up in the springtime. It really lightens up our city,” Harvie said.
“I hope they’re not looking at it too close while they’re driving, but it really does give you a good feeling about how beautiful our city is and how tremendous our community is, and especially our young artists and artists who won tonight.”
The 2023 Community Banner Contest will get underway later this spring.
Read more about the Community Banner Contest winners from previous years: 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018 and 2017.
editor@northdeltareporter.com
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