Judges: Mary Cook and Dorsey James

Dorsey James, Sculptor
Dorsey James. now Canadian, was born and raised in Philadelphia. Pennsylvania. After four years as. jet aircraft mechanic in the US Air Force, he immigrated to Toronto and eventually studied Visual Arts and Education at York University. His sculptures have been exhibited across Canada as well as in the United States and Germany. He lives with his family in Pickering. Ontario. He has just retired from teaching Fine Arts at Markham District High School. Dorsey was awarded a commission by the Ontario Trillium Foundation and the City of Pickering for his waterfront sculpture installation entitled "Home Place". He was also awarded The Outstanding Service Award for 2003 by The York Region District School Board.

Artist's Statement: While I was still a student of fine art, my first major piece depicted a man struggling to emerge from a soft-shelled egg. The inspiration for this piece came from a growing awareness that I was still, very much, in a state of becoming. At the age of twenty-seven, aspects of my personality had not yet even been born. I found through studies of world mythology that notions of spiritual, psychological and intellectual birth and rebirth were not uncommon, even universal. This fascinated me and I soon learned the value of being in a state of becoming. As a consequence, my work over the years has continued to draw on mythology, religious lore and legend from around the world. Every piece focuses on a story—each of the wood sculptures expressing, through carved form, myth or legend with universal themes, lesson and/or a unique way of seeing or understanding. When experiencing a finished sculpture, an African (Bambaran) word comes to my mind. That word is "kijimba". It means spirit, but takes into account three spirits; the spirit of the image that is carved, the spirit of the material from which that image is carved and the spirit of that person who created that image that is carved. So, in addition to the portrayal of legendary figures and narrative, the wood via the tree’s natural growth routes, grain patterns, and coloration is encouraged to reveal its own story in concert with me as I endeavor to reveal mine. Intricate detailing, careful finishing, and. blend of the very real and the very abstract render each completed form a unique trilogy of universal significance.

Mary Cook, Photographer
Mary Cook, a Pickering resident, has been a professional photographer for over 20 years.
"I can't remember when I took my first picture; I must have been quite young," says Mary. "I have always loved being behind a camera".
Currently shooting the majority of her work with a digital camera, she enjoys the freedom it gives, with a lighter weight and a virtually unending roll of film. Mary, a member of PRAC, has organized photo contests at Pickering Museum Village, and has been a judge at DWAC's 1st Photo Show and at Frenchman's Bay Yacht Club. "I am thrilled at the opportunity to be involved again," she said. "The opportunity to see the world through others’ eyes and then meet the artist is fun."