RACHAEL PRESTON

The City of Hamilton Arts Awards -- considered the Oscars of the local arts community -- honoured three people at its annual ceremony.

Awards chair Patti Cannon said the winners exemplify the true spirit of the awards and honour both their artistic accomplishments and community work.

Cannon said the volunteer component is particularly important because their work has helped keep the arts alive.

The winners were also involved in the mentoring of younger artists.

"It's so difficult to survive as an artist and the younger artists look to experienced artists for inspiration," said Cannon.

Rachael Preston said she was thrilled to win the Literary Award for her second novel (The Wind Seller).

She also won for her volunteer work in the local writers' community. Last year was Preston's second year of organizing gritLIT, a Hamilton writer's festival that attracted more than 30 writers from across Canada and the U.S.

"I really think it's important to keep Hamilton on the map in terms of the writers here," said Preston.

In addition to her roles as writer and organizer, she teaches creative writing at Mohawk and Sheridan colleges and in Waterloo. Preston is also a judge for Power of the Pen.

Cheryl Takacs took home the Visual Arts Award for her glass sculptures and her ongoing work with the regional Designer Crafts juried exhibition, which she founded.

For many years, Takacs has nurtured emerging artists and given them work experience in her studio.

In the Theatre Award category, Cannon said Dani Podetz was the hands-down winner for his excellence in set design.

Podetz has worked in the field of set design for more than 50 years and is an "absolute perfectionist." said Cannon. "Everyone who has worked with him says he does a lot of research into the show before he designs anything."

The City of Hamilton Arts Awards were founded in 1975. Past recipients include singers Jackie Washington and Jude Johnson; the late Christine Hamilton of the Geritol Follies; author Spencer Dunmore; artist and Festival of Friends founder Bill Powell; dance instructor Lois Laxton; and the recently retired Glenn Mallory of the Hamilton Philharmonic Youth Orchestra.

Winners were presented with their awards and a cheque for $1,000 during a ceremony at City Hall.

2004 Readings

Monday October 18
Monday October 18 6:30 pm at the Pelham Library, Fonthill, ON.

Wednesday October 20
8:00 pm at the Welland Library Wednesday October 20

Saturday November 6
7:30 pm Fort Erie Library Saturday November 6 4:30 pm at the Staircase Theatre, 27 Dundurn St. N. Hamilton as part of gritlit, Hamilton's first Literary Festival.

Tuesday, May 11
Reading at the 2004 Author Series at the Toronto Reference Library, 789 Yonge Street, (1 block north of Bloor Street. Tuesday, May 11th (starting at 7:30 pm) in the Beeton Auditorium of the Toronto Reference Library.

2003 Readings

Saturday, October 4
Saturday, October 4 at 7:00 pm, Rachael gave a reading at the Stanley A. Milner Library, 3 Sir Winston Churchill Square, as part of the Edmonton and Fort McMurray International Literary Festival.

Sunday, June 1
Rachael read from Tent of Blue at LitLive in Hamilton on Sunday, June 1st.

May
Rachael took part in the semi-annual Gala to support Look Good, Feel Great, women living with cancer at the Bay in Mapleview Mall, Burlington.

April 17
Rachael conducted a seminar for students at Hillfield Strathallen School in Hamilton on April 17.

March
Rachael taped an interview for the literary television show FinePrint which appears on Book Television, CLT and TechTV. The show will be aired during the week of April 14th.

March
Rachael was in Vancouver promoting Tent of Blue during the first week of March, 2003. She read from her novel at the Vancouver Public Library and conducted writing workshops for grade 12 students at King George Secondary School in Vancouver on March 4th and at J.N. Burnett Secondary School in Richmond on March 7th.

CFUV Radio in Victoria taped an interview with Rachael while she was in Vancouver.

Rachael was interviewed by Jane Crosier, host of Literary Landscapes on CKCU , Radio Carleton 93.1 FM in Ottawa.

March 31
The University of Toronto Bookstore Reading Series featured Rachael Preston reading from Tent of Blue. She was joined by other Canadian authors: Aimee Laberge - Where the River Narrows; Laura Lush - Going To The Zoo.

February 5
Rachael was interviewed on CH Morning Live on February 5th.

February
York University Radio interviewed Rachael on their program Covered and Bound.

February 16th
Chapters on Bloor St.West in Toronto hosted a reading from Tent of Blue by Rachael Preston on February 16th.

2002 Readings

December
The first week of December was book signing week for Tent of Blue. Rachael made appearances at Smithbooks in Stoney Creek, Coles Bookstore in Hamilton, Chapters Bookstore in Ancaster and Indigo Bookstore in Burlington.

December
Tent of Blue was selected by Mohawk College in Hamilton, Ontario to be included for study in one of their literature courses.

October 2nd
October 2nd was the Oakville launch for Tent of Blue. The event took place at House of Foil, sponsored by Bookers. Over 80 people were on hand to welcome Rachael and listen to her read an excerpt from her novel.

September
Rachael was featured in the Mohawk College - On The Move section in the Hamilton Spectator. The article spotlighted her success as a teacher and an author.

September
Wave 94.7 Smooth Jazz sponsored Tent of Blue in a prize weekend gift pack give-away for listeners.

September 17th
September 17th marked the official launch of Tent of Blue, sponsored by Bryan Prince, Bookseller, Goose Lane Editions and 94.7 Smooth Jazz. The evening was a success as over 150 people were there to share the occasion with Rachael at the Art Gallery of Hamilton.

September 23
An interview with Rachael was featured on the cable television show Mainstreet during the week of September 23-30.