The A. J. Casson Award is given to an artist whose work is considered the best submission to the annual "Open Water" competition organized by the Canadian Society of Painters in Water Colour (CSPWC). It is named after Alfred Joseph Casson (1898–1992), painter."A.J. Casson, A Tribute" by Paul Duval, Published by Cerebrus/Prentice Hall, 1980, , , and a member of Canada's "Group of Seven"."A.J. Casson. My favourite watercolours 1919-1957" by Paul Duval, Published by Cerebrus/Prentice Hall, 1982, It is officially given "for outstanding achievement in watercolour painting" and is considered Canada's most significant award in this most challenging medium.Awards
Background and administration "Open Water" is as implied open to any artist working in watercolour. The juried exhibitions have over the years been held in a number of notable exhibition venues including The National Gallery of Canada (Ottawa, Ontario), The Art Gallery of Ontario (Toronto, Ontario), The Beaverbrook Art Gallery (Fredericton, New Brunswick), The University of Alberta [Edmonton], The Art Gallery of Nova Scotia (Halifax), The Art Gallery of Greater Victoria (British Columbia), The Peel Art Gallery, Museum and Archives (Brampton, Ontario) and the John B. Aird Gallery (Toronto, Ontario).
The competition has attracted a series of jurors and entries from not only Canada but from many other countries.
The award consists of a bronze medal created by Dora de Pedéry-Hunt which carries an image inspired by one of Casson's most iconic landscapes. The naming of the award in honour of a beloved CSPWC member and the longest surviving founder of the Society was approved by Casson himself shortly before his death. He was actively involved in the selection of the image and in approving the first sculpted maquette.
Accompanied by a cash award the medal was first presented in 1991 when it replaced the CSPWC's Honour Award, a diploma, which had been presented annually from 1956 onwards to the "outstanding watercolour of the year"."Aquarelle, a history of the CSPWC 1925-1988" by Rebecca Sisler, Printed by Porcupine Quill and Press. During a transition period 1991 to 1997 the medal was accompanied by the Honour Award diploma but the latter was phased out in 1998.
Winners
1956-1990 Honour Award Recipients 1991-2011 A. J. Casson Award Winners 1956 Tom Hodgson 1991 Michael Dobson 1957 Maxwell Bates 1992 Sam BlackOpen Water Information 1958 Ethel Raicus 1993 June Selznick Drutz 1959 Marion Greenstone 1994 John InglisInglis Quest - Biography 1960 William Roberts 1995 Neville Clarke 1961 Bobs Cogill Haworth 1996 Anthony J. Batten 1962 Peter Kolisnyk 1997 June Selznick Drutz 1963 Herbert Ariss 1998 David LadmoreDavid Ladmore Biography/Contact 1964 Goodridge Roberts 1999 Neville Clarke 1965 Ray Cattell"Canadian Who's Who" 2010 edition, University of Toronto Press, Elizabeth Lumley editor, [2010 ed.v 45] 2000 Daniel BarkleyAwards for Daniel Barkley 1966 D. Mackay Houston 2001 Marilyn Blumer Cochrane 1967 John Henry Martin 2002 Vivian Thierfelder 1968 Bobs Cogill Haworth 2003 Chow Jian Sheng 1969 Harriet Manore Carter 2004 Karen Wilson 1970 Eric Freifeld 2005 David McEownDAVID McEOWN bio 1971 Ray Cattell 2006 Jennifer Annesley"Diocletian's Palace" 1972 Tom Lapierre 2007 Joanne Lucas WarrenAuction Warren 1973 John Newman 2008 Linda Kemp 1974 Dainis Miezajs 2009 William Rogers 1975 Ray Cattell 2010 Josy BrittonJosy Britton Exhibitions 1976 June Selznick Drutz 2011 Pat FairheadThe Newsletter of The Arts & Letters Club of Toronto, December 2011 The Ontario Society of Artists 1977 Les Tait 2012 Daniel Barkley 1978 recipient unknown 2013 Andrew Kish III 1979 Janet MitchellGlenbow Museum - Janet Mitchell fonds 2014 Lisa O'Regan 1980 Tom Lapierre 2015 Jansen Chow 1981 Osvald TimmasOsvald Timmas Biography 2016 Fan Zhang 1982 Sam Black 2017 Inge Kjeldgaard Tajik 1983 Dainis Miezajs 2018 David McEown 1984 Ann MacIntosh Duff 2019 Fucai Zhao 1985 Sam Black 2020 Karen Mai 1986 Bobs Cogill Haworth 2021 Richard Tiejun Chao 1987 Vivian Thierfelder 2022 Marie-Françoise Ingels 1988 Pat ClemesPat Clemes Biography 2023 Karen Mai 1989 June Selznick Drutz 2024 Richard Tiejun Chao 1990 Susan Leopold
References