CALGARY STAMPEDE WESTERN ART AUCTION

ANNOUNCEMENT

OUTSTANDING ARTISTIC ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Our Committee is honoured and very pleased this year to present , for the second year, the Outstanding Artistic Achievement Award to Michelle Grant. Michelle is a native of Calgary and grew up in the surrounding area where she frequently rides her horse in the foothills. Michelle works in oils, acrylic and graphite and she brings a sound understanding of design, light, form and anatomy to all of her work. She has a unique ability to combine a realist style with unusual impressionist input.

Michelle is a graduate of the Alberta College of Art and is also a full member of the prestigious American Academy of Equine Art based in Lexington, Kentucky. She has been the recipient of numerous international awards including First Place in 2011 Horses in Art Magazine Cover Competition in Texas as well as the Editor's Award for Ex Arte Equinis IV, International Equine Art Competition. One of her special projects has been working with the Royal Canadian Mint in designing various gold and silver coins. In addition, she has participated in creating the Mural Mosiac for the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver.

Michelle's support of the Calgary Stampede has been outstanding for several decades. In particular, she has exhibited in the Western Art Auction for many years, she designed the 2009 Western Art Show collectible pin, she has submitted proposals for the Calgary Stampede Poster as well as participating in many fundraiser "Quick Draws" for the Calgary Stampede, Rodeo Royal and the CM Russell Art Show in Montana. And talk about focus, she designed the apron bib for the Quick Draw in the rodeo arena during live rodeo events for the Rough Stock Draw! She has been instrumental in expanding the Calgary Stampede High School Scholarship competition by both participating as a judge and as a mentor to the students.

Art instruction is another of her strengths and she always finds time to teach art lessons and conduct workshops since the mid-1990s as well as encourage young artists. Many of Michelle's students have moved up the ranks of established artists and some of her stellar students include artists who have submitted art to this evening auction and they include as a short list: Darcy Presiloski, Judy Popplewell, Shannon Lawlor and Shannon Luyendyk. She has been published in Horses in Art (Texas) , Horses All (Manitoba) , Equus, the Horse Owner's Resource (Florida) and Polo Player's Edition Magazine (Florida). She is a television personality having appeared in or worked on various television programs including Hidden Gems, Heartland and Cowboy Country Television. Michelle currently has gallery representation through Gainsborough Galleries (Calgary), the Avens Gallery (Canmore) and Moose Horn Gallery (Montana).

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