Premier Christy Clark and British Columbia Achievement Foundation Chair Keith Mitchell are pleased to announce the recipients of the Annual Carter Wosk BC Creative Achievement Awards for Applied Art and Design and the BC Creative Achievement Award of Distinction.

"I congratulate this year's award recipients for their creative excellence and their dynamic entrepreneurship," said Premier Clark. "Through their skills and talents, each contributes to the fabric of British Columbia's creative industries."

Fashion designer Catherine Regehr was named the recipient of the BC Creative Achievement Award of Distinction. This award celebrates Catherine's significant and sustained contribution to the field of applied art and design in British Columbia. Ms. Regehr was selected by the Board of the BC Achievement Foundation.

The recipients of the juried awards, the 2012 Carter Wosk Creative Achievement Awards for Applied Art and Design, are:

• Lisa Henriques, West Ceramics
• Mary Schwieger & Sarah Schwieger, Broom making
• Christian Woo, Vancouver - Furniture

The Honourable Ida Chong, Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development will present the awards at a presentation and exhibition event on Sept. 10th at Shaw TV Studios.

"The Creative Achievement Awards honour B.C. artists whose work has a practical function," explained Mitchell. "The 2012 recipients include artists and designers in the early stages of their career as well as those who are well-established and internationally recognized."

Carol Henriquez, chair emeritus of Arts Umbrella and a director of the BC Achievement Foundation, chaired an independent jury panel that selected the 2012 juried award recipients. The jurors included Sam Carter, professor emeritus at Emily Carr University of Art and Design; Robert Johnston, industrial designer and past award recipient; and Martha Sturdy, inaugural recipient of the BC Creative Achievement Award of Distinction.

The Carter Wosk British Columbia Creative Achievement Awards for Applied Art and Design are named in honour of B.C. philanthropist, academic and visionary Dr. Yosef Wosk, whose financial support makes these awards possible and for Sam Carter, B.C. educator, designer and curator.

The British Columbia Achievement Foundation is an independent foundation established and endowed by the Province of B.C. in 2003 to celebrate community service, arts, humanities and enterprise. For information on British Columbia Achievement Foundation, visit www.bcachievement.com

BACKGROUNDER

2012 BC Creative Achievement Award of Distinction

Catherine Regehr

Catherine Regehr is a Vancouver-based internationally acclaimed fashion and home designer. Her work reflects her northern roots and her signature elegance. She studied fashion design in Paris and worked in fashion in New York before returning to British Columbia, where she launched her first couture collection in 1986. More recently, Catherine has created a home collection mirroring her connection to the outdoors and fascination with texture. Sumptuous fabrics, elegant, understated lines and timelessness characterize Catherine Regehr's designs.

2012 BC Creative Achievement Awards

Lisa Henriques, West Ceramics

Lisa Henriques received a Bachelor of Fine Arts: Ceramics from Emily Carr Institute of Art & Design in 1999 and received a Master of Visual Arts: Ceramics from Australia National University in 2011. Lisa's practice centers around large-scale storage vessels. Her techniques reference her studies of the ceramic traditions of Africa, Mexico, India and China, where she completed apprenticeships with ceramic masters. Lisa's work has been exhibited in North America, Asia and Europe.

Mary Schwieger and Sarah Schwieger, Broom making

Sisters Mary and Sarah Schwieger learned the craft of traditional broom making from their parents while growing up in Gray Creek on the east shore of Kootenay Lake. In 2010, Sarah and Mary received a CMHC artisan award providing them with studio and retail space on Granville Island. There, they hand-make their unique, high-quality, long-lasting brooms using raw unprocessed broomcorn woven onto a variety of handles. Each creation blends beauty, function and tradition.

Christian Woo, Furniture

Christian Woo is a self-trained skilled craftsman and woodworker who designs and builds contemporary custom furniture. His style reflects his Pacific Northwest background and the influence of Scandinavian and Japanese design. Every piece constructed combines elegant simplicity and fine detailing with functionality. Christian's work is regularly featured in international design publications and presented at design shows in Canada and the United States.

Detailed information about the awards and a list of past winners is posted on the foundation's website at www.bcachievement.com.

Contact:

Nora Newlands
Executive Director
BC Achievement Foundation
604 618-6949