|
|
|
Sport heroes Kurt Browning and Gaetan Boucher launch commemorative poster series with autograph session
| Source: |
Canadian Newswire |
| Date: |
November 28, 2009 |
VANCOUVER, Nov. 28 /CNW/ - Olympian and four-time figure skating World
Champion Kurt Browning and Olympic speed skating Gold Medallist Gaetan
Boucher hosted an autograph signing session Saturday afternoon at the
Olympic Superstore in the Bay to help celebrate the launch of the
Canadian Sport Heroes Collection poster series available exclusively
at the Olympic Superstore in the Bay downtown Vancouver.
The Canadian Sport Heroes Art Collection was commissioned by the
Canadian Sport Centre Calgary to commemorate those athletes who have
made a lasting impact on the face of sport in Canada. "Hearing the
Canadian anthem played at sporting events fosters a sense of pride in
all of us. Through this collection we are paying tribute to a level of
success that is a powerful and inspiring legacy for Canadians young
and old," says Canadian Sport Centre Calgary president Dale
Henwood.
The 48x62 inch paintings created by Canadian Artist Gordon Milne have
taken a decade to paint and have led to a series of collectibles,
including posters, limited edition prints and full size canvas
giclées. Now available exclusively at the Bay Olympic Superstore, 50%
of the sales of the posters will go directly to support the
development of the next generation of Canadian Sport Heroes.
Milne has found it fulfilling to be able to combine his passions of
sport and art. "I am thrilled to be a part of such a unique project
that bridges the gap between two cultures," said Milne during an
interview at his Turner Valley, Alberta home. "Sport and the arts seem
at the opposite end of the cultural spectrum, but really, they are
very similar. Through the Canadian Sport Heroes Collection, we have
found a way to bring the two worlds together in a lasting and
meaningful way."
During the 2010 Olympic Winter Games the original Canadian Sport
Heroes Collection will be on display at a variety of events and venues
throughout Vancouver. The collection currently features 12 Olympians,
and will continue to expand with the support of corporations who sign
on to sponsor the creation of a painting. Sport Heroes portraits
completed to date include: Nancy Greene Raine, Diane Jones Konihowski,
Gaetan Boucher, Alex Baumann, Willie de Wit, Silken Laumann, Michael
Smith, Catriona Le May Doan, Beckie Scott, Cassie Campbell, Greg Joy
and Kurt Browning.
About the Canadian Sport Heroes Collection:
A select group of athletes have changed the face of sport in Canada
forever. Olympic medallists, world champions, fierce competitors -
they have competed for our country, they have won with pride and lost
with dignity. Through their efforts they have proven that sport can
capture the imaginations of an entire country - and often the entire
world. They deserve to be remembered. This growing series of portraits
commissioned by the Canadian Sport Centre Calgary will ensure a
lasting tribute to our sport
heroes. www.canadiansportcentre.com/heroes
About the Artist:
Gordon Milne was born in Hamilton, Ontario and studied art at McMaster
University. After graduating he worked as a printmaker and mixed-media
artist and successfully exhibited his work in several Calgary and
Vancouver galleries. In the early '90's Milne switched to painting,
focusing on portraiture. A painter and colourist, Milne's paintings
have been described as an intricate arrangement of shapes and colors
which subtly invite the viewer to identify the subject's personality
based on optical cues. These monumental portraits are Milne's biggest
accomplishment and his trademark today. www.gordonmilneart.com
About the Canadian Sport Centre Calgary:
The Canadian Sport Centre Calgary is one of the top Olympic and
Paralympic sport training environments in the world. The CSCC is a
non-profit organization that strives to develop a positive and
comprehensive environment focused on excellence by providing athletes
and coaches with leading experts in the fields of exercise physiology,
sport medicine, strength and conditioning, biomechanics, nutrition,
mental training, coach education and life
services. www.canadiansportcentre.com
About Hudson's Bay Company
Hudson's Bay Company is a Premier National Partner and the General
Retail Merchant of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter
Games. In partnership with the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the
2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC), the company is
designing and manufacturing the Official Uniforms for the Games time
workforce; it will also be outfitting the Canadian athletes, in both
Vancouver and Whistler, with quality apparel to make the athletes
comfortable in 2010.
|
|
|
|
|
