Michele LeTourneau
Northern News Services
Yellowknife (Mar 02/01) - After taking a year off from featuring original art on their telephone directory, NorthwesTel resumed the practice for their newest directory.
"We have gone back to original artwork for our covers," said Anne Grainger, director of public affairs for NorthwesTel, prior to the unveiling in Yellowknife Wednesday night.
"A big part of the reason for that is that customers were asking. We've heard from people loud and clear, 'Hey, where's the art?' We always received lots of calls and e-mails from people responding to the cover."
Last year's cover, said Grainger, elicited zilch from the public.
The cover featured stock communications images.
"We're looking forward to getting feedback this year."
In the NWT, the featured work is Ann Timmins' Aurora Night, while in Nunavut, Iqaluit artist Janet Ripley Armstrong's Purple Saxifrage will be highlighted on the front cover.
"It's fantastic," said Timmins.
"I was really disappointed when they stopped (featuring art). It's something we got excited about every year -- what's going to be on the phone book this year."
Timmins, of course, was very excited that her work was chosen.
"It's something you never quite expect, and when it happens..."
A work's potential appeal to the general public is one factor in the selection process, said Grainger.
"Also the medium is something we look at. Because we do purchase the pieces and we include them in our art collection."
Timmins' Aurora Night, a dye painting on silk, will round out the NorthwesTel collection.
"It's just a little different from what we've had before."
Grainger added the content of the piece also played a big role.
"We felt the Northern lights depicted in the piece were, of course, very Northern."
Also, on the night of the unveiling at the DND mess hall, NorthwesTel announced that it will hold a competition for the 2002-2003 telephone directories.
Separate competitions will be held in both territories. The competition will be open to current residents and a cash prize of $1,500 will be awarded to the winning entrants.
Four judges for each territory will be selected from previously featured artists. The deadline is Sept. 8, 2001.
