The work of Whitehorse artist Erin Dixon is being featured on thousands of Northwestel directory covers distributed throughout Yukon and northern British Columbia. Dixon’s work was selected in Northwestel’s annual directory art competition, which is run across the North each year in order to choose artwork for each of the company’s three regional directories.

 

The winning artwork, Winter Poplars, is an acrylic painting on canvas. It is an abstract interpretation of poplar trees and the northern lights, set in the Ibex Valley, where Dixon and her family live. She was inspired to create this painting after a moonlit winter walk with her daughter.

 

“Inspiration comes to me in a number of ways,” said Dixon. “For example, I don’t think you can live in the Yukon and not be inspired by the scenery. My work has also been influenced by the experience of raising my children. Children see the world so differently than adults; everything is fresh and new and a child’s imagination is limitless. As well, tattoo art has been a big inspiration. I love the bright colours and clean lines of a tattoo and I’m fascinated by the idea that you can have a piece of art permanently placed on your body.”

 

Dixon was born in Ottawa and moved to Yukon with her parents in 1982. She has many fond memories of camping, hiking and exploring the Yukon wilderness as a child. She later worked as a land surveyor’s assistant, a job which took her to every community in Yukon and provided access to many beautiful landscapes to paint and draw. Dixon is very excited to have had her work chosen for the directory cover. “The idea that my artwork will be in every home, business and building in the Yukon and northern B.C. is really humbling,” said Dixon. “To be chosen is such an honour and it means so much to me.”

“Northwestel is very proud to feature such a beautiful piece of artwork on our Yukon and northern B.C. cover this year,” said Jason Bilsky, Northwestel Vice President Corporate Services and Chief Financial Officer. “I’m certain that Erin’s colourful winter scene will be enjoyed by northerners and will serve to remind us of why we have chosen to live in the North. We are very fortunate to be surrounded by similar scenes of wilderness beauty every day and that is one of the things that makes life in the North so rewarding.”

 

Each year, Northwestel invites artists from all across the North to submit their work to be considered for use on the covers of its three directories in the NWT, Nunavut and Northern British Columbia/Yukon. The company is already inviting artists to make submissions to its competition for the 2012-2013 directory covers. The deadline for entries is September 16^th of this year. For more information, go to www.nwtel.ca, and then click on In The Community and Directory Cover Art. “We are very pleased to offer our directory covers as a showcase for the many talented artists that live across the North,” added Bilsky. “I look forward to seeing the exciting submissions to this year’s competition.”

 

In 2010, Northwestel contributed more than $600,000 in cash and in-kind donations to many northern community groups. Throughout its history, Northwestel has played a key role in the economic, social and cultural development of the North. Northwestel is recognized as a key contributor to the well-being of northern communities through its community investment program and the volunteer contributions of its employees.

 

Northwestel provides complete telecommunications solutions and entertainment services in the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Yukon, northern British Columbia and High Level, Alberta. The company’s operations span nearly 4 million square kilometres of the most remote and rugged areas of Canada.