Her own Canada

Sixteen-year-old Jessica Cutler sees a Canada of lighthouses and maple leafs, of farms and of hockey players, of dreamcatchers and of provincial flowers.

Ms. Cutler thought about all of the things she loves and knows about her country, and with leads and pastels in hand, created a work of art which is now one of 13 in the country vying for a top prize of becoming this year's Canada Day poster.

From Appalachia High School in St. George's, Ms. Cutler was surprised to recently learn her poster was chosen at the provincial level to go on as a Canadian finalist.

Senator Ethel Cochrane presented Ms. Cutler with several prizes for her win, including an Apple Macbook computer.

"As Canadians, we're really fortunate. We're fortunate because we live in a country with beauty. All you have to do is look out there this morning and see the landscape. It's beautiful," said the senator.

"What you don't realize," she told the students, "is we're very rich. We're rich in our language, we're rich in our heritage, we're rich in everything you could ever imagine."

Senator Cochrane noted the works of art submitted to the contest, run through the national department of heritage, were "truly impressive."

"Your name is floating around up there in that heritage department," she told Ms. Cutler. "They're excited."

Ms. Cutler told the Georgian art is a hobby of hers and that the Canada Day piece in particular took over a month to create - from brainstorm, to sketching and finally applying the lead and pastel colours.

"I just tried to get all of the elements in there," she said of deciding which Canadian themes to implement.

Ms. Cutler's piece will be one of 13 on display in Ottawa. She will receive a framed copy of her work, as will her school. She is the daughter of Wanda Cutler of St. George's.

reporter@thegeorgian.ca