Thousand Islands Arts Center Announces Reel Art: A Community Catch People’s Choice Award Winner
CLAYTON, N.Y. — The Thousand Islands Arts Center is pleased to announce Matt Elliott as the winner of the People’s Choice Award for Reel Art: A Community Catch for his piece, “Island Fish Cleanup.”
Throughout the exhibition, visitors were invited to vote for the fish that most captured their attention and imagination. The votes were tallied one week before the exhibition closed, and Elliott’s thoughtful, environmentally inspired creation emerged as the community favorite.
Matt and his family created “Island Fish Cleanup” using trash collected from the St. Lawrence River. For years, the Elliott family has participated in Save the River’s Trash Free River Cleanup program, helping protect the River, its shorelines, and the wildlife that depend on them.
By transforming discarded materials into a meaningful work of art, “Island Fish Cleanup” demonstrates how creativity can give new purpose to items that might otherwise harm the environment. The piece connects artistic expression with environmental stewardship, offering a powerful reminder that art can draw attention to important issues, inspire conversations, and encourage positive change within a community.
The Arts Center is incredibly grateful for the enthusiastic response to Reel Art: A Community Catch. Community members of all ages embraced the opportunity to participate—whether by transforming a wooden fish into a one-of-a-kind creation or by visiting the galleries to enjoy the completed exhibition.
Although every artist began with a similar fish template, no two finished pieces looked alike. Each artist brought their own ideas, materials, experiences, and personality to the project. The Arts Center was inspired by the many people who dove into their creative side and made each fish uniquely their own.
Reel Art: A Community Catch has now ended. The Arts Center’s galleries are temporarily closed while staff installs the next exhibition, Thrown Together: Creations from our Pottery Studio. The exhibition will open on Thursday, September 10, and remain on view through October 23. It will celebrate the creativity, craftsmanship, and sense of community found within the Arts Center’s pottery studio.
The Thousand Islands Arts Center extends its sincere thanks to every artist, visitor, voter, volunteer, and community member who helped make Reel Art such a memorable celebration of creativity and community.
