Congratulations to Maria Mercer, a recent bachelor of fine arts graduate, on winning the provincial award in the BMO Financial Group's 1st Art! Invitational Student Art Competition.

Ms. Mercer’s winning piece is titled Documents for Clandestine Dispersal of ZPOR Earth Restoring Superseed via Reclamation of Victorian Bootscrapers, and consists of silkscreen prints on matte plastic.

The 1st Art! competition celebrates the creativity of art students from post-secondary institutions across Canada. Deans and instructors of undergraduate certificate, diploma, and degree programs in visual art are invited to select from their graduating classes three students, whose ability and imagination place them first among their peers. A distinguished selection committee chooses a national winner and one winner from each eligible province and territory.

Ms. Mercer, as a regional winner, received $5,000 for her artwork. All winning entries will be on display at the 1st Art! 2014 exhibition, held at the Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art in Toronto, Ont., in October 2014.