The casual onlooker might have assumed a group of hazardous materials experts were surveying the park outside the Central Y for dangerous goods, but a closer look would have revealed the grade 11 visual arts class engaging in a painting lesson borrowed from the great abstract expressionist painter Jackson Pollock. Students dripped, poured, splattered and threw paint at their canvases to create non-representational works that break the rules of conventional, image-based art.
Students in the Aboriginal Voices class participated in a workshop on making Aboriginal hand drums led by Steve Teekens, traditional drummer, singer, dancer and teacher from the Ojibway First Nation. The workshop took place at the beautiful Dodem Kanonhsa’ Elder’s Cultural Facility at St. Clair and Yonge, which is supported by the Native Canadian Centre of Toronto (NCCT) and Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC). Students listened to Steve tell an Ojibway story about the drum and used traditional materials and techniques to make their own. We are grateful to Amy Desjarlais for including us in the workshop and to Steve for sharing his knowledge with us.
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Visit the Dodem Kanonhsa Website
It was truly an open studio today in the art room at the Academy! Eight artists were busy at work on a variety of projects including acrylic painting, Japanese calligraphy, beading, stenciling, painting pumpkins, pottery designing and costume-making (oh, and a math culminating project). Open Studio runs every Wednesday from 4 – 5pm in the art or math room. Drop by, say hello and be creative!
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Open studio, the Academy’s weekly art-making space, featured our own Susan Couprie (aka “Revered Mountain”) teaching a Japanese art called Shodo. Students were taught how to create characters with black ink and special brushes. Susan learned this art form while living in Japan many years ago. Stay tuned for more photos from Open Studio in the weeks to come!
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In addition to flowers, plants and wind chimes, the toddlers down at the Metro Central childcare can now enjoy some art in their outdoor space. The Academy’s grade 11 media arts class just completed an exciting unit on multi-layered stencils led by artist and creative facilitator Craig Verner. Students came up with ideas for stencils of sports equipment, toy robots and greenery that would spruce up the space in an artistic way. The stencils were an interesting addition to a beautiful hand-painted mural by Zack. Thanks to Kathryn at the daycare centre, Craig for a great workshop and the media arts students for their talent and collaboration!
