Esplanade summer camps brew big ideas
or so to complete a 12-inch-square oil painting from the back of her truck. A total of 220 paintings will hang throughout the gallery space, bringing to life the sheer immensity of Canada’s geographic size.
On July 12, Nicole will offer a half day painting workshop for the participants of Youth Open Studio, our week-long summer art workshop for teens. Bauberger will share her unique approach to plein air painting, introducing students to the basic properties of transparent, opaque, interference and metallic paints. Nicole’s work allows people from coast to coast to connect with her unique experiences of the Canadian road. While some sights are deeply familiar, others are distant and unknown. As a whole, the series is united by a strong sense of continuity. This workshop will encourage youth to foster a sense of connection to the regional landscape, while at the same time recognizing its place within the context of a greater whole.
Next up we talked camp themes. Schultz and Bennett have been working diligently to designate each week of camp with an overarching theme, usually defined by an art historical movement or time period. Each theme shapes and informs the activities and projects planned for the week. Most pertinent to today’s discussion is week four: Canadian Art. From July 24-28 campers aged 9 to 12 will dive headfirst into a week-long exploration of key cultural, historic and geographic factors that have shaped artmaking in Canada throughout the years. Canada’s artistic landscape, it turns out, is just as vast as its geographic counterpart. Schultz is hoping to inspire a strong sense of appreciation and understanding among students. The end goal is for students to take what they learn from art history and apply it to their own works as they reflect upon their unique identities as Canadians.
Crucial to the development of thoughtful, well-rounded and inclusive programming has been Schultz’s collaboration with cultural coordinator Sabrina Prince from the Miywasin Friendship Centre. Prince has graciously offered to spend some quality time with campers to teach them about the incredibly rich and diverse artistic traditions of Inuit and Metis and Cree peoples. Throughout the week, students will learn about key aboriginal artists, artworks and stylistic conventions. The ultimate goal is not for students to copy the specific style of any given artwork but for them to deconstruct the underlying message so that they are better able to understand the thought processes of each artist.
Our Canadian art week will culminate in a children’s art festival on the Esplanade’s front lawn, featuring original artworks by our enthusiastic young artists as well as an interactive illustration station facilitated by the Miywasin Friendship Centre. It’s sure to be a rewarding ending to a wonderful whirlwind of a week!
Jasmine Keillor is the art curatorial/education assistant at the Esplanade.