Sutton art school inspires young campers
Anne-marie Lavigne has always been an admirer and practitioner of the arts. Having nourished her interest in architecture and the arts in general for years studying at the Université de Montréal, the longtime Montrealer Lavigne moved with her partner Jean-sébastien Bernard to the village of Sutton to raise her two children and to build an artistic community.
Fast-forward to the summer 2017 and Lavigne has successfully opened up an art school, known to parents and students alike as the Sutton School of Art. For the first two weeks of July, Lavigne hosts a total of 26 children aged between 6 and 13 years old. These lucky day campers get the chance to discover, develop and refine their artistic skills thanks to a number of specialists who lend them a helping hand and sound advice. These educators include photographer Tristan Corbeil, fashion designer Julie André, and renowned artist and art gallery owner Brigite Normandin, among others. Tireless, Lavigne is seen day in and out framing pictures, handing out pastels, Indian ink and paper, or taking the children around the village of Sutton to learn and finetune their appreciation of nature and the arts. At noon, the children eat homemade and sometimes exotic meals (like the Iranian dish Kashk-e bâdemdjân), which are prepared by chefs and are occasionally treated to pastries such as pastry chef Nathalie Robin’s macaroons, which they decorate themselves. In February 2018, a collection of the children’s work will be put up at Galerie Art Plus, one of Sutton’s art galleries located at 8 rue Maple.
The philosophy guiding the school is deceptively simple. Lavigne’s ambitions are plentiful indeed. Firstly, Lavigne aims to inspire her day campers to learn more about the arts in general ranging from sculpture to photography to textile-making to cartooning to calligraphy. Secondly, Lavigne hopes to establish a school that will offer insightful classes to both children and adults (more on that in September 2017). One thing is for sure: Lavigne likes to dream big… and go far. The question needs to be raised. Who knows what heights the Sutton School of Art will reach?
For more information on the school, contact Anne-marie Lavigne at 514-690-2972.