CANADA NOW! LE CANADA D’AUJOURD’HUI! YOUTH ART SYMPOSIUM ….And final event in the inaugural year of programming at Place des artistes de Farrellton’s (PAF) research and development venue. Canada Now! Is a federally funded community initiative that invites regional youth to learn the techniques to express their feelings and identity through visual art. The event marks 150 years for Canada and also the first community outreach and art development project that will be an ongoing part of PAF’s annual programming. PAF’s research and development venue, and on going programming, highlight the importance of creativity for the health of communities and creates a sharing space for the inner workings of artistic practice. The Canada Now! Youth Art Symposium is no exception. With 21-30 youth participating, the space comes alive with creative exuberance under the guidance of four regional artists, all known for their work in communities and with youth. Land artist, Marc Walter, leads the youth in creating individual and collective ephemeral works of art using Nature as resource, experiencing site-specific interventions, exploring with sand, stones, pine needles, branches and more. Interdisciplinary artist, educator, community-based activist, Emily Rose Michaud, will introduce the processes related to the creation of our own paints in a collective mural. The youth will explore basic painting techniques and produce archival, artist quality tempera (egg yolk + earth-based pigment) to deepen their knowledge of a paint used during the Renaissance period. Artist and illustrator, Iris Kiewiet, focuses on comparing global with local. 'What image do you have of the world and where are you - right now' is a leading question. To visualize concept, youth will elicit ideas and note them with accessible techniques: drawing, collage, cut-outs, layering, charcoal and ink, on paper. Text and sound snippets are used to support the content. The collection of work of the youth will be mounted magazine like, using the space in the gym - exhibition space of PAF. Hannah Ranger, a textile artist specializing in felted fibre techniques, will have the youth working hard to sculpt raw wool into panels and sculptures using water and friction. The felted pieces will be assembled as a collective installation piece. The youth, ages 9-15, are given lots of space to draw and explore on paper covered walls and cardboard covered floors in the renovated gymnasium, as well as fresh air experiences in the re-purposed elementary school’s yard where they collect inspiration and materials. This is the beginning of the process that will unfold over the symposium where the inspirations will come together in actual works of art in the diverse mediums. The symposium is underway. Having completed the first full day of orientation on November 18th, the youth will be retuning to PAF for a weekend of creation. On Friday, December 1st, the group will gather for a “Table Blanche”, the term inspired by the well known Nuit Blanche all night outdoor art experience, to get into the spirit of art as an event. The space will be transformed with fabric and candle light for the evening and the artist facilitators will lead an evening of feasting and creative exploration in preparation for the following two days of work. Saturday and Sunday, December 2nd and 3rd, will be intense focused days of producing as the youth rotate between guided sessions with each artist. The final result of the work created through their time together will be on display in the PAF research and development venue on Friday, December 8th between 5pm and 8pm. The whole community is invited to come and see what has taken place here. Slide shows and/or video of the process will be shown along with short presentations. An interactive drawing installation curated by PAF member artist Jennifer Hamilton will be exhibited in the hallway gallery at PAF during the event. Everyone is welcomed to join the exhibit that will be ongoing throughout the symposium and evolves with the interaction of the youth, the PAF members and all visitors to PAF. Refreshments will be served. Place des artistes de Farrellton is located at 42 Plunkett rd., Farrellton, Québec (10 minutes North of Wakefield up the 105, half a kilometer before the Farrellton bridge.) PAF gratefully acknowledges the support of the government of Canada, the CLD –Centre local de développement des Collines-de-l’Outaouais and the municipality of La Pêche – la municipalité de La Pêche.
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