The Royal Conservatory’s Artist Educator’s Foundations Course – Sioux Lookout – May, 2013.
Over the past two weekends I have had the pleasure and priviledge of participating with seven other locally based, creative individuals in a course catered to people interested in learning how to teach their artistic discipline in an educational or community setting. The Artist Educator’s Foundations Course was presented by the Royal Conservatory of Music and while it is usually offered at a rate of $600.00 for six days of instruction, this specific course was offered on the third floor of the Centennial Centre to the residents of Sioux Lookout and surrounding areas for a mere $60.00 thanks to the support and sponsorship of the Ontario Arts Council.
Course participant Bentley Rozee poses during a drama activity. Photo credit: Crystal Nielsen.
For six days (Friday evenings, Saturdays and Sundays) over the span of two weekends, I worked in close proximity to local artists – Bentley Rozee, Hana Beitl, E.J. Horvath, Laurel Wood, Beth McKinlay, Nadine Arpin and Isaac Giles – learning a multitude of skills essential to working with different ages, stages, learning styles and artistic disciplines. To date, it was one of the best experiences that I have had in my time here in Sioux Lookout.
Our beautiful instructors were two artists by the names of Crystal Nielsen and Paula Wing. Crystal, a visual artist from Thunder Bay, is a warm and welcoming personality with the espresso making capabilities of an Italian barista. Her dedication and knowledge in the field of visual arts and arts education were encouraging and inspiring to everyone, (even those of us lacking in the visual arts field), convincing the group that even if we do not have a background in visual art, there is a painter, drawer or installation artist inside us all. Paula, an actor and writer from Toronto, is a passionately animated and extraordinarily talented theatre artist with the comedic personality of Tiny Fey and Carol Burnett combined. Not a day went by that she didn’t have me hunched over with laughter, yet she also had the ability to motivate and guide participants in their own individual artistic practices in a very sincere way that left me feeling stronger and more capable as an artist and as a leader.
Isaac Giles places a magazine clipping on our ‘nature installation’ during a group activity. Photo credit: Crystal Nielsen.
On the first weekend, we were also joined by Arts Education officer Christina Akrong from the Ontario Arts Council. Christina, a visual, fibre and theatre artist from Toronto, is the kindest of kind souls, offering great knowledge and insight into various opportunities for arts grant with the O.A.C. as well as on the grant writing process in general. Sadly, she had to leave us after the first weekend, and while we still had a wonderful time with her gone, I think that the others would agree that it wasn’t quite the same without her.
Course members pose for a ‘tableau style’ activity representing our local history. Left to right: Nadine Arpin, Bentley Rozee, Reilly Scott, Erin Horvath, Gabrielle Arpin (special guest for the afternoon), Beth McKinlay, Isaac Giles. Photo Credit: Paula Wing.
The course, (offered just last year in Kenora) is the first level of the four-tiered Artist Educator certification program offered by the Royal Conservatory of Music. Its aim is to give participants a taste (or as Crystal referred to it – a ‘buffet’) of specific tools and techniques one can use to teach the arts in both schools and community settings, including how to merge artist and teacher culture, teaching tactics and strategies, engaging in effective partnering and articulating the creative process. The next three course levels offer more intensive and specific training, including instruction on how to approach organizations regarding specific projects and/or suggestions for finding work in the field.
Local artist Nadine Arpin navigates the string in a lifesize ‘cat’s cradle’ group activity. Also shown – Isaac Giles, Hana Beitl, Laurel Wood. Photo Credit: Reilly Scott
In my own experience, what was best about the course was the wonderful feeling of community and support that it offered by giving me the opportunity to work alongside a very diverse group of artists from Sioux Lookout. Every participant was so unique in their artistic interests and abilities and while I had interacted with most of the group members around town, it was fulfilling to be able to get to know them on a deeper level and to learn from their own individual skill sets.
Group members participate in an activity on partnerships and colour blending. Photo Credit: Crystal Nielsen.
Crystal and Paula had a wonderful way of nurturing everyone’s artistic capablities by creating a learning environment that felt very encouraging and safe. They motivated us to get in touch with our expressive sides and to let go of any kind of judgement that we might put on ourselves or on the creative process in general. A lot of the exercises were targeted at helping us open ourselves up and to worry less about any specific goals or expectations – a mindset that I myself found to be incredibly liberating.
‘All in a day’s work’ – our creations from the first Saturday displayed for all to see. Photo Credit: Crystal Nielsen.
And as often happens when you’re surrounded by a group of excited, creative personalities, the experience left me feeling extremely inspired and eager to make art. It also pushed me to value myself more as an artist. Being amongst community members that I respect and value as artists and hearing about their own doubts in the creative process, as well as finding the courage to share some of my own work with them, really helped to build my confidence. After all, shouldn’t all art be shared?
The entire class on our last day. From left to right – back row: Bentley Rozee, Nadine Arpin, Paula Wing (instructor), Crystal Nielsen (instructor), Reilly Scott (gracefully blocking her friend and co-worker Beth McKinlay. Sorry Beth!!), Beth McKinlay, Isaac Giles, Erin Horvath, Laurel Wood. Front row: Hana Beitl. Photo Credit: Gabrielle Arpin
I would recommend this course to anyone interested in arts education, community arts, arts faciliation and/or leadership – or even to anyone in need of a bit of creative illumination. It is an opportunity not to be missed.
For more information on Artist Educator Professional Training or the Royal Conservatory go to: http://learning.rcmusic.ca/learning-through-arts/artist-educator-professional-training
For information on the Ontario Arts Council (specifically arts education) go to: http://www.arts.on.ca/Page2838.aspx or email Christina Akrong (Arts Education Officer) @ cakrong@arts.on.ca
~ Reilly Scott
siouxlookoutcreativeartscircle.wordpress.com 