art starts here!

i finally got a chance to get over to the artstarts gallery & office - what a great experience! the new show [regional voices] features work from several bc schools including banner projects, books, sculptures from found items and clay works and a photography collection. what particularly struck me in the main gallery is just a sense of energy and colour and complete engagement. i was really taken by the photo collection from the 'streetfront' high school kids. what a gift it is to help kids tell their stories - for us to to step inside that story and give the kids a chance to step outside... i remember a quote on one piece in the collection, the photo (great photo by the way - wish i had a copy) taken in lynn canyon says "things just seem easier here".

upstairs in the mezzanine are a group of works [150 faces] that will make anyone smile! i remember the exercise from art class: draw an object or person in one continuous line & don't look @ the paper...

elsie roy: kindergarten class

elsie roy: grade 5

as i started writing this, i remembered a very special event in my childhood - the printing press van came to town! they taught a small group of us to make woodcuts and mono-prints on their giant press - in fact i still have one of mine & one of mike mcgraw's prints (oh so many years later)! so i believe in the impact art can have on a life & i can imagine kids are over the top to see thier work in a real gallery! (read more on the artstarts blog).