Transcript-Teens explore art without having to pay a dime

Dail – Teen Art – Feb 1, 2010

WEB INFO

Watch Here: The Teen Art Zone is one of the many events offered by the Beaverbrook Art Gallery. But it is one of the few that’s free. The last Sunday of every month for a few hours in the afternoon, Fredericton teens can let their creativity run free.

VO

From a clean slate to the clean up at the end, these teens created something from nothing, with no restrictions. Jane Stewart, the art instructor for the Teen Art Zone, didn’t focus on what instruction she could give, but what the students could come up with.

CLIP – Jane Stewart, Teen Art Zone Coordinator/Art Instructor

“The other thing I like about it is that it allows the youngsters to be part of creating something that they understand it; to be the way they see it. It’s not being modelled by an adult. It’s modelled by them.”

VO

Stewart has been the coordinator for the Teen Art Zone for two years. She takes high school students on a tour of the gallery before letting them loose to create their own art. From their feet to their hands, fingers, paint brushes, and lots of water and paint, these students were encouraged to reflect and create. And for this student, that was better than coloring books.

CLIP  – Molly Desson, 18

“Instead of like coloring in a coloring book, you just get to make your own pictures because sometimes you don’t really like what the coloring books have to offer.”

VO

Desson was part of a group of 11 students from Katimavik, a student volunteer service program in Canada, visiting Fredericton. They were impressed with the freedom of the class and the instruction from Stewart. Even through a piece of scrap paper, the instructor gave a positive spin.

CLIP – Jane Stewart, Teen Art Zone Coordinator/Art Instructor

“Can I show everybody? This was just used for testing his pastels. But look how nice it is. It’s its own piece of art. Yeah? It’s good.”

VO

Stewart’s philosophy of teaching also depended on the other senses. With music in the background, listening and reflecting were important to this kind of creative exercise.

STAND UP

The Teen Art Zone usually gets about 15 participants each month. Stewart says programs like these are important in Fredericton because of the city’s reputation as the Cultural Capital. While there are many programs like it, Stewart says the Teen Art Zone stands alone by allowing students to see great art, reflect on it, and make their own for free. For STU Journalism, I’m Liz Dail in Fredericton.

Short URL: http://www.newbrunswickbeacon.ca/?p=4345

Posted by Liz Dail on Feb 3, 2010. Filed under Transcripts. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.