Landscapes of the Mind.....

So before I talk about class, I have to tell you we are on a profound search for a rounded brush for Margaret. They are sold out everywhere, like there is run for them for some specific reason. We have been to more beauty salons and Nakumatt's that I care to share and to no avail. One woman told Margaret that they are scarce and if she was going somewhere nice that they would do her hair right with a round brush. I am sure you are worried about my hair as well, don't! I brought my brush even though I never use it.

So today class continued to unfold in the most amazing ways. Ways I cannot explain. So lets talk poverty, third world for a moment. These students that are so very smart, beautiful and important have obvious limited exposure; bread as an example is a treat. Very rarely do they have bread, so the fact that we bring brown bread and margarine is a big deal.

This I share only because the next piece is shocking. So, lets be clear, Margaret, a National Endowment of the Arts fellow and veteran art teacher for 12 years. My undergraduate and post graduate work in Art. Oils are complex, creating is hard, letting your mind be open even harder and taking from your imagination, pictures in your subconscious and pictures in front of you and creating something as a piece of art, an absolute gift. I say all this with the fact that not one of these students even knew what oil paints looked like until Tuesday Morning. So we get to class today and the Art Prefect for the class (Mike) had all the class set up and moving and the students were engaged to create art. We did a brief meditation which they all respond so well to and then had them do an hour of practicing with oils on heavy paper before providing canvas board. When we did, I saw something I had never seen before, silence, movement, grace, creation and beauty. Margaret and I looked at each other like we had either done something really right or that they really just need to be provide tools and they become vessels of creation.

The work that they did on these small canvas boards are worthy of framing, as a matter of fact, we will base the whole show next week on the theme of landscapes, titling next Thursday's exhibition, Landscapes of the Mind. They all were so engrossed and intent and all their creations, so beautiful. Saisi Wycliffe, our famed colorist, using the most profound and unique colors to create landscapes, then Jacob as well with his articulate beauty, both museum quality pieces. You look around the room and you can't begin to believe that these student have not been exposed heavily to art since they were young. I can assure you they have not.

Is this how it is suppose to work? There is such ease in delivering this program now. I guess after 4 years its suppose to be this way. We could not be more excited about how this is turning out. This focused approach with the most engaged is really great. We get to deal with a more advanced group that we have been with most of this last 4 years. Next week, we will continue this advanced class and also have the other classes. Next week will be a much more intense week as well as the Art Exhibition at the Kouna Trust.

We will be able to do our standard curriculum with next weeks classes themed around landscapes so we will be able to have landscape creations from all classes in the different respective mediums that they are taught from Pencil, Charcoal, Oil Pastels, Water Color and Oil Paints..... It will be an amazing show, I cannot wait.

After class, we went to Text Book Centre for more supplies since they are barreling through them, and then back to the Sanctuary of the Pedro Arrupe Center. A place truly filled with grace.

Thank you for indulging us on this journey and allowing us to share this with you.

We appreciate you taking this journey with us.

Be well,

Charles and Margaret