Category Archives: Arts Advocacy

Stories in Song: Canadian Artists Share Journeys and Memories

“I’m pleased with my life, with the journey.” ~ Tina Turner Time has passed since my last blog post. I have been navigating some life changes and thinking about journeys, and how life took me in unexpected directions, and put … Continue reading

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Arctic Animals Inspired by Inuit Art

“Artists draw what they think… and what they have seen also. But sometimes they draw from their imaginations something that doesn’t exist anywhere in the world.” ~ Pudlo Pudlat I want to share my classroom’s exploration of Inuit art (an … Continue reading

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From Environmental Footprints to Environmental Handprints

“I care about climate change because of our children. I want to safeguard their future.” ~ Cate Blanchett In recent weeks I have attended some really thought-provoking workshops and a conference about climate change. The focus has been on how … Continue reading

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Toronto’s ArtsJunktion: A Magical Place Where Creativity Lives

“The really magical things are the ones that happen right in front of you. A lot of the time you keep looking for beauty, but it is already there. And if you look with a bit more intention, you see … Continue reading

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Creating Gifts for Mother’s Day

“Mothers are the fountain of creation.” ~ Ernest Agyemang Yeboah Preparing for Mother’s Day has made the classroom a busy place with much going on.  We have been making cards that include coupon books with hand written promises to do something thoughtful … Continue reading

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Abstract Inspiration from the Quilts of Gee’s Bend

  “Our lives are like quilts – bits and pieces, joy and sorrow, stitched with love.” ~ Author Unknown For a few months now I have been exploring abstract painting. I discovered that I am particularly interested in combining watercolour … Continue reading

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The Value of Dance in the Lives of Children: An Interview with Kharen Westbye

 “Let us first teach little children to breathe, to vibrate, to feel, and to become one with the general harmony and movement of nature. Let us first produce a beautiful human being, a dancing child.”  ~Isadora Duncan For over 10 … Continue reading

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A Reflection on Creativity in 2016

“Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time”. ~Thomas Merton 2016 has been a year of losses, particularly in the arts world – David Bowie, Prince, Alan Rickman, Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds and so many … Continue reading

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A Weekend at the Sweetwater Music Festival

“Music takes us out of the actual and whispers to us dim secrets that startle our wonder as to who we are, and for what, whence and whereto.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson From September 16th to the 18th, I was … Continue reading

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The Wonder of Learning

“Learning and teaching should not stand on opposite banks and just watch the river flow by; instead, they should embark together on a journey down the water.  Through an active, reciprocal exchange, teaching can strengthen learning how to learn.” ~ … Continue reading

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