Seven artists associated with the MRC du Haut-Saint-Laurent’s Café Réseau Créatif spoke with Grade 10 and 11 art students over two periods at Chateauguay Valley Regional High School on April 3.
The students rotated between mini workshops with art entrepreneur Marie-Eve Hurteau, abstract expressionist painter Pascale Nancy, floorcloth artists Tina Michaud and Susan McIntosh, photographer Peter Dahms, sculptor Serge Poirier, painter Carolle Trépanier, and collagrapher and wood engraver Neil McGinity.
Each artist spoke candidly about their process while explaining the nature of their work, which surprised art teacher Enrico Savastano, who admitted he was expecting the artists to be less approachable.
Savastano says the students appeared to appreciate the activity. “We have been experiencing around 20 per cent truancy at the Grade 11 level, and today we are at 100 per cent,” he said, while noting the students were obviously engaged with the exercise.
Savastano worked with Lorelei Muller, a Community Learning Centre development agent, and the MRC’s cultural development agent, Évelyne Dubois, to coordinate the visit. Muller had participated in a few activities with the Café Réseau Créatif during the summer, and knew the group was looking for places to meet. “I connected some dots, and we are thrilled the artists were able to present to the students,” she said. Dubois says that she was surprised by the level of interest among the artists and adds that they reacted very positively to the opportunity.
“It was a really good experience for me,” said McIntosh, who, with Michaud, introduced the students to the art and history of floorcloths. “It was fun, and it was interesting,” she added, noting the students were enthusiastic about the craft and even suggested the possibility of producing a floorcloth banner with their graduating class.
Hurteau says many of the students were especially interested in the idea of art entrepreneurs. She noted several were thinking about a career in the arts, and her presentation gave them something to consider in terms of showing and selling their work.