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Deaf and Hearing Kids Make Art Together It is a Tuesday morning in November and the cafeteria at the Davisville Metro Deaf School has been transformed into a studio filled with budding young artists. Thanks to an outreach program established by Arts for Children of Toronto, the children's hands are not only busy speaking a language that is like a "secret code" between their peers and teachers, but they are also learning the beauty of working with a variety of art materials as another form of self-expression. On this chilly fall day, children from grades one to three who are both hearing and deaf have the opportunity to work together on a project to help decorate the front foyer of their school. With careful guidance on the part of instructor Susie Whaley, who is an artist, fluent in American Sign Language, and her hearing-impaired assistant Luan Luu, the group begins by molding letters out of model magic that spell out Davisville Metro Deaf School and later create plaster sculptures of their little hands, spelling out the school name in ASL.
Other projects, which the children have had
a chance to work on since the start of this AFC funded project, include
a mini hot air balloon that consists of a picture of the children signing
the word dream. These unique sculptures can be found right by the front
entrance and will soon be accompanied by the school name fashioned out
of Model Magic and plaster displaying the way in which these collective
and individual efforts have brought inspiration, insight and solidarity
to the school halls. AFC Outreach Update Portage Trail Community School This fall, artist Allycia Uccello worked with students over five days to create a large scale hanging mobile, now proudly displayed in the school foyer. At once a reflection of the rich human history of the Portage Trail, and inspired by its natural beauty, this mobile uses images of indigenous people and the outdoors to bring the past alive. In understanding the history of the area, and transforming their own environment, a diverse student body came together to embrace their creativity. Metropolitan Toronto School for the
Deaf One of our remarkable outreach artists, Susie Whaley is currently running a weekly mixed-media class, which immerses deaf and hearing children in the beauty of sign language. Working together to produce art that will beautify the hallways of their own school and foster a new way of understanding each other, these students have told their teachers that this is their favourite activity of the week. Keelesdale Junior Public School An important integrated arts program is now being planned for January 2004 on the topic of bullying. Using the book Don't Laugh At Me by Steve Seskin & Allen Shamblin, children from various grades will explore this relevant theme through drama, music and visual art.
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Scholarship Profile Camila Wong
Ever since she was a young child, Camila has been painting everything from the walls of her home, to pictures commissioned by her relatives. Her teachers saw that she had a gift and suggested private classes, since the regular schooling did not focus on the arts. At the age of nine, back in her native Peru, Camila began studying with professional artists and would opt to paint while relaxing, instead of playing with friends or watching television. Her mother says, "Her interest in arts is completely different than her interest in school. In art, nobody pushes her to do it. She loves it on her own." In June of 2002, Camila and her family moved to Canada. It was a new life and challenge for everyone, especially to learn English, and one thing that made the transition to this new culture easier was art. Her family began searching for an art program that could challenge Camila, as well as accommodate her severe hearing loss. The Arts for Children of Toronto Scholarship Program helped place Camila in an appropriate arts program that would both challenge the fourteen year old's artistic abilities and nurture her artistic growth. "She was excited and happy to be there, despite her disability," says Camila's mom. Over the past few months Camila has become more confident, has made new friends and has had lots of fun. Painting has been a way for her to preserve all the happy memories in her life and one day she hopes to be able to share this love by teaching art to children. For more information on the Arts for Children Scholarship Program, please contact Lisa Phillips, Administrative Director for Arts for Children at 416-961-1502, ext. 302 or at lisa@artsforchildren.org.
It is only December and Arts for Children of Toronto has already booked Outreach Programs in the following schools for the 2003-2004 academic year:
This number will likely grow over the coming
months, so stay tuned for our final count next spring! |
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In
spring of 2003, Camila Wong joined the 