Tickets soon on sale for:

Footloose – Performed by ARAS Musical Theatre Company

Friday, June 8 & Saturday, June 9, 2007, 8:00 pm at the Al Green Theatre, 750 Spadina Avenue

Tickets: adults, $15 & children (12 and under), $10

Alice at Wonderland Drive High – Performed by ARAS Young Drama Company

Friday, June 15, 2007, 7:30 pm at the Al Green Theatre, 750 Spadina Avenue

Tickets: adults, $15 & children (12 and under), $10

Watch the Upcoming Events page for more details and online ticket ordering

12 on 12: The CCCA 12th Anniversary Art Auction, Moira Clark, The Gladstone Hotel, 1214 Queen Street West, Thursday, April 12th, 2007, 6:30 pm, Bidding closes at 9 pm. Advance Public Previews, April 11 & 12, 9 am-5 pm.

New Works, Sadko Hadzihasanovic´, Paul Petro Contemporary Works, 980 Queen Street West, April 6-May 5.

A Solo Show, Sadko Hadzihasanovic´, Kunsthaus Miami, 3312 North Miami Avenue, May 12-June 12

Jennifer Gould released her
music CD, Music Soup, full of fun and engaging children's songs this past December. She has sold out the first pressing of her CD and is in the midst of working on an animated feature based on one of the songs. The CD will soon be available at Chapters/Indigo, as well as at the Arts School. Visit jengouldmusic.com

Lydia Panart, was invited to
participate in an International Arts Symposium in Dubai, along with 21 other artists from around the world this past January. To view some of the paintings created in Dubai visit Lydia's website.

Faculty members Martha Johnson and Jennifer Hinrichs participate in this group exhibit at the Red Sable Gallery, owned by faculty member Klaas Hart. Survey the Valley – Red Sable Gallery, 1765 Danforth Ave. 647-436-3733 April 16-May 12, 2007, Wed. to Fri., 12-5 pm, Saturday 12-6 pm Opening Reception: Sat., April 21, 2-5 pm.

Currently enrolled students can register for fall, winter & spring programs on Monday, May 28, 2007.

Registration for new students will commence on Sunday, June 3, 2007 at Art Discovery Day.

Don't miss out on your favourite class! Consider registering for all three terms and using our payment plan.

Versatile theatre professional Luke Davies wears many hats: actor, director, playwright, and teacher – and he has worked with theatre companies across Ontario. He is also co-founder of the Toronto-based alliesallover theatre co-operative and, as a professionally certified educator, he teaches Grade 7 students at King Edward Public School. During his summers, Luke divides his time between the Arts for Children Arts Adventure Camp and his classes at the Avenue Road Arts School.

Theatre is not only a passion for Luke, but also a means through which he helps young people "to find their own voice". He does this through his work as co-instructor for the ARAS Young Drama Company and through classes such as Drama Studio Junior, Writing for Teens and Drama Studio II. He believes that the skills taught in any drama class are important – but he's quick to point out that once children are "empowered to express themselves, they will naturally learn the skills they need." The sense of empowerment that Drama provides children also gives them a valuable sense of community within the class – and that can have a positive influence on them for the rest of their lives.

Luke witnessed that power firsthand as a participant in a drama program for 'at risk' students. That experience gave him the support to not only finish – but to excel in high school – and then to move on to university. The encouragement he received also motivated him to channel his experiences into writing for the stage. Luke believes that writing and producing one's own work is essential to artistic development.

He considers his years at the Avenue Road Arts School as very valuable due to his interaction with the staff of professional artists, as well as the time he spends with his young students. For Luke, the School's "arts-first" approach creates a safe and supportive atmosphere in which both artists and students are free to try new ideas and techniques.

"To act as much as possible" is the advice Luke gives young people who wish to pursue theatre. He also believes that seeing live theatre, and learning what goes on backstage, are integral to dramatic success.

Luke plans to keep writing and producing his own work, while also continuing to provide young people with the same opportunities that were afforded him as a teenager. His efforts are providing rewards for students and teacher alike. After the final performance of Luke's March Break Acting and Writing Class, a young student exclaimed to her father, "That was great! I never thought that I could do it!" With such great praise from a young student who had spent only one week in his class, it's clear that Luke Davies' passion and dedication to the power of Drama is contagious.

Why in the world would anyone choose to leave a successful law practice, a powerful position in the financial world, or an important job as director of a surgical clinic, to go back to school – with the goal of becoming a full time artist? Why give up the financial rewards, the status, the security and the comfort that comes with having a highly paid job?

The Avenue Road Arts School has been home to several people who have made this choice. Recently, Report on Business Television featured three of our students: Marie Finkelstein is a lawyer with three books on Constitutional Law under her belt; Ingrid Mida built a flourishing career in the world of high finance – her last job was as Comptroller of the Toronto Sun; and Adrienne Alison ran the Maxillofacial Prosthetic Clinic at Sunnybrook Hospital. All three now work full time as professional artists – and they are thriving.

More and more people are trading in the material advantages that often come with 'left-brained' jobs for the much less financially beneficial rewards of living the artist's life. Are they crazy? No. Are they happier than ever, now? Only they can judge. For the ones I have met, the answer is a resounding: "Yes… much happier!"

We are often exhorted to "find our bliss" and then we will be happy. It takes courage to find our bliss. It often means giving up assumptions about our lives that we have tenaciously clung to for many years. We owe it to ourselves to ask the question: "what really makes us happy?" Do the 'things' that more money can buy, bring us the kind of satisfaction we are looking for, or do we need something else?

Clearly, some of us do need something else. We need to be able to express who we really are – not who someone else expects us to be. Some of us need to set our own goals and then try to realize them. If we are to be stressed by meeting deadlines, at least let those deadlines be self-imposed.

Is it worth the sacrifice of financial security to do this? Only those who take the leap can answer this question. It is certainly difficult to make a lot of money as an artist – but many artists do support themselves. Most every artist/instructor at the Avenue Road Arts School lives well on the proceeds of their art and their teaching. They are not necessarily taking exotic holidays (unless they are leading art tours) – and they are not buying expensive cars. But they do feel the joy of being totally engaged in work they love and of having the opportunity to actualize themselves in ways that feel right for them.

How many of us say to our friends: "I've always wanted to..." – but somehow we never find the time? Following our heart does not always translate into leaving our jobs, but at least we can spend some of our time finding our bliss. Dedicating an evening a week learning to draw the human figure, to dance the Tango, or to make chocolate confections, can be incredibly rewarding.

Let the brave souls who have taken the 'head to toe' plunge be our beacons.

To view the segment profiling Ingrid, Adrienne and Marie, visit www.bnn.ca, click on workopolis tv, then full shows, then 3/27/2007.

Lola Rasminsky, Founding Director

Avenue Road Arts School Students Who Have Taken the Plunge!

Portrait of Holly #2, 30"x30", oil on canvas Artist - Ingrid Mida Ingrid Mida's Current Exhibit: March 28-April 8, 2007 Propeller Centre for the Visual Arts, 984 Queen Street West

Buddha, 14"x12", bronze Artist - Adrienne Alison Adrienne Alison's Current Exhibit: Until the end of April The Arts and Letters Club, 14 Elm Street

Send in the Clowns, 30"x36", oil on canvas Artist - Marie Finklestein Marie Finklestein’s Current Exhibit: April 2-30, 2007 Sage Cafe, 166 McCaul Street