Fattah's first memories of doing art go back to the third grade when he was made to draw as a punishment for misbehaving. He remembers drawing motorcycles and birds during a summer visit to Jamaica with his siblings. When he returned he was selected to work on a school project called "Don't do Drugs." His sketch was chosen as the one all the children would work on, mural size. That made him feel great. After that he entered poster contests for his school Book Fair, or Popcorn Sale and would often win books and popcorn.

By the time he was 12, he became serious about his art and would start drawing pictures as soon as he got home from school - instead of going out to play. "It was a way of expressing myself - it was something fun to do." It was his play.

That summer he found himself in an adult drawing class because the time worked out well for him. His mother told him he had to try very hard to keep up with the adults. By the end of the course his teacher had recommended him to a special Cyber Arts program at Don Mills Middle School, which draws artistically talented kids from all over the city.

Now, at 15, Fattah is still in the Cyber Arts program at Don Mills Collegiate, but feels that he doesn't get enough art in school. He is currently enrolled in John Viljoen's Life Drawing class. He loves the class - he is inspired by John's work and enjoys his disciplined approach.

As a 15 year old in an adult class, Fattah feels he has to push himself to keep up with the other students. He enjoys the challenge and says he learns a lot by watching the other students.

As the oldest of ten children, the other the thing Fattah loves about the class is that it gives him time for himself. Fattah has many responsibilities. Every day he picks up five of his siblings from two different schools. Some days he does things with them after school and on the other days, he does the dishes, reads the little ones a story and gets them into bed.

He tries to finish his homework fast so that he can spend time drawing. He often stays up until twelve or one o'clock in the morning, working on the comic book he is creating with his friend. It is about an alien creature; a character he's been developing since he was in 8th grade.

Does he watch TV? Rarely. Once in a while he'll watch a movie, but mostly, if he has any spare time, he'd rather read a book or draw.

Fattah has been a scholarship student at the Avenue Road Arts School for the past year and we hope he will continue to study at the school. We are grateful to Big Brothers for recommending this talented and delightful young man to our school.

Kids Perform

The Thursday After School Drama Studio class (7-10 yr. olds), performed the play Wishes on Thursday December 10, 1998 at Shaw Hall, in the First Unitarian Congregation on St. Clair and Avenue Road.

Kids Exhibit

The students in the Fine Arts Kindergarten classes, taught by Julie Frost and Rachel Daley, created a sculpture for an exhibit at the Bata Shoe Museum. The exhibit was a one day event which took place on October 24, 98. Also on display were papier mâché shoes created by the students of the Mixed Media classes, taught by Linda Prussick, shoe drawings created by Linda's Drawing students and a Kinetic Sculpture made by Russell Zeid's Kinetic Sculpture class.

The Many Faces of David

The students of the Saturday Drawing & Painting Class (8-12 year olds), taught by Sadko Hadzihasanovic, worked with a bust of the famous sculpture, David by Michaelangelo, to create some incredible drawings. Take a peek!