Portraits by the Young Artist

"Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up." - Pablo Picasso

The artworks you see here, by students at Windermere and VanTech secondary schools, are taken from Portraits of Our Culture, a new art book created by Vancouver students from Grades 1 through 12. The book delights the eye and warms the heart, as the reader comes to see that the creative collaboration was as much about building friendships as making art. Certainly it's been a labour of love for art teacher Malcolm McTaggart, along with many colleagues and supportive parents. The fourth in a series of books produced by Vancouver art students and teachers, this one portrays how young artists see themselves in an ever-changing world.

Art teachers at 32 different schools helped secondary students mentor elementary students on a variety of collaborative projects around the theme "portraits of our culture." The students painted their portraits on everything from paper to stone, ceramic tile, and found objects. They did wool felting, photography, sculpture, and multi-media.

"When [the portraits] are done they will be great. I just know it!" said Hannah Ker, a Grade 1 student at Kitchener.

"The Grade 1 students were full of imagination and not afraid to put their ideas down," observed Kevin Chan, a grade 12 at Ker's partner school, Prince of Wales.

'A feeling of belonging'

"One of the goals was to create a real variety of art forms, and to create relationships so that younger students would have a feeling of belonging when they go on to high school," said McTaggart.

"Co-operative art projects like this one should take place because both older and younger students benefit from it," said Laura Super, a Grade 12 student.

McTaggart is quick to credit others who made the project go. Dr. Valerie Overgaard, associate superintendent, championed the book from the start. Usher Hammer, a retired teacher, has been instrumental in the book projects since 1990. David Friesen and his nephew Curwin, owners of the Friesen family yearbook print shop, have agreed to print the book at cost. Alison Prendergast, another retired art teacher, created a CD of the book. Lana Hill, Ana Dispirito and Alex Baillie organized an exhibition of the students' work at the Pendulum Gallery in the Hong Kong Bank Building.

Moved, like many others, by what he saw in Portraits of Our Culture, Chris Kelly, superintendent of Vancouver Schools, wrote: "The images in this collection are powerful in so many ways: as compelling statements of cultural experience and perspective; as evidence of the remarkable creativity and insight of these young artists; as testimony to the quality of learning, performance, and achievement in our schools; as signals as well as symbols of the life and times of our community and society."

Facing cutbacks and escalating accountability measures, art teachers find it challenging to maintain their programs. This book is a reminder of how crucial the arts are to students and society at large.

Portraits of Our Culture is available for $35 from the Vancouver School Board's District Learning Services, 1595 West Broadway, Vancouver, B.C. V6J 1Z8, by phone at 604-713-5206, or via e-mail at [email protected]

Nancy Knickerbocker is media relations officer for the B.C. Teachers' Federation.