My Last Blog Post for EDUC 406

Métis Jigging & Métis Fiddling

I want to end my blog with a wish for the future.
I always admire my sister Cherie’s talents and her passion for our Métis culture. Cherie is a beautiful Métis Jigger. When she dances you can tell that she is very passionate by the expressions in her face and her body movements. Cherie also loves to the play the fiddle, which always bring excitement in my family’s life.

My wish for the future is to learn how to jig and play the fiddle. The Bachelor of Education program has been an experience of a life time. I am so happy that I was selected for the 2007-2009 cohort. But I am excited to see it come to an end, so I can have my ME time back again and re-enter my creative journey.

I feel that I am very artistic and I have a wide range of knowledge of visual arts and performing arts, but my experiences is limited in the areas of music and dance. My goal is to learn how to jig and play the fiddle after graduation because these skills would be essential and beneficial as a teacher and for my curriculum. As well as bring personal satisfaction that I tried something new.
Thank you again for the experience of discovering my own creative works.

I would also like to thank Donna Campbell for following my blog. Your interest means the world to me.

Daphne Odjig

Daphne Odjig is a legendary First Nations female artist. In FNST 498 Indigenous Women Artist I wrote an essay about her life and experiences as an artist. Daphne Odjig was born with a paint brush in her hands, and her creative expression and love for art was inspired by her grand-father and father. I was so fascinated by her life and her passion. I found the resource Odjig by Bob Boyer to be an excellence resource because it was similar to the scribe and mistrals idea: beside each of her pictures was a quote about the paining or about her experiences The idea behind creating the platform for scribes and mistrals using Odjg will be valuable resource to teach to my students. I plan to use the project, as well as the puzzle pieces for my next practicum. Her choice of designs and colours do not only reflect First Nations art, but can be used to inspire individual creativity.

A Reminder of the Past

I am so happy that I was given the opportunity to blog about my creative journey. I recently found these clay artifacts, that I have not seen in over 4 years. I made the turtle in grade 7, and the other 2 figures I made in Gr. 11.

Christmas Banquet

I was did not want to attend the Christmas Banquet for the reason that I hate singing in front of others, but I ended up over came my fear of singing. I am glad that I did attend the Christmas Banquet for the reason that it was nice to see and visit with my peers and other cohorts outside of the stressful school environment. I was so pleased that our class has so much ambition compared to the other cohorts. Our passion and our ability to be creative will only be an advantage to us in our future careers.

Personal Response

Two Rivers Art Museum
I always have a fun time visiting the 2 Rivers Art Gallery. I found this experience more beneficial and inspiring compared to our first visit. It always seems that the Gallery has at least one depressing exhibition, and this time I felt uncomfortable viewing Ted Hebert’s images. I found his work to represent someone dying and the spirit world. I had a difficult time viewing his art because all I could see and feel was death. The one image I found the most difficult to view was the one on the opposite side of his bibliography. Furthermore, when we were expected to replica one of his images figures for 30 seconds I had great difficulty just being so close to his work because of the negative energy I felt. On the other hand, I did like Natalie’s work except for her nude images. Although I love Matisse’s image Blue Nude, I like it for the fact that it is not an actual human naked. I do not appreciate actual human nude art because it is something that does not interest me, instead it makes me feel uncomfortable to view.

Kid’s Art Show Activity

The activity I had prepared for the Kid’s Arts Show was inspired by Matisse’s stencil work. In addition, I thought it was important to design an activity where all students could participate regardless of their age and ability. And I wanted an activity that would not be too messy and the clean up be a breeze. The activity proved to be a success, I believe I had over 25 students who participated. I just also want to say thank you to all my peers who stopped by to give me a hand, a pee break (thanks a million), for cutting out all the little pieces, and to Charlea for inspiring me with ideas and helping me purchase supplies.

Beach Ball Lesson Activity

The idea came from the introductory activity at a Métis youth conference. I have adapted the idea for introductory lessons and anticipatory activity. For my grade one class, I created questions that asked them their favouirte colour, healthy snack, sport, subject, TV show, etc. For my grade 4, I created questions about their learning style, favourite manipulative, subject, healthy snack, favourite outdoor activity, etc. But this time the students had to answer the questions and explain why.

Activity: Pass ball (chest pass) to a student. Student answers question were left thumb lands. Student repeats the question aloud for group to hear. Student answers the question in a sentence aloud for group to hear. For example: My favourite healthy snack is? - My favourite healthy snack is carrots. Student passes to another student who has not had a turn.

For Review: ask questions related the previous activity.

Readers' Theatre Costumes: Ustas A Carrier Story

For my Drama unit, I had the students perform a Carrier play. I used the idea of Readers’ Theater, and I had the students work in groups of 5-6, (I assigned groups & assigned characters to save time). After lessons, I had the students write on a sticky note 3 characters that they wanted to play next time, so I knew who they wanted to play. This approach was successful for me and my practicum class.

I had the students read through the play once before I assigned them props. I kept the costumes simple: Ustas (main character): plaid shirt, cow boy hat, cloth; Gwezeh: black cape with brown feathers, Yus: plaid shirt, cloth; Molly & Minnie: shall, necklace, basket; Lahal Players: moccasins and skin coat; man: rope, plaid shirt, cloth cowboy hat, belt; Swans: white feathers.

Exhibition Theme: Outside of the BOX

Bag: Métis Beading

For First Nation 303, a First Nations art course, I created this bag for my final project. The theme of our exhibition was Thinking Outside of the Box

I choose the colour green as a representation of my life at the period of time. I spent a total of 34 hours beading the flowers, which was the longest part of creating the project. The flower pattern represents the wild rose, a common Métis symbol. The four open flowers represent me, my mom, my sister Chaille and my sister Cherie. The two flowers that look like a bud, represent my dad and my brother.

The white beading around the outside of the flowers is a traditional Métis expression that used in beading. Colour contrast is a very important thing about beading; traditionally, the inside colours had to be lighter colour (I cannot remember the reason). The one colour they suggest not to use is the colour pink because it bleeds.

Exhibition Theme: Mixed Messages

For First Nations 410, an advanced First Nations art course, I created this pipe. The theme of our exhibition was mixed messages. I decided to create a pipe with the word faith engraved on the handle. Our professor also required that we create a journal of our learning and the process of the project. At first I felt very overwhelmed because I had no experience in wood working. However, with the love, support and PATIENCE of my partner Dan, I was able to achieve my goal.

The pipe is made from driftwood from Pender Island. Dan and I went there for Spring Break. Finding the wood was an adventure it self, especially working with a pro-wood worker.
The bowl of the pipe is made from pine wood; the handle is made from Monkey’s wood (I am not sure if that is the actual name), and the mouth attachment is made from Oak wood. I engraved the word faith with a wood burner.
Dawn was also a part of my class, and she created a project as well.

Live Theatre

Growing up, I was a very shy child. I would barely talk to people, and my parents and my teachers were always concerned with my lack of communication, especially among my peers. I was approaching grade 5, and my parents were so concerned by my lack of communication, therefore, they enrolled me in Surrey Little Theatre.

In 3 years, I performed in 9 youth productions, and became a fan of live theatre. Now, the problem is I can barely STOP talking. My experiences at Surrey Little Theatre taught me a lot about myself, and the importance of communicating with others.

The picture I have posted is me as Elf #1 in the Christmas play of 1995 (the biggest elf role in the play). I was so proud of myself because I earned that role on my own. In my practicum I did a unit on Readers’ Theatre, and I was able to make connections with two
of the shiest students in the class. I told them the same thing the youth director Mr. Cross told me, “Don’t worry in your someone else’s shoes. If you mess up it is okay because you did it in someone else’s shoes”. And that is why my first lesson of my drama unit was called Someone Else’s Shoes.

My Artistic Influence: Heneri Matisse

My artistic expression is influenced by the work of Heneri Matisse. My grandma and my cousins Nicole and Stacy influenced by appreciation for art. I cannot remind when exactly, but I remember when I was young attending an art show celebrating the work of Mattise’s. I remember going by the Blue Nude 2 picture, and being instantly compelled by the image. I was so fascinated by his use of stencil art (something that he started in 1948 before his death in 1954. As a young child, I wanted to be an artist in the worst, but I could not draw or paint for the life of me. I was so disappointed that I had given up hope on being an artist until that day. Since then cut out art has become my form of artistic expression. My pictures of representing the Metis people are all done by cut out.

Remembering Louis Riel

In remembrance of his illegal execution in November of 1885.
The course First Nation 498: Image of an Indian in Films was valuable course in teaching me how to recognize and examine media in regards to the hidden messages that misrepresent Aboriginal people/and or expressions of their culture. For my creative project I choose to show the Métis perspective of the events leading to the Métis rebellion of 1885.

The image of the man in a purple suit is John A. MacDonald on top of Métis land. I choose MacDonald to be purple for the fact that he is on $10 Cdn bills. The red smears in the picture is to symbol bloodshed. The image of the skull in the fire is Thomas Scott. There are two stories about Thomas Scott. The one I choose is from a Métis perspective, and I show Scott as an evil man who was out to get the Métis people, especially Louis Riel. The image of the mother and child, is Louis and his mother Julie. Besides God, Julie was major influence upon her son Riel. The text that surrounds the image is from letters between Riel and his mother. The type of art I choose is influenced from the work of Matisse.

Carl Beam 1942-2005

Carl Beam Born 1942-2005
Ojibway, West Bay, Manitoulin Island, Canada.

It was in FNST 411, I was introduced to Mixed Media, focusing on the Carl Beam’s work. When I was introducing the concept of Mixed Media to my class, I did a slide show using many of Beam’s images.

Carl Beam style was well know for using graphics, photographs, text, acrylic, ceramics, montage, photo transfer and collage. His art work liked to express the “relationships between Native culture and the 20th century white culture technology”.

“My works are like little puzzles, interesting little games. I play a game with humanity and with creativity. I ask viewers to play the participatory game of dreaming ourselves as each other. In this we find out that we're all basically human…. My work is not fabricated for the art market. There's no market for intellectual puzzles or works of spiritual emancipation.” – Carl Beam in an interview with Allan J. Ryan

When Beam was a young child he was sent to Garnier Residential School, many of his images reflect his childhood experiences were “less than pleasant”. Beam studies art at the Kamloops School of Art, UVIC, and the University of Alberta. It was the National Gallery of Canada, “one of the first major Canadian galleries to recognize Beam’s work”.

If you wish to read more and see more of Carl Beam, you should borrow the book Trickster from UNBC library. My favourite image of Beam, is when he posing in Christian Dior underwear.

Sources
www.maslakmcleod.com/c_beam.html
http://www.artbank.ca/News+and+Events/Activities/bulletin20.htm

I have always found comfort in Joan Miro’s work. His sense of colour mixture, and his “naïve, childlike impressions” have always captured my attention. In grade 11, I once tried to experiment with his Cubanist -Surreal style, which turned out to be difficult to reproduce.

Miro was born in Barcelona in Northern Spain, and later studied art at the Barcelona School of Fine Arts at the Academia Gali. It was in the 1930’s that Miro had developed his unquie style. His work has been described as a “reminiscent of drawings made by children at the age of five...who integrate[d] elements of Catalan folk art”.

Sources
www.artelino.com/articles/joan_miro.asp
http://www.e-fineart.com/biography/miro_bio.html

This image was originally designed for the mural outside of the Duck Lake Museum. Artist Ru Huang created the image as a represent of the aftermath that occurred at Duck Lake, on March 26, 1885, between the Canadian government and the Métis people. “Artist Ru Huang conveys the solemn, tragic and moving aftermath of conflict. It is as if the Métis fighter, even in death, is clutching the precious ground he died for. The Policeman and the Volunteer, who died no less nobly or tragically, appear to be subtly portrayed as almost strangers in the land”.
It is one of my favorite pictures because it represents something outside the box. Although the image was envisioned by the artist, it is a good reminder of the relationship and history between Canada and the Métis people.

(Source: Town of Duck Lake. www.ducklake.ca)

Just SCREAM

My favorite painting of all time is Edvard Munch The Scream. I love the picture because it shows a person screaming. Acceptance, saying good bye, and moving on. So often life challenges us to the point where you have nothing left to give; that your at the end of your rope holding on for dear life. Faced with two options, let go or find that last bit of drive and fight. The picture is a good reminder it is okay to be down and be sad, about things that happen or have happened along the way. But it is important to release.

Itschak Tarkay: Inspirational Artist with Significant Meaning

Itzchak Tarkay is a contemporary artist, who is well known for his vibrant choice of colours, and the significances behind his pictures. My future-mother-in-law, Donna, introduced me to Tarkay’s art. During one of her cruises, she attend the Park West art collection and was fascinated with the story of Tarkay’s life and the inspiration that influenced his artistic design.

When Tarkay was nine, he and “his family were sent to the Mathausen Concentration Camp, until Allied liberation freed them a year later” (Knottywood Treasures). What I found most intriguing about his art, is the fact that most the of women in his pictures have vibrant blue eye shadow, and are sitting with a group of women having tea. Donna mentioned that Tarkay’s paintings are also a representation of his mother and her envision of having tea with her friends while they were in the concentration camp. “It is said that Tarkay always paints his women with their eyes cast down as his way of honoring those who did not survive the Nazi camps” (Bestjonbon).

I think it would a really good idea for when teaching students about the concentration camp, to integrate Tarkay’s art. I know for myself, I had a very difficult time learning about the concentration camps, and watching those horrific live image clips. Although, it was a sensitive topic, I would have loved have an after activity, such as, viewing Tarkay’s art, as a closure activity. If your interested in seeing more of Tarkay’s art, please view the You Tube clip in my resources.

Resources
Knottywood Treasures. Itzchak Tarkay.
http://www.knottywood-treasures.com/id55.html
Bestjonbon. Is One of My Favourite Jewish Artist.
http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=kkyrDk3hIL0

Tsa-Sah-Wee-Eh - A Life that Ended Too Soon

Helen Hardin is one of the most fascinating female artist of her time. Helen is most famous for her Katsina Figure paintings. "Her art was one of defintive struggle; to capture, hold, and relish those aspects of her native heritage"

(http://www.adobegallery.com/artist.php?artist_id=174).