OXBOW — Vicky Graham is a third-generation school teacher, having followed in her mother’s and her grandmother’s footsteps. She stepped back from teaching after 27 years, moving from Ontario to her current home in Alameda.
She has taught various subjects over her career, but her greatest passion has been art. She has come to appreciate that not all children are wired for sports and that a child’s self-confidence may wane if they’re not involved in hockey, baseball or other sports. She loves being able to draw out other talents the kids may have and, in doing so, help them to become more confident.
An example of that took place after the August long weekend when she held an Art Adventure Camp for children aged six to 13. Held at the Oxbow Friendship Centre, 30 kids learned how to create sculptures, watercolour paintings, as well as acrylic paintings inspired by the work of the famous artist, Vincent Van Gogh. One of Van Gogh’s most famous pieces of art was called Starry Night…and that idea led to a slightly altered theme of the week…Starry Prairie.
The children thoroughly enjoyed creating their own works of art, including self-portraits and even mugs with their initials baked on them.
Graham, who provided the art instruction for the week, also had prepared an escape room for the participants to enjoy and solve. Various ‘art clues’ were given to help them locate the Phantom Painter’s Lair. Clues – riddles – were based on artists that the children had learned about through the week…Van Gogh, Norval Morrisseau (an indigenous artist), Barbara Reid (a Canadian children’s book illustrator) and Henri Moore (an internationally-known sculptor).
Throughout the week, the children also designed their own artist trading cards, featuring their own artwork. They then traded them for other cards that other kids had made. They also worked on colouring and finishing a large banner that had been designed by Graham.
On the last day, an Art Adventure Camp gallery was on full display, revealing to the parents and caregivers the accomplishments of their children’s work from the week.
This was the second time this workshop has taken place. It seems to be growing in popularity, as there were twice as many registrations this time around as there were in February.
Graham continues to teach privately. Her desire is to see artists recognized in rural Saskatchewan. Perhaps one or more of those artists will emerge from the Art Adventure Camps that she is running.
