studying ted

almost every wall in the halls at lansdowne middle school 
are covered by the students' art work.

all the pieces are vibrant, captivating, unique and each act as a tribute to ted harrison.

i volunteer at the school on wednesdays and i get to view this collection every week.

my daughter ends her school year today and we say goodbye to these halls for a little while...
because she is off to highschool in september.

so yesterday, i decided to photograph the beautiful art work and share them on my blog...

ted harrison’s paintings are iconic, recognizable and distinctly unique. 

no other painter has captured the beauty, colours, and culture of the yukon 

(where the artist lived from 1968 to 1993)

when thinking of the yukon, i always visualize it with one of harrison's work.

In 1993 he moved to victoria, british columbia to continue his painting and writing.

he has a studio in oak bay village, about a 20 minute walk from home.

 because i'm frequently at the village, i have spotted mr. harrison around town a few of times.

yes, ted harrison is a big hit in lansdowne middle school

but this blog is more about the celebration of art, not only in our city of victoria

(which has the highest number of resident artists per capita of all of canada !!!!) 

but also of art in our education system...

 in my opinion, art in school is sooooo important because

 whether it takes the form of drawing, drama, music or dance,

art education teaches students how to be better human beings, 

how to be creative and aware, 

and to enjoy and understand the deeper forms of beauty and of life.

my children have been so privileged in victoria, 

our children have had amazing teachers and administrators all through 

pre school, elementary, and middle school.

they have cultivated not only the love of learning 

but also the ability to express and tap into their creative side.

  

i have recently found out that our city is one of only four cities in british columbia 

with a full strings program that begins in grade four.

as a result, my son now plays the violin beautifully, without any private lessons.

i believe that the spirit of art is so strong in victoria... 

besides the numerous art galleries, it is in our streets, our restaurants, 

our buses, our libraries, our banking institutions, our coffee houses,

and the hallways of our schools...

every three months, the different local communities host an art walk...

this is when local artists open up their studios and welcome the public to view their work 

and see these special private places... for free !!!

yes, while we bid good bye to these colourful art filled hallways and head for highschool,

i'll keep these photographs as mementos of the art world 
 that my children have had the opportunity to engaged in 
for their social, emotional, intellectual and personal development.

don't the colours just make you smile ?

erica

xoxo