Got an artistic teen looking for a way to connect with successful artists in Prince George who are willing to share their expertise?
The annual Teen Art Workshop, presented by the Prince George & District Community Arts Council and the Prince George Public Library, sees several local artists gathering Saturday, Jan. 14 from 1 to 3 p.m. at the main branch of the Prince George Public Library that are willing to mentor teens, critique their work and offer guidance to get them exhibit ready for a showcase set for March.
Here’s who’s coming:
Wendy Young, glass artist; Elmer Gunderson, sculptor; Frances Gobbi, water colour; Michael Kast, Arts North digital media; Si Transken and Ali Spooner, art journaling; Cynthia Framst, metal clay artist; Christina Watts, natural paint making; and Diane Levesque, Indigenous artist.
“This is our sixth annual Teen Art Workshop in partnership with the Library and it’s one of a two-part event where young artists come and engage with those familiar faces they see in the newspaper and other media and get to know them,” Lisa Redpath, program manager at the Arts Council, said. “Teens can come and get feedback on their own work. Teens can get their evaluated, critiqued and advice on best practices and ask some questions. They can also learn something new. They may come in as a water colourist and go away with a passion for sculpture after spending 20 minutes with Elmer Gunderson. These are the kinds of things we’ve seen over the years. We just want to inspire on many different art levels.”
This is a very casual event, like an open house, where teens and their parents, can come in and wander from booth to booth, exploring as quickly or as leisurely as they wish, Redpath added.
“The Community Arts Council will be on hand to provide guidance on more of a development level,” Redpath said.
The other part to this workshop is the Teen Art Showcase that takes place in March at the library.
“When we partnered with the library we wanted to break it into two components, a learning session and then the showcase, which is an exhibition competition,” Redpath explained.
The call out for the showcase will come out at the end of January. So stay tuned for that.
“The growth of the workshop, as well as the yearly showcase, highlight not only a diverse and lively community of accomplished artists in Prince George who are supportive in passing on their knowledge and expertise to a younger generation, but also exemplify the passion, creativity, and imagination of the youth in our very own community, who bravely endeavor to showcase their talents each year,” Christopher Knapp, community engagement librarian for youth at the PG Library, said. “Therefore, it goes without saying that we are beyond excited to be able to host the Teen Art Workshop, and a community of burgeoning artists, again in 2023 at the PGPL."
For more information visit Teen Art Workshop.
