Community Classroom returns to the Esplanade

By Tim Kalinowski on October 20, 2017.

Artist Wendy Struck, whose exhibit "Between" runs at the Esplanade gallery until Nov. 4, works with Connaught Grade 2 students Anikka Hansen (in green) and Sophia Cannon during the Esplanade's community art classroom on Thursday.--NEWS PHOTO TIM KALINOWSKI

tkalinowski@medicinehatnews.com @MHNTimKal

The Esplanade held a media event with Grade 2 Connaught School French immersion students to celebrate the relaunch of its community classroom project on Thursday. The beefed-up program will be able to offer more educational opportunities to local schools and school-age children.

“Today we are celebrating the launch of our new community classroom, which has generously been sponsored by Cenovus Energy, explains Esplanade art education assistant Jasmine Keillor. “That sponsorship has allowed us to revamp the program to allow more classes to come and use our space, and bring their classrooms to the Esplanade. I think it is really important to get students using our space in a way that doesn’t feel like any old field trip. It takes what they are learning in class and brings it to life in a real-world city.”

Mayor Ted Clugston was on hand for the launch and got involved in helping some of the students with their art projects.

“When I was a kid we went to school, we never left the school, and we were never exposed to anything outside (in the community),” remembered Clugston. “I think this program is fantastic. All you have to do is look at the students and see how engaged they are.”

Artist Wendy Struck acted as facilitator for Thursday’s event. Struck’s exhibit entitled “Between,” which focuses on themes of home in Medicine Hat, is being featured in the Esplanade gallery until Nov. 4. Connaught students drew on this theme for their own art projects Thursday.

“Some of my work in the show has images of houses or three-dimensional sculptures of houses so we are having the kids build their own small houses today,” explained Struck. “We are making little house sculptures with scrap pieces of wood and pictures and adding some colour. They are turning out great.”

Struck, who grew up in Leader and Herbert, Sask., said she never had access to these kinds of arts opportunities the Esplanade if offering in its community classroom as a kid, and was happy to share her passion with local students.

“It’s always interesting to hear what children have to say about art-making,” she said. “They can really surprise you, and they have interesting insights. I also enjoy teaching, and I do find teaching art informs my own creative process too.”