Originally published in TEACH Magazine, November/December 2016 Issue
The arts provide an avenue for expression, communication, imagination, and individuality. These are all important things to develop for students of all ages. The following visual arts-based field trips give students the opportunity to explore their creativity and create their own masterpiece, just in time for the holiday gift-giving season.
4 Cats
Various locations, BC, AB, ON
At 4 Cats, there are many art workshops where kids can create something special. They can make their own Van Gogh-inspired painting with acrylic paint on stretched canvas, or an abstract paint-splatter piece in the Paint Splatter Room, inspired by Jackson Pollock. Paint creations aren’t the only art form offered at 4 Cats. They also offer polymer clay workshops, where students create their own clay creature creations.
Audain Art Museum
Whistler, BC
The Audain Art Museum aims to engage students with historical and contemporary art from British Columbia. It offers guided programs in abstracted landscapes, copper, cedar, and wool creations, along with costume design, and many other options. In these programs, students have the opportunity to observe, reflect upon, and discuss the art form, and then express themselves by creating an original piece.
Habourfront Centre
Toronto, ON
The Harbourfront Centre offers a variety of workshops for students of all ages. These include workshops of acrylic and watercolour painting, printmaking, colour explorations, textile arts, urban art, and clay creations such as vessels, masks, and portraits. Each program connects to different curriculum areas. In the Clay Masks Workshop, for example, K–12 students can explore traditions across cultures, focusing on Indigenous masks from Canada. They can also learn about hand building techniques involved in creating a sculptural piece.
Leigh Square Community Arts Village
Port Coquitlam, BC
The Leigh Square Community Arts Village in Port Coquitlam offers arts field trips for students of all ages. Students in Grades K–2 can explore the world of children’s book author Eric Carle, known for his famous books like The Very Hungry Caterpillar, The Grouchy Lady Bug, and The Mixed-Up Chameleon. Students will gain an understanding of Carle’s watercolour techniques, textural effects, and collage methods. They can then get hands-on as they recreate Carle’s famous pop-up books. Other workshops offered include sculpturing, clay creations, fibre fusion, and Indigenous art.
Ross Creek Centre for the Arts
Ross Creek, NS
This art centre offers various visual arts programs, including: painting and drawing that teaches students about line, texture, and colour; sculpture, where students can create environmental art using found materials; and mixed-media collage, where students explore social issues and identity, Indigenous art, and self-portraiture. Shadow Puppets, another program, focuses on design, crafting, and storytelling. It is one of the most requested Ross Creek workshops.
Werklund Centre
Calgary, AB
The Werklund Centre (formerly the Arts Commons), located in the heart of Calgary’s Cultural District in the downtown core, is one of Canada’s largest and most vibrant arts centres. They offer educational programs for teachers and students taught by professional artists and art educators. Recommended for Grades K–12, One Day Arts School is a hands-on workshop where students learn through drama, dance, music, art, and multimedia.
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