By Jack Carver
This year’s Summer Arts program at Loyalist College is attracting artists from across Canada.
Susan Low-Beer, Brenda Sullivan, Monika Aebischer, Ljubomir Ivankovic and Bill Reddick are a few. Reddick, known for making Canada’s state dinnerware, is excited to share his knowledge.
“As a full time potter who’s in the studio 99% of the time working alone,” said Reddick, “it’s a change and a contrast to what I usually do, to be with the people and teach and share stuff and get feedback. It’s a totally nurturing, positive experience.”
Reddick is teaching a ceramics workshop, The Bowls, Plates and Dinnerware program, which allows students to go through the throwing, trimming, glazing, and firing process.
“So the course is sort of focused around dinnerware plate making and bowls and just teaching people technique. It’s the essential forms that you can make on the wheel, which are bowls and plates. Its not a very rigid structure, I’ll go anywhere the student wants to go.”
The Summer Arts program offers 55 different courses from fibre arts and felting to the fine arts and drawing classes. Heather Cockerline, program coordinator for arts and general interest, said people are excited for the program.
“People start calling in January,” said Cockerline.”They really want to see our catalogue so they can plan their summer. You can see their genuine interest and excitement; they keep coming back.”
The program brings in 300 to 350 adults students each year, many have been multiple times, said Cockerline.
“There’s a big attraction to coming here. They can immerse themselves in their art for the full week or the weekend, whatever they choose to do. It’s an opportunity for them to network with other people and meet people with the same interests. It’s really a growth experience for them. We have many return students.”
Classes of no more than 12 people and individual direction from instructors enhance the teaching experience, which Reddick thinks is integral to the program.
“The teaching experience is passing on knowledge to people who are really hungry for it and then seeing them improve and feeling a sense of satisfaction. That’s a positive thing and that’s what teaching is.”
Fine arts aren’t the only thing being taught at Loyalist College over the summer though. The college is also offering a summer camp program for kids and teenagers.
The Serious Summer Fun Camp program offers more than 40 week long camps that are available to kids aged five to 15 during six weeks of summer.
The programs are designed to be fun and educational including themes from art, drama, dance, and math to leadership, responsibility, home alone courses and babysitting. The instructors of these programs are all very qualified, said Cockerline.
“First we have instructors that organize the classes and subjects. They are either teachers themselves or university students to become teachers. And then we employ counsellors and most of the counsellors are work-study students from Loyalist.”
The week-long Camps for Kids & Teens is offered between July 3rd and August 10th while the Summer Arts program runs from early May until late August. Registration is open for both programs and can be done at www.loyalistfocus.com [1] or by phone at 613 969 7900.