Time
Clouds surround the clock tower
keeping the town oblivious as men
staring at camel hump roads
waiting for the red bus.
The bus stops at Kensington Road waits for the tall dark man
who brings with him an old lady:
Time will not wait.
B次元官网网址沦迟辞辫B次元官网网址�
- Harrison Kim, St. Michaels University School student
In any other writing class, the poem (above) would be a simple, straightforward assignment. But at St. Michaels University School, itB次元官网网址檚 just the starting point.
A group of English students taught by Susan Stenson and an art class led by fellow teacher Jennifer McIntyre have teamed up for a unique project that has student artists creating original works based on the poetry of their peers.
B次元官网网址淚 wanted to do something where we pulled art and writing together,B次元官网网址� said McIntyre. B次元官网网址淎nd I thought we should be trying to get our students into a commercial gallery as well, so that they have the experience and they have the opportunity.B次元官网网址�
ThatB次元官网网址檚 where Eclectic Gallery comes in. McIntyre, who has shown her own work at the Oak Bay gallery, approached the owners with an idea for a unique exhibit titled Visual Poetry, featuring her classB次元官网网址� work along with the poetry that inspired it. All the student art will be available for sale, with all proceeds going to a pair of charities: War Child Canada and AMMA International.
All of the art works are reduction prints, which the students made by carving into a surface in layers then painting the raised portions, creating a multi-coloured finished product. The style is used to create multiple copies of the same piece, which in this case allows the students to potentially sell some of their work while retaining a copy for themselves. For this project, McIntyre said, each student produced between three and six copies.
But for this assignment, each print needed a piece of poetic inspiration. StensonB次元官网网址檚 class wrote poems themselves B次元官网网址� based on existing art hanging in the classroom B次元官网网址� and each art student chose a piece that spoke to them.
Stop, by Harrison Kim, immediately stood out for Alex Davies. Its British imagery called to mind memories of DaviesB次元官网网址� childhood.
B次元官网网址淲hen he mentioned a bus, I kind of saw a London bus and that kind of scene in downtown London,B次元官网网址� said Davies, who is originally from England.
The final work, simply titled Time, surprised him. B次元官网网址淚t actually turned out a lot better than I thought it would,B次元官网网址� Davies said, though he joked that Kim, a friend of his, will B次元官网网址減robably say it has nothing to do with the poem.B次元官网网址�
For McIntyre, the best part about the project is the chance students will have to get their work in front of the public.
B次元官网网址淪ome of them are putting together portfolios for art school, and for post-secondary, and it means that on their CVs or resumes or applications that theyB次元官网网址檝e got an exhibition history,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚 think itB次元官网网址檚 exciting for them to get their work off campus and out into the public eye.B次元官网网址�
Visual Poetry runs from Jan. 9 to 14 at Eclectic Gallery, 2170 Oak Bay Ave. An opening reception will held from 5 to 7 p.m. on Jan. 9. The gallery is open Monday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m.
