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art programs by Maureen Curtis Creative Escapes for Summertime Kids and techniques. Toni O n l e y and G e o r g e H a r r i s o n w e r e t w o of the artists w h o w o r k e d w i t h the s t u dents. "It's a v e r y inspiring a t m o s p h e r e and it was interesting t o be e x p o s e d t o a b r o a d e r view of t h e w o r l d of art," says Eleanor, w h o is n o w w o r k i n g as a v o l u n t e e r at A r t i s t s f o r K i d s sessions at local s c h o o l s . Managing d i r e c t o r Bill M a c D o n a l d has n o t i c e d that t h e students w h o e n r o l l in the c a m p s gain self-confid e n c e and c o m e t o a g r e a t e r sense of w h a t is i m p o r t a n t in t h e i r lives. "They experience good mentorship and m o d e l l i n g . It makes art f o r t h e m , " says M a c D o n a l d . H e believes that all kids can b e n e fit f r o m e x p o s u r e t o the arts, w h e t h e r they are e x c e p t i o n a l l y tale n t e d o r simply enjoy e x p r e s s i n g t h e m s e l v e s artistically. " D r a w i n g , f o r instance, is a language that is vital t o t h e way w e think. W h e n e v e r w e get an idea, w e see it first as an image. It's p a r t of t h e t h o u g h t p r o c e s s . " Fortunately, a c r o s s the N o r t h S h o r e , t h e r e is a r a i n b o w of o p p o r t u nities f o r b u d d i n g artists, d a n c e r s , and thespians t o s t r e t c h t h e i r imaginat i o n s and skills. Artists for Kids w o r k s with about 5,000 N o r t h V a n c o u v e r students t h r o u g h o u t t h e year and is k e p t affordable t h r o u g h g e n e r o u s grants from B C Hydro, N o r t h Vancouver City, and N o r t h Vancouver District. T h e s e v e n t h annual s u m m e r s c h o o l is being o f f e r e d July 9 t o 14 f o r s e c o n d a r y s t u d e n t s , and July 16 t o 21 f o r 8 t o 12 year o l d s . A r t i s t s - i n - r e s i d e n c e will include L a n d o n M a c K e n z i e , W a y n e E a s t c o t , and G u X i o n g . F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n , visit t h e w e b s i t e at a r t i s t s 4 k i d s . c o m o r call Bill M a c D o n a l d at 9 0 3 - 3 7 9 8 . important (987-PLAY or www.northvanrec.com). T h i s year at L o n s d a l e R e c C e n t r e , the focus is o n getting families i n v o l v e d . Art Explorers Family Hour is a m u l t i media p r o g r a m h e l d f r o m 5 t o 6 p m , t o give m o r e parents and kids 6 t o 12 years o l d an o p p o r t u n i t y t o t r y things together. Art in the Courtyard is a n e w p r o rou- soccer practices, and monotonous tine.. Ms T he long, lazy days of summer, unencumbered by pesky homework, is the perfect time for kids to escape. make a creative Seventeen-year-old Seycove student E l e a n o r R o s e n b e r g isn't s u r e w h a t she's going t o d o in the future, but after attending t h e Paradise Valley S u m m e r S c h o o l o f the A r t s , she k n o w s it will have s o m e t h i n g t o d o w i t h art. T h e s u m m e r s c h o o l is offered through N o r t h Vancouver's Artists f o r K i d s at the s c h o o l district's o u t d o o r s c h o o l near S q u a m i s h . It is a lovely, rustic l o c a t i o n . W h e n they're n o t painting o r s k e t c h i n g , t h e s t u d e n t s hike, s w i m , c a n o e , and e x p l o r e t h e local caves. T h e main focus, h o w e v e r , is o n individual a r t w o r k and o n e large group project.The teachers encourage the s t u d e n t s t o b r a n c h o u t and t r y different artistic styles and m e d i a . "I really liked being able t o d o w h a t e v e r k i n d o f a r t I w a n t e d , a n d having all t h e g o o d - q u a l i t y supplies I n e e d e d at hand," recalls Eleanor. P r e s e n t a t i o n s are given by w e l l k n o w n artists, w h o share t h e i r tips gram for 2 t o 5 year olds w i t h parents in t o w . A tent will be put up in the central c o u r t y a r d at Lonsdale so that the area can be used in all w e a t h e r conditions. A t N o r t h S h o r e N e i g h b o u r h o o d h o u s e , kids 5 t o 15 can either sign up for a series o r d r o p in. A special g o v e r n m e n t grant is helping t o keep the p r o g r a m s affordable. T h e n e w Parkgate R e c r e a t i o n C e n t r e is offering an Arts & Gomes Around the World series f o r kids. Each w e e k w i l l focus o n a different c o u n t r y and offer w o r k w i t h clay, fabric art, papier m a c h e , collage, and m o r e . K i d s can build a tribal village and make musical i n s t r u m e n t s African during Safari Madness. T h e n there's and Indonesian Amazon Adventure Treasures and Arctic Magic t o f o l l o w . T h e r e are o t h e r classes f o r t h o s e w h o like m o u l d i n g things w i t h t h e i r hands, such as classes f o r t h o s e w h o like m o u l d i n g things w i t h t h e i r hands, such as masks, clay jewellery, latte b o w l s and sushi plates. Claymat/on and Animation Cartooning and Animatino and are t w o n e w sessions that D e l b r o o k p r o g r a m m e r s are e x c i t e d about. Students will be m o u l d i n g o r d r a w i n g and then v i d e o taping t h e i r efforts. D e l b r o o k ' s s u m m e r art c a m p s are always p o p u l a r w i t h kids 7 t o 12 years o l d , w i t h a different t h e m e each w e e k . Students will s h o o t v i d e o s , using the p o t t e r y facilities t o make g a r d e n o r n a m e n t s o r " m a r i n e " mast e r p i e c e s and c o n s t r u c t i n g papier It's great to have a really big space in which to create really big and the Vancouver North Outdoor a painting, MORE VISUAL PROGRAMS ARTS mache "creatures." The Deep C o v e Cultural Centre ( 9 2 9 - 5 7 4 4 ) is always t h e hub of a variety of s u m m e r art p r o g r a m s . A r t p r o g r a m s a b o u n d at N o r t h Vancouver's r e c r e a t i o n c e n t r e s School fits the bill.