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crafts Craft Instructor Course Puts Emotions in Focus by Elizabeth Rains When Jamie Hume decided 1 0 become u craft instructor she envisioned helping people who have disabilities restructure their lives through an. What she didn't foresee was that sometimes the job would evoke strong emotions. "Before I took craft instructor training at Capilano College. 1 didn't realize [ would gel to know clients so well. 1 didn't know where my personal strengths or boundaries were." says the North Vancouver native. As part of the college's Craft Instructor Training Program for Community and Institutional Needs, Hume did a practicum this spring. The two weeks of work-study involved leaching crafts to clients in the ArtWorks Studio at B.C. Rehab's G.F. Strong Centre, a provincial rehabilitation facility for persons with severe physical disabilities. Connie Moul. Moul. who has worked as a technical libranan for Canadian Airlines International for 25 years, is "an incredibly positive person." Hume says. Moul hopes to return to her job when she is able. Although her optimism and the support of her friends and family may speed herrecovery,still, the healing will take time. The stroke, which happened in December, affected the left side of Moul's brain. This is the area that controls the nght side of the body and language. When Hume began to teach her crafts. Moul was just re-lcaming how to communicate. Her speech was slow and muffled. Communication can be frustrating for both the instructor and the client, but the last thing a craft instructor will do is finish the clienl's sentence. Hume says. "In the course we were taught never to do that. We were taught to have clients spell out a word if they are having problems pronouncing it" Although the insinii. toi HUM have a great deal of patience, the results arc satisfying, she says. "There's such a sense of relief when you finally discover what the client is trying to say. You feci like you're a kid again, learning a new type of language." That kind of feeling gives her a sense of instructor. After having graduated from Capilano College's Graphic Design and Illustration, and Studio Art Programs, Hume has worked for seven years in computer graphics. She also spent time developing her painting. She was happy using her creativity, but her work began to feel solitary, she says. When she heard about Craft Instructor Training, she decided toreturnto Cap. "Sometimes it's not enough to do your own art. It's inspiring to go out and give your ideas to people, plus there's a real sense of joy in the human contaci. It's wonderful to sec ihc smiles on mj client's laces," she Art Trade Show Slated for Spring '94 Art in Action, an art material trade show combined with hands-on training seminars, will be held al the Vancouver Trade and Convention Center in March of 1994. The show is being sponsored by the National Art Materials Trade Association and ten local an material dealers (including North Vancouver's Pioneer Art* & Crafts), all of whom arc happy to be bringing the show to Vancouver, ihe first city in Canada to host this major event for This 'Touch, Try and Buy" show assembles a colourful and exciting indoor fair of manufacturers' displays, where professional and amateur artists will sec the latest infineand graphic art supplies. Dealers will operate an on-site cooperative store where visitors may purchase the products demonstrated al the booths or in special seminars. Students, teachers, hobby and crafts people, designers, illustrators, architects. Sunday painters and ihc mosi seasoned of fine artists will be able to try the newest materials and share hands-on experience with the product manufacturers The seminar portion of the show-- coordinated by Feme Archer, co-owner of Pioneer Arts & Crafts--will ntnfc than 85 educational an program. Scstioru ranging from beginning basics to advanced workshops will be presented by professional artists and instructors of national and international stature. Some of ihe subjects covered will be pen and ink drawing, oil and walercolour painting, pastels, airbrush, computer graphics, calligraphy, illustration, cartooning, priming and lithography, plus marketing for the self-employed artist. i u m Most of Hume's clients there had been able-bodied until they had an accident. They were suddenly forced to cope with dramatic changes in their lifestyle. Hume's job was not just to teach them crafts, but to encourage skill development and to instill confidence in people to help them adapt physically, socially and emotionally to their disabilities. Hume tells the story of a 50-year-old woman whose husband had just died. The w oman had experienced three strokes, the first at age 29. Hume was teaching her and another patient to scrunch-dye, a tie-dyeing method adapted for people with limited use of their hands. "They were scrunching a Tshirt." Hume says. "Because they were really getting into what they were doing, they started talking. It got really emotional. Art in Action takes place March 11-13, 1994. For further information, contact Alan Willox at 255-7725. Strong that when people arc doing crafts, they lend to unwind enough to talk about their problems. She talked about her husband's death, and it was very good for Since Hume's graduation from Capilano College in May, she has continued to volunteer at G.F. Strong one night a week. Also, she has been hired as a craft instructor for seniors .it the Kitsilano and Trout Lake community centres. Other Craft Instructor Training grads find work at schools for special needs children, neighborhood houses, seniors' centres and other non-profit organizations. Elizabeth Rains is a public relations officer at Capilano College and freelance writer. In the 1970s she worked in crafts as a soapstone sculptor, macramè artist and jeweller, and taught jewelry-making to elementary school children. "In the course we were trained to be empaibetic, but the feelings don't hit you until you're actually on the job. Then you realize how real these individuals are." The Craft Instructor Program focuses on basic skills in communication, but other staff al the Centre arc available to give counselling and support to clients. Often, however, communication skills arc just what Ihe client needs. They helped a lot