Every year, starting in February, James Bay Community School begins a 3 month focus on visual arts which culminates in a “Gallery Gala” at the end of April. Local artists come into the school to work with students and to help them become artists. This project is supported and funded by donations from a group of James Bay residents who want James Bay children to have the opportunity to participate in fine arts activities. I was lucky enough to be invited to come in and teach soft sculpture to the grade 2 and 3 classes, and so began The Bird Project.
I came stocked with felt in a rainbow of colours, feathers, stuffing, and pipe cleaners, and with a few minutes of instructions and inspiration, the children got busy each with a vision and the tools to create their very own wild and wonderful bird. Some birds were inspired by real species, and others by the fantastical depths of imagination. It was great to see children empowered by their ability to create something that they could interact with, and be proud of. I noticed as students were finishing up, that they walked around the room with their birds puppeting them with one another, creating little personalities and voices and names for their new friends.
The focus and care each student demonstrated did not go unnoticed by their teachers, who were all pleased and amazed with what they accomplished. I had such a good time there, surrounded by the energy and chaos of 20-some children all around me creating art and diving into their imagination. Can’t think of anything more uplifting than that!