Lots of learning activities for children and adults... check the calendar on the home page as well.
Summer 2012
FUN WITH ART at the MERA Schoolhouse
Looking for something creative and enjoyable for your children or grandchildren this summer? The MERA Art Camp for children takes place
Monday, July 23 to Friday, July 27, from 10 am to 3 pm each day
Artmaker Janice Ling is the Camp Director at this very popular camp, suitable for children aged five to fourteen.
The cost is $150/child for MERA members and $165/child for non-members.
For a registration form, please email meraschoolhouse@bell.net or phone 613-278-0388.
Our theme in 2012 is a Celebration of International Arts and the emphasis is on FUN
- constructing a Spanish piñata
- creating Chinese scrolls
- designing Indonesian paper puppets
- building Aboriginal sculptures
- learning how to create fashion templates
- crafting awesome glass sculptures inspired by the Louvre in Paris
Each day brings a new concept and a new design experience. Children learn how to conceptualize, gather materials, work with tools and equipment as well as set up and present exhibitions. The MERA Arts Camp helps young people to enhance creative thinking, organization, and confidence. Projects are taught through hands-on learning fun with loads of games and activities.
Camp Director Janice Ling has worked in art education and recreation for the past 26 years. She has directed the MERA Arts Camp for several years and most children can’t wait to come back the following year. Janice is passionate about creating opportunity through the arts and loves program writing, researching, development and facilitation. Says Janice “I'd like to see people discovering their talent and excelling. For me, social responsibility and making a positive difference for community is wonderful and I can do what I love to facilitate this”.
After moving from Toronto to Lanark County in 1999, she created Artmakers Studio in Port Elmsley. She brings arts learning to schools and the public, specializing in stained glass art, Chinese ink painting and Acrylic painting She founded Arts for Health & Learning, a charity that uses the arts to provide therapeutic respite to children, youth, and families living with emotional, educational, social or mental health challenges. She is currently in charge of implementing language/arts/cultural studies programs for Eastern Ontario for the French Separate School Board.
Let your fingers do the talking
Finger Painting Workshop for Adults, Saturday, July 7, 1-4pm, MERA Schoolhouse
You are smiling right now, thinking about putting your hands in some paint and moving the paint on some paper. The use of colour in a painting is often a reflection of emotions. Come and experience the colour of self discovery.
The goal of this workshop is self discovery through creative arts. Using different colours of finger paints and paper, participants will be asked to visualize and materialize a picture of a significant event happening in their lives right now. The use of colour is often a reflection of emotions. With an explanation of the psychology of colour, participants will be invited to share their creation as the presenter helps analyze the creation for possible meanings of the colours used within. Participants will walk away with a better understanding of their emotional state about an event they are experiencing and, maybe, will use the technique in the future.
The paint is washable and non-toxic and the paper is recyclable. Please wear sensible clothing. The paint washes off with water, but it is best to be careful.
Cost: $25 for MERA members, $40 for non-MERA members. Cost includes materials.
Instructor: Linda Grenier. “My life as an artist started at a young age, always sketching images that I enjoyed and writing songs and playing guitar. Several years ago, I had been going through some very dark days. I was hollowed and worn. A very good friend asked me to pick out a picture that I had in my photo album that I really liked, drove me to an art studio and sat me in front of a canvass. That day, I spent the whole day painting “Sunset over Dalhousie” with acrylics. I had never painted before, my true arts being pencil sketching and music. That day, I realized that I have many talents and abilities and the joy that I find in each and every one of those talents and abilities can pull me through the darkest of days. Today, as a certified counsellor, I have developed a series of workshops to help others feel the energy that I felt that day. I hope to share my knowledge that I have combined with art with others so that they may heal and move forward with pride and confidence, as I did."
Fall & Winter 2012-2013
We're looking for workshop and instructor ideas for our popular half-day and full-day workshops to be held at MERA, Maberly or Middleville - please contact us with your suggestions by emailing meraschoolhouse@bell.net or phone 613-278-0388.
