Notes From My Drawing Board - October 2025

Michael Shain, Visual Art Representative

There’s just a few more days until the Arts Unleashed Conference in Edmonton and I’m very much looking forward to the learning, the discussions and the ice cream. If you’re reading this and you’re not registered, you still have time. I would love to see you there!

Now, I know nothing about breakdancing (I’m a basement studio mole) so hearing and learning about Phil Wizard and his journey is going to be a stretch for me. The performing arts terrify me: I can’t wait.

I’m really excited to hear Robin Smith-Peck talk about her story and share her insights into the creative process. If you have not seen her work I recommend having a look because it’s nothing less than inspired. As a mixed media artist myself I find the work full of layered processes that begs meaning-making. The combination of printing techniques, acrylic, drawing media and narrative used to tell a story is really engaging.

The other session I’m keen to attend is Ron Wigglesworth’s Oil Pastel session. Oil pastel is so often overlooked or even maligned but in the past three or four years I have been applying painting techniques with oil, using drawing methods to enhance and provide variety and uniqueness to oil pastel paintings and embedding colour theory into my oil pastel art projects for students. One of the best things about oil pastels is their relative economy: it’s a great way to get students at all levels thinking like a painter. This is going to be a great session full of ideas I can take back to the classroom.

If you want to find out more, please go to the FAC website: https://www.fineartsata.ca/.

One last note: if you think you might be interested in showcasing a project, lesson or specific media for Art Teachers, send me a quick email (michael.shain@fineartsata.ca). I’m looking for presenters for the next series of online (Zoom) workshops. These workshops are fun, easy, no-pressure PD opportunities where Art Teachers get together and play.

“We don’t stop playing because we get old, we get old because we stop playing.” George Bernard Shaw

See you on October 17th!

Mike