Celebrating Creativity at the 2024 CIS Ontario Visual Arts Festival

The 2024 CIS Ontario Visual Arts Festival (CISVAF) was a resounding success, bringing together Grade 9–12 students at the McMichael Canadian Art Collection in Kleinburg, Ontario, for a day of creativity, cultural exploration, and artistic expression. This year’s theme, "How Did We Get Here? Art, Identity, and the Human Experience," encouraged students to reflect on the connections between personal stories and shared human experiences.
 

The event featured three key educational pillars:

1. Gallery Tour: Students explored McMichael’s rich and diverse art holdings, examining art as a powerful expression of personal and cultural narratives. The tour provided insight into how artists from the past and present articulate identity and the complexities of the human journey.

2. Art-Making Studio with Acclaimed Canadian Artist Donald Chretien: In a hands-on workshop led by Ojibwe artist, designer, and educator Donald Chretien, students delved into the creative process. Drawing inspiration from the visual storytelling style of Norval Morrisseau and the Anishinaabe School of Painters, Chretien guided students in exploring colour theory and natural patterns.

Using acrylic paints, participants created unique artworks that reflected their individuality and personal expression. Chretien’s expertise and artistic legacy, including his iconic Vancouver Olympics installation Ngashi Nijii Bineshiinh (Mother, Friend, Small Bird), left a lasting impression on the students.

3. Interactive Art Battle: The day culminated in the exciting Interactive Art Battle, where students unleashed their creativity under time pressure. The competition was a vibrant display of talent and quick thinking, with Trafalgar Castle School emerging as the winner of the prestigious “Golden Palette” award.

CIS Ontario thanks Julia Hillyer and Sam Welbourn, the 2024 CISVAF Planning Co-Chairs, for their exceptional leadership in organizing this unforgettable event.

The 2024 Visual Arts Festival was an inspiring celebration of creativity, collaboration, and cultural appreciation. It reinforced the power of art to connect us to our identities and shared experiences.

Thank you to all who attended and contributed to the success of this year’s festival at McMichael Canadian Art Collection!

Art-Making Studio with Acclaimed Canadian Artist Donald Chretien

Interactive Art Battle

Trafalgar Castle School wins the prestigious “Golden Palette” award