Darrell Greer
Northern News Services

Arviat (Feb 13/02) - Students of the Qitiqliq high arts program in Arviat have been part of more projects than instructor Crystal Burgess can remember.

Burgess has been teaching the program since 1994 and says it does more than just teach students to draw or paint.

She says art training helps students develop small-motor, organization and planning skills and self-esteem.

"I try to make my programming vary because I teach each student year after year," says Burgess.

"Most of the school's graduates have been in my class for six or more years."

Burgess says a great many things happen in and around the art room. For example, her art students helped design and paint the theatrical backdrops for the 2001 Christmas play.

Past classes have done backdrops for the annual Christmas concert at Levi Angmak elementary school. The students have also helped paint more banners than they can count.

"We've done many banners in both English and Inuktitut. It's something we like to do for our community. Inuktitut is always prominent as a sign of respect for the language," says Burgess.

Through the Art in Arviat program, frames have been purchased, filled with students' artwork and displayed in the health centre, Neevee's Cafe and the post office.

"The idea behind this program is to build community esteem by highlighting the efforts of our students."

Varied interests

The school has a pottery kiln and wheel. Creating with clay is eagerly anticipated every year by a number of students.

The art class runs a recycling program, gathering all kinds of materials that can be turned into art.

They also have a darkroom where they can develop black-and-white pictures.

"One year we made a yearbook filled with our own pictures," Burgess recalls.

"It was shot, laid out, copied and put together by QHS students. It took the whole school year to produce and was given free to families at the end of the school year."

The list of class projects is lengthy. It includes painting murals, decorating old playgrounds, repainting garbage barrels, covering graffiti, painting decorations on day-care walls and making books for use in the elementary school and early childhood development program.

"We are currently working on a project with Arviat artists and students in both schools," says Burgess.

"They are painting permanent plywood murals which grace the walls of Levi Angmak elementary school as they are finished."