Terry Halifax
Northern News Services

Inuvik (Nov 22/02) - A new program at Aurora College is giving artists a broader perspective in art, through reviving traditional design while adding new influence.

The Native Artisan program began this fall, for the first year in the NWT and the students held their first exhibition last Saturday at the NWT Training Centre.

Marja Van Niewenhuyzen, instructor and co-ordinator of the program, grew out of a group effort between Education, Culture and Employment department, the Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development department and Aurora College.

"We had been talking about running a program like this for years, but it just never came about," Van Niewenhuyzen said.

The program curriculum came from a similar one offered at Portage College, in Lac La Biche, Alta., but Van Niewenhuyzen said they hope to add elements to make it their own.

"We hope that after this year, we can make it a program that's totally adapted to the North," she said. "We hope that it will be funded again so we can make it more of an NWT program."

Eight students from six communities are enrolled in the program. To date, no one has dropped out.

Van Niewenhuyzen said each of the students brought a specialization of artistic merit to the program, but have since broadened their expertise since the class began.

"They are learning new techniques and they're exposed to new materials and expanding on the way the have been doing certain things that they had been doing in the same manner for a long time."

Margaret Nazon, program instructor brought her experience as a southern educator in art, and while she feels the traditional designs are important, she tries to get the students to broaden their approach to art.

"We're reviving some old skills, but we're also trying to encourage them to use different types of skills too," Nazon said.

In the sewing program, she taught the Delta braid, but also Brazilian embroidery and other stitching techniques.

"We're encouraging them to use that with the old, traditional designs," she said. "Their range of interest is really spread out, but they all seem interested in learning these other skills."

The one-year certificate program offers moosehide tanning, basic sewing, beadwork and product development, where the students learn to produce but also market their work.

Nazon said the exhibition over the weekend was part of the curriculum, which also teaches the business of art.

"This is to help them in their marketing; how to do displays, how to talk to their customers and how to express themselves," she said. "You have to sell yourself."

The course lengths vary, but usually run from 70 to 100 hours each with smaller workshop classes interspersed through the curriculum.

Painter Peter Lafferty came to Inuvik from Rae just to take part in the artisan program.

"It sounded interesting and it has been; it relates to all kind of arts," Lafferty said.

At first, the men in the program balked at the thought of the beading and sewing classes, but Lafferty said the experience has been good.

"I thought this is mostly girls work, but once I did it, I really enjoyed it and learned some new stuff," he said. "It should be good for me in the future; if I need something, I'll just put it together."

Lafferty plans to open a small, home-based business when he completes the course.

While last Saturday's showing was just a display of the work, the student's art will be available for sale at this weekend's arts and crafts sale.