KUGLUKTUK/COPPERMINE - For some of the young participants, it may have been the first time they had held a paintbrush. But this did not stop some of Pangnirtung's youth from expressing themselves through art during the two months the community was hosting two young visiting artists.

Brendan Yorke helps Rosalie Kilabuk hold up the watercolour painting she did during a series of art workshops held from the end of May until the end of July. Yorke was one of two students from Nova Scotia who was running the workshops. - photo courtesy of Chris Heide

Brendan Yorke and Emma Smit, both 20 years old from Truro, N.S., were in the community from May 26 until July 21 running art workshops and lessons for youth as part of a project called Canada, Mine and Yours.

"It was my first time doing art lessons and I loved the painting," said 10-year-old Elisapee Maniapik who participated in some of the workshops.

Yorke said he and Smit ended up coming to Pangnirtung because he wanted to connect southern Canada and Northern Canada. At university, Yorke is taking Intercultural Education and Smit is studying to be a musical theatre performer. The pair connected with Chris Heide, co-ordinator of Making Connections with Youth Program, which is run by the hamlet.

The project was funded through The Davis Projects for Peace which supports grassroots projects led by youth around the world all taking place this summer.

"Arts can be used as a tool to connect people," Yorke said. "They surpass language barriers and allow people to be open and honest."

While school was still in session, the pair ran art workshops at the school and worked with students in grades 6 to 12 for the last five weeks of classes. Yorke said the focus of their time at the school was working on a booklet of art containing self portraits that will be exchanged for a book containing self portraits from students in Nova Scotia.

"The kids seemed to have an innate talent for art," he said.

Yorke and Smit said they were both very surprised at the skills of the youth, especially when doing self portraits as they are difficult to do. Smit said she found the youth had a very good sense of themselves and portrayed a good level of self confidence.

Students worked on many projects including a mosaic featuring heritage and cultural symbols of Canada as well as music videos where they changed the words of popular songs and incorporated beat boxing and throat singing.

Once school let out, activities were held at the Pujualussait Centre for a couple of hours every day of the week except Sunday. There was only one rule, Yorke said, while students were in that space.

"You must always be creating," he said.

Youth worked on many projects but there were two in particular that Yorke recalls doing. One was 1.5 by two metre composite painting with 84 pieces where youth each did a section and combined it to make a mosaic.

There was also a weave-a-thon held where youth took turns weaving for 12 hours to make a band around the Pangnirtung Tapestry Studio at the Uqqurmiut Centre for Arts and Crafts. For each inch woven, $1 was raised. Yorke said almost $700 total was raised.

Maniapik said through translation she really enjoyed participating in the workshops.

"Painting made me happy," she said.

She said one of her favourite things she made was of her name with stars, her lucky number 12 and a peace sign in many bright colours.

Her mother Leesee Maniapik said this was evident when her daughter came home. Leesee Maniapik said her daughter, like most children, didn't say much about what she did at the workshops but that she loved them.

"I didn't know there were art lessons going on but they were great," she said.

Leesee Maniapik said her son also took part in the workshops including some French lessons where he learned some new words. She said there should be more programs offered for youth in the community like the art workshops.

While the students who ran the workshops may have left town, they left supplies behind in the hopes the youth will continue to create and develop their artistic talents. Leesee Maniapik said this won't be a problem for her daughter, who has latched onto drawing, painting and weaving.