Join the Langley Arts Council for the Youth Educational Event
Youth Educational Event: A Two-Day Artist Workshop and Mentorship Opportunity
We invite emerging artists to join us for a free, two-day event, hosted by the Arts Council and supported by six professional artists from diverse backgrounds.
Throughout this immersive experience, participants will have the chance to attend workshops and talks led by local artists who have exhibited and worked globally. These sessions will cover topics such as the journey to establishing a professional practice, essential best practices for navigating the art world, and much more.
Additionally, participants can take part in a life drawing class and register for one-on-one mentorship with an experienced art professional. This is a unique opportunity to gain personalized advice, deepen your artistic skills, and receive guidance on your creative journey.
Join us for a supportive, collaborative space where you can learn, network, and cultivate your skills alongside fellow artists.
Dates: February 21 and February 22, 2025
Location: Aldergrove Kinsmen Community Centre, Main Hall Gallery
26770 29th Ave, Aldergrove BC V4W 3B8
This programming is designed for youth, up to 30.
Parking: Free parking is available.
February 21st, 2025
Programming Sessions:
- 9:30 AM - 11:00 AM - Artist talk with artist Sichen Grace Chen, registration required.
- 11:00 AM - 12:00 pm - Art Demo, presented by OPUS Art Supplies, registration required.
- 1:00 - 2:00 PM - Figure Drawing Class led by artist John Hall; registration required.
For more information and to register for each session, click on the poster(s) below.
February 22nd, 2025
Programming Sessions:
- 10:00 AM - 12:45 PM - One-on-one mentorship with Professional Artists.
- 1:00 - 2:00 PM - Kate Bradford, Curator's Talk, Best Practices in Art: Insights and Inspiration. She will be joined by Mini Claire, the Langley Arts Council's Curator and Gallery Coordinator, to talk about working with galleries and museums, working in the Arts, and more!
About the One-on-One Mentorship Program
Engage in a focused 15-minute session with one of our experienced mentors to receive personalized guidance.
(Read the artists' biographies at the bottom of the page.)
Not sure what to ask during your one-on-one time? Here are some ideas:
- Bring an 'in process' artwork or two for guidance and critique.
- Bring your portfolio to get another set of eyes on your work, or for suggestions on how to build your portfolio.
- Ask them to review your artist statement.
- How to build and/or review your CV.
- How to apply for your first (or second) exhibition.
- How artists start working with galleries, museums, and art fairs.
- How to pursue public art.
- How to work as a professional illustrator.
And more! Our mentors are here to support you at any stage of your artistic journey.
Each session is 15 minutes, so come prepared with your top questions or concerns to make the most of your time!
For more information and to register, click on the poster or links below poster.
There is a $2 registration fee at checkout. Use the discount code FREE if this is a barrier to you.
Artists Biographies; Mentors
Kerry Vaughn Erickson
Kerry Vaughn Erickson (b. 1971) is a painter and art instructor currently living and working in Vancouver, BC. Early in his career, Kerry worked as a draughtsman, graphic designer, illustrator, and art director. These experiences in the commercial art world, combined with a love for the old masters, influenced his work. Kerry began teaching in Ottawa in 2002 and has since continued teaching at various schools and art institutions across the country.
View Kerry's website: https://kverickson.com/
Lori Goldberg
Her work is in the collections of the Canada Art Bank, Contemporary Art Gallery, the City of Vancouver, Michael Audain private art collection and VGH Foundation. Major exhibitions include South Main Gallery, Vancouver / Justine Barnike Gallery, Ontario / Contemporary Art Gallery, Vancouver / the KX Kunst Kampfnagel Gallery, Hamburg.
View Lori's website: https://lorigoldberg.ca/
View the works of our mentors at the bottom of the page.
Sylvie Roussel-Janssens
Born in Montreal, Sylvie Roussel-Janssens has lived in British Columbia since 1980. A 1984 honours graduate of Emily Carr College of Art, specializing in sculpture, she resides in Chilliwack on the traditional, unceded territory of the Stó:lō people. Her work explores history and the environment with a sustainable approach rooted in the joy of making. Known for her innovative “fabric burning” technique, she creates intricate images by burning patterns into synthetic fabric with a soldering iron. Using recycled materials, her light sculptures take the form of sculptural installations, illuminated boxes, and window panels. In 2001, she received a Canada Council for the Arts grant for Sumas Lake: 22 Miles of Memories, a sculptural installation about a disappeared tidal lake. Sylvie continues her journey in light sculpture at the intersection of art, craft, and design.
View Sylvie's website: https://www.lsclight.net/
View works from our mentors below.
Artists Biographies; Speakers and Presenters
Kate Bradford
Kate has been with The Reach since 2011. With her experience and knowledge of art handling and installation of contemporary artworks, Kate leads a team of installers to transform the gallery space in support of curator and artist visions. When she’s not up on the lift, she enjoys training new volunteers, and interns and mentoring our emerging art professionals in The Reach’s Emerge Art on Demand program, on the details of layout, installation and art handling. Kate also managed two of The Reach’s highly successful touring exhibitions that travelled across Canada. From crate design and building to providing extensive support to the host venues, this has been one of the highlights in her career to date at The Reach.
Grace Chen
Sichen Grace Chen or “SG” (she/they) is a painter and illustrator who currently resides as a first-generation Chinese-Canadian.
Symbolized by the pairing of her Chinese name, Sī Chén (思辰), and her English name, Grace, Chen explores the complex relationships between seemingly disparate ideas, objects, and identities. Growing up in Chengdu, China, for the first few years of her life and often moving between cities in British Columbia has led her to garner an appreciation for the sentimentality and physicality of natural and synthetic landscapes and entities. Chen consolidates her memories of nature growing up with the reality of the climate crisis through the act of painting. Many of her works are inspired by moments in her waking life and their intuitive transformations into surreal compositions interlaced with metaphor and makeshift. She holds a BFA from Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) and is currently pursuing her MFA at Emily Carr University of Art + Design (ECU).
John Hall
John studied at the Art Institute of Seattle under influential Northwest artists such as William Cumming and Fred Griffin. During this time, John was introduced to figurative expressionism and the exploration of using colour to communicate meaning and value. Holding a degree in visual communications, John worked as a Graphic Designer while refining his artistic style over more than 20 years through participation in various collectives and group shows across the Pacific Northwest.
View works from our speakers and presenters below.