(scroll down for continued access to Arts blog and our collection of mindful creative resources)
WELCOME TO EARTH DAY - APRIL 22, 2020
MMHS in partnership with BIRDS CANADA & SHADOWLAND THEATRE
As we approach Earth Day 2020, we overtake our Arts Blog, for a focused and collective creative action. And, you can be a part. Our connection to earth, nature and all living things has never been more important.
Explore what we have to offer for Earth Day 2020, the week & Beyond. Join with us, and our partners,
BIRDS CANADA & SHADOWLAND THEATRE, for a mass creative action on April 22, 2020.
Be a part of it, to show the strength & connection of our MMHS community and demonstrate what we can achieve, together, even while apart. Meet eco-leaders from Birds Canada & Shadowland, here, for an online experience that you can share & extend further, with friends & family, around the globe. Map your reach early at https://www.earthday.org/take-action-now/#challenge for your items to show on the world map for Earth Day.
1 MINUTE ACTION - BUILD the FLOCK
On Earth Day, prepare to flip your social media icon to advocate for our feathered friends and Birds Canada.
Copy & upload the icon of your choice, release the bird and let the message take flight. Take a further step, &
release the Birds through your social media posts and messages to help Build the Flock with the hashtag #buildtheflockYRDSB + tags and links to birdscanada.org and mmhs.ca or this page
Building the Flock is about gathering in community, and creative action to advocate for our birds. Due to the wonderfully diverse nature of our school and community, we have an opportunity to spread a positive focus both locally and internationally, when the world needs it, most. Building the Flock means fostering balance and support for our bird populations. Discover our series of Earth Inspirations and creative actions for one minute and one hour and building the flock across our lifetimes. Engagement in eco-awareness and advocacy is key to the survival and thriving of all species, including our own. Help #BuildTheFlockYRDSB .
Be a Voice for Our Birds. Let Your Voice Be Heard. Watch The Flock Build.
birdscanada.org shadowlandtheatre.ca mmhs.ca @BirdsCanada @ShadowlandThtre @MillikenMHS #MMHS #EarthDay #BuildTheFlockYRDSB
CONTINUE THE LEGACY
 BE A VOICE FOR OUR BIRDS with Birds Canada, Shadowland Theatre, MMHS & YOU
& help to communciate ways of giving
all imagery: Birds Canada
"The strikingly beautiful Canada Warbler first appeared on Birds Canada’s magazine, BirdWatch Canada, in the summer of 1996.Its breeding range runs from northeastern British Columbia across the southern Boreal Forest Region to Nova Scotia, and also extends into southern Ontario, the northeastern U.S., and through the Appalachians. About 80% of all Canada Warblers breed in Canada. The entire population winters in northern South America, primarily in the Andes. According to the Canadian Breeding Bird Survey, Canada Warbler populations have declined significantly over the last 40 years (on average, 2.9% per year since 1970). The species has been federally designated as Threatened since 2008. Reasons for population declines include changes in Canada’s Boreal Forests, and habitat loss in wintering areas." - Birds Canada https://www.birdscanada.org
Find out more about our partnership with Birds Canada and Shadowland Theatre, below.
Discover our series of creative actions and ways to be involved in the coming days and weeks. birdscanada.org shadowlandtheatre.ca mmhs.ca @MillikenMHS @BirdsCanada @ShadowlandThtre #mmhs #buildtheflockYRDSB
1 MINUTE ACTIONS - BUILD the FLOCK
1-10 minutes
1 Do the Icon Flip 1 minute 2 Engage with a Question Which bird do you identify with? Why?
Birds Canada Icons are below How do birds inspire you? tag #buildtheflockYRDSB #MMHS @MillikenMHS @BirdsCanada
survey link: https://forms.gle/oYJU3xHPGK3KUMqH9
  Join in. Answer Principal Hilmer's survey and let your voice be heard.
Your words might be chosen to appear on the 2020 Yearbook EarthDay page.
https://forms.gle/oYJU3xHPGK3KUMqH9. Extension> Make it a Poem.
3 Send a Message 1 minute 4 Create & Share A BIRD Pic, Drawing, Poem
by window, lawn, file scroll, pencil + #buildtheflockYRDSB #MMHS
Type #BuildTheFlockYRDSB #MMHS #earthday @BirdsCanada 44. create a personal expression inspired by a local birdc. Cr
1min-1hr EARTH INSPIRATIONS - CREATIVE MINDFUL ECO DISCOVERY
Remaining CONNECTED to NATURE & PARTNERSHIP through CREATIVE ACTION
join in... build community ...and Acknowledge the Earth in your actions every day
Create an Earth Inspirations for Earth Day and any day. Add Your Voice. Share Your Expression.
include the hashtags/tags #BuildTheFlockYRDSB #MMHS @BirdsCanada @MillikenMHS @ShadowlandThtre EARTH INSPIRATION FOUR: WINGED THINGS 10 min- 1 hour
Spring is coming. Look and Listen. Notice the birds in your surroundings. Consider the birds in our environment through an personal artwork, in your way. Drawings, origami. poetry and song are ways to creatively connect.
If you are feeling motivated, try the guided bird study from Birds Canada below. Send in your images for the
possibility to be included in a creative experience being developed by Shadowland Theatre.
Getting Naturalistic - with Birds Canada Draw a realistic bird step by step, with Megan Hiebert of Bird's Canada
Once we notice birds and connect to them, we, naturally, appreciate & want to support them...
EARTH INSPIRATION FIVE: ENCOURAGEMENT 10 min-1 hour Post some earth friendly, bird friendly spring inspiration in your windows as we approach Earth Day. Consider the
Beautiful Art of Norval Morrisseau and the message of interconnectedness with the McMichael Gallery . Explore in your way. Share it. (and visit the other natures works at the McMichael Gallery.
Norval MORRISSEAU -Video & Project EVERYTHING is CONNECTED (hint: Gr. 9 Art Students, inspiration for one of your projects)
CONSIDER SIX WAYS to HELP BIRDS from BIRDS CANADA
1. Learn About Birds 2. Shop Bird-Friendly 3. Support Conservation 4. Keep Cats Indoors 5. Welcome Birds Home
6. Prevent Collisions
EARTH INSPIRATION SIX: It's For The BIRDS 1 hour
Design a family project to keep your home windows free from bird strikes.
(and keep your kitty indoors.. did you know that cats are amongst the top threats to decline of bird species?.. and that outdoor cats live fewer years than indoor ones?)
+ MMHS adds # 7. Share it.. to Build the Flock
MMHS will be sharing Bird Themed Expressions, in performances and publication
Share your own + add #BuildTheFlockYRDSB #MMHS @BirdsCanada @MillikenMHS
APRIL 22, 2020
Welcome to EARTH DAY 2020 - A 50th ANNIVERSARY
with MMHS + BIRDS CANADA/SHADOWLAND THEATRE & YOU
*Birds Canada * Shadowland * Birds Canada* Shadowland * Birds Canada * Shadowland * Birds Canada
* See the videos * Take the Pledge * Choose a Focus Action * Interact * Explore Resources
EARTH INSPIRATION EIGHT- EARTH DAY - DO IT!
Complete the creative actions and share the results. Build awareness, focus and to help BUILD the FLOCK
EARTH DAY !
See the video
1. an introductory message from Principal Hilmer:
2. view a quick news clip on local birds
https://globalnews.ca/video/rd/626634307771/?jwsource=cl 2min
3. Andres Jimenez, of Birds Canada, has been working with MMHS students
He has offered a personal message on identifying and managing window threats:
https://youtu.be/dtGSk8zkLwU 10 min
4. take the Build the Flock PROTECTION PLEDGE
*I pledge to:
take notice of the birds around me create a safer place for birds through my choices and actions *risk proof a window *clean up debris *plant seeding plants *bring cats in *make a bird box *build awareness
5. Flip through the pages of Bird's Canada's online Magazine
6. Define a personal focus action: *risk proof a window *clean up debris *plant seeding plants *bring cats in *make a bird box *build awareness
7. MAP IT! * Find MMHS EARTH DAY on the interactive EARTH DAY MAP (below)
* Place your personal action on the Earth Day Map. Share it with the world.
* Visit the Native Land Map to see the ways this land has been inhabited by
First Nations in interaction
* Go to the birds Canada map. Find this region. See images of the birds in our area.
MMHS EARTH VISION 2020 - A 50th EARTH DAY ANNIVERSARY advocate communicate educate celebrate create contribute
EARTH INSPIRATION EIGHT- EARTH DAY - DO IT!
Complete the creative actions and share them. Build awareness & focus to help BUILD the FLOCK
EARTH DAY GOES DIGITAL
*flip your icon *answer a question *send a message to build the flock * find or make a pic *create an earth inspiration
*share an earth inspiration *share your creative expression * map it * take the pledge *watch the video
*engage with Arts Mind ACKNOWLEDGEMENT *remain aware and involved * Build the Flock
YOU ARE ON THE MAP BUILD the FLOCK across the globe. Send Your Message. Map it.
 
Build the Flock and MMHS are registered as part of Earth Day 2020 online Global Action
Share your voice to your online community, our MMHS online community and the world earthday.org.
* Visit the Native Land Map
to see growing visuals of location, movement and interaction of First Nations across this Land
Watch a clip of BIIDAABAN, a VR experience of A GTA reclaimed by nature, designed by artist Lisa Jackson.
* Visit Birds Canada's Map to see which birds also share this land and which are at risk
What have you learned by Interacting with the different maps of yoru region?
reminders:
TURN YOUR LIGHTS OUT!!! TURN OFF THE WATER in the middle part of HAND WASHING.
Stay connected to Birds, Nature, Creativity and MMHS.
Be on the Look Out for some SHADOWLAND offerings, MMHS BIRDS & NATURE EXPRESSIONS, here.
Recap.: *Video Link * Pledge Link * Interactive Magazine * Earth Inspirations
*Flip it *Express It *Share It *Map It *Be It *Build It ... #BuildTheFlockYRDSB
... continue to be aware, share, engage and visit here for more
and visit the growing flock that MMHS is building at
It doesn't stop with Earth Day.
*The Pages of Arts Mind ACKNOWLEDGEMENT will continue to unfold.
*Your Year Book Theme is related to our effort and a dedicated page will feature the sharing.
*We are assembling bird-themed offerings from our classes into a On-Line Production lead by
Shadowland Theatre. MMHS musicians, actors, artists, and writers are virtually linking
performances and recordings into a collective expression to BUILD the FLOCK.
Watch for it in this space and announcements through #BuildTheFlockYRDSB.
designs: Dylan Tan
OUR FINAL EARTH DAY OFFERING
Earth Day marks the release of the cover design of our interactive Magazine, Arts Mind.
This Year our Theme is ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. Stay tuned here for the release of new pages, in the weeks ahead. Print the pages to create your own book or download the pages to use in you image apps. The cover illustration was created by Ange L, in preparation for partnership with Birds Canada. Consider the symbols and what message they send. Our students work within creative process. Angel offers us some insight into the building of a cover, below. While Dylan, refines text position and explores image orientation options.
     Arts Mind 2020 is about Acknowledgement, acknowledgement of the land, our first peoples, all beings and vital elements in nature, plus the intricacies involved in harmonious relationship and challenging times. It is a place to discover and mindfully engage, a creative offering from our students for you, to expand and arrange, in your own way. This year, we will release the magazine, page by page is a new size format, printable from your home or accessible for download into your favorite image editing/paint app. Watch for it, Here...
all cover illustrations, Arts Mind 2019, 2020: Angel L.
Arts Mind 2020, ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, each book is unique, because you create it.
Keep Connected and engaged. Visit regularly for more pages & build your book as we Build the Flock
Keep up you interaction with nature and creativity and MMHS as we enter National Mental Health Awareness Week in the first week of May. Nature and Creativity, are key foundations of wellness, connection and meaning-making in our days and lives. https://mentalhealthweek.ca/ May 4-10
... continue to discover below, for mindfully earthy creative activities and explorations
to support your day, build awareness and connection
IT'S COMING, ANOTHER COVER, INTERACTIVE ACTIVITIES, and birds flying, flying across the pages ... ARTS MIND 2020, ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, cover release peek... for Earth Day. BE HERE.
... continue to discover below, for mindfully earthy creative activities and explorations
to support your day, build awareness and connection
EARTH INSPIRATIONS - CREATIVE & MINDFUL ECO DISCOVERY -
Remaining CONNECTED to NATURE & PARTNERSHIP through CREATIVE ACTION
join in... build community ...and Acknowledge the Earth in your actions every day
EARTH INSPIRATION NINE: GROW 10 min-1 hour
Spring is here. What sign of spring or growth do you notice? Create a piece a work of art, inspired by new growth. Phone Photographs, drawings, origami. poetry and song are ways to creatively connect.
EARTH INSPIRATION TEN - NATURE GRATITUDE 10 min - 1hour
Identify something in nature that makes you feel grateful.
Create a photo, drawing, song or dance around that concept.
Nature grounds, even amidst challenging time. Gratitude is a powerful thing that enhances our resilience.
EARTH INSPIRATION ELEVEN - NATURE NARRATIVES 10 min- 1 hour
Many illustrators are inspired by nature. Nature is at the core of the foundational narratives and learnings across cultures and our lives. De-stress and renew with illustrators sharing their work and insights in connection with nature.
Illustrator Victoria Turnbull speaks about her beautiful book Pandora, in which a bird brings in nature and creates a new reality.
In this mesmerizing stop-motion short film from acclaimed director Amanda Strong, an Indigenous youth joins forces with a 10,000-year-old Sasquatch to revive ceremonial sap harvesting in suburban Ontario. -CBC Arts
discover or create your own...
EARTH INSPIRATION TWELVE- MINDFUL NATURE 10 min - 1 hour Observing and creating are ways of mindfulness and nature is the perfect subject.
NATURE SKETCHING
LANDSCAPE VIDEO & GREAT ABSTRACT COLLAGE PROJECT FOR ALL
EARTH INSPIRATION - SANCTUARY 10 min - 1 hour
How is nature "sanctuary"?
Visit the Aga Khan Museum Without Walls Initiative
Tour the New Sanctuary Show, featuring artists and patterns from around the world https://youtu.be/ZuPCjKmfbFU
ARTNERSHIPS in Vision - 2020 BIRDS CANADA & SHADOWLANDS THEATRE with GREEN INC, ARTS + YOU
PARTNERSHIPS in Vision - 2020 Birds Canada & Shadowland Theatre. + . . .
MMHS Classes in the Arts (Dance, Drama, Music, Visual Arts), English, Personal Alternative Education, Family Studies and Technology Studies have been working in partnership with Green Inc, Birds Canada, Shadowland Theatre and others, towards Earth Day 2020, a 50th Anniversary. Our students have engaged in information meetings and theatrical discovery, workshops lead by Andres Jiminez of Birds Canada, Anne Barber, Brad Harley, Sequoia, Ben, Chris, the team from Shadowland. Elder, Alan, from our First Nations/Metis/Inuit leadership offered a rich sharing circle featuring elements and directions, rekated to life choice and our individual responsibilities to each other and the land. That Partnership continues... with all of MMHS, you and beyond. Share this space. Build momentum. Share your expression. Get involved.
Students, like Grace H., have been continuing their inquiries at home and creating small Avian armies, uploaded to online galleries, bringing Earth Day joy to neighbourhood window shares. Grace had already created a big array at school in support of Shadowland Theatre's Earth Day community pageant and performances. Once we engage with the art of creative contribution, it can become a way of life, positive focus, renewing, and meaning-making. Our students are well -versed in the design process, creative problem-solving and responding to shifts in scenario and conditions. We are designing ways to engage with our students, sharing community and connection, remotely, and students are responding.
      theatrical birds: Grace H
Early in the semester, student had already begun work towards a collective theatrical and advocacy experience, after planning events with Birds Canada, Shadowland Theatre and amazing in-class sessions with FNMI leadership. Photography and English classes experienced in-depth foundational Indigenous teaching, related to the elements, directions and personal and community living in harmony and contribution. We all learned facts about our local birds and how best to support them as well as theatrical means of communication, building momentum, and group organization. Our intent is multi-faceted awareness reflected in our design approaches and forms.
 
theatrical Birds: Julia H., Jeremy P, Elaine H, Amy T, Ryan M., Alyssa B., Elaine Z, Anita L, Victoria, Teressa Q, Ryan S, Winson K., Andy H, and William, Dylan T
Images below are of Jason H. and Marc L., really getting into their work, a large theatrical bird lighting design, based on traditional techniques. The work was an extension of an earlier prototype by Jason, related to our Building the Flock advocacy concept. One thing quickly lead to another with will, diligence and the question: What could this become? Ryan, Winson and Malina, upped the scale, further, on related theatrical set pieces/lighting designs, using a mix of technology, sustainability and maker spirit.
theatrical design: Jason H. and Mark L.
Allan has taken the lead on our FOR the LOVE of BIRDS, BUILD the FLOCK window installation, designed to educate the community on local bird loss, due to loss of habitat and window threats. Allan, Elaine, Erica and others have created hundreds of bird forms for installation. Our hope is to implement effective design solutions for our windows at MMHS, and bring the installation concept as education through visual messaging to the Civic and Community Centres and other local venues.
We can also help at home, be using safe window strategies and sharing bird art, awareness and positive creative expressions, in our windows. Functional Design in the form of stripes and dots on windows can help reduce window strikes, an art project that all can try. Communicate within your household, to discover what is possible.
Our nature advocacy is a process, of creation and dedication, building, individually and together.
Below are images from Angel's Arts Mind 2020 cover inquiry and studies, inspired by Birds Canada. Angel finished the cover
with efficiency grace and good humour, early in our process and partnerships, to inspire and guide others. Not only is the final illustration our cover, it also served as our MMHS Banner at Quest Educational conference and an acknowledgement wallet card, to remind us that Acknowledgment is also personal awareness, recognition and action.
  
Andy and William created an interesting series of bird forms all from a base unit, like cellular growth. Building thisway is akin to individual creating a whole within a flock or how individual contribution pieces can become a larger force.Its is symbolic of the Build the Flock initiative and would make a great animation.
MMHS EARTH VISION 2020 - A 5OTH ANNIVERSARY ECO EXPERIENCE
Connection to nature is vital and essential, for the world and all beings. Nature supports us, in this time and each day. Watch this space for OFFERINGS from BIRDS CANADA & SHADOWLAND THEATRE, plus creative connections to , other collaborative inspirations.
Respond with photography, drawing, journalling, poetry, sound, music, movement, dance
or other available and sustainable creative means.
Related items to share can be sent to Ms Middleton (with completed YRDSB media release) and the official Earth Day website, earthday.org, for shared display.
PARTNER SITES
see Birds Canada, MMHS Visual Arts, Green Inc and Personal Alternative Education
at the YRDSB Quest Conference for Indigenous Education and Unity - click the link
... continue to discover below, for mindfully earthy creative activities and explorations
to support your day, build awareness and connection
EARTH INSPIRATIONS - CREATIVE & MINDFUL ECO DISCOVERY
Remaining CONNECTED to NATURE & PARTNERSHIP through CREATIVE ACTION
join in... build community and get ready for Earth Day ...and Acknowledge the Earth in your actions every day
... continue to discover below, for mindfully earthy creative activities and explorations
to support your day, build awareness and connection
EARTH INSPIRATION NINE - SHADOWLAND - is Coming Back to MMHS.ca
Shadowland and Birds Canada will continue to lead and interact with MMHS students in creative collaboration, online.
Watch this space, for an emerging theatrical work. Hints and links to the final results will appear here... top of page.
We hold this space, reserved for Shadowland Theatre, in collaboration with MMHS ...
  images: Shadowland Theatre
CONTINUITY
It is not done. Nature and creativity contain continuity, resilience and regeneration.
VISIT our PARTNERS BIRDS CANADA & SHADOWLAND THEATRE TO DISCOVER MORE WAYS TO CONNECT:
...and our growing Nature Gallery
EARTH INSPIRATION TWELVE - BUILD IT !
Watch here, as more pages are released for Arts Mind Magazine, each one unique, because you create it.
This year that's true, even more so, as we release pages one by one for you to build your own book and sequence
as we head into Mental Health Awareness Week, the inspiration for the publication.
Our theme, again, is nature based, a continuation of our Acknowledgement focus at Quest.
ARTS MIND 2020, ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
acknowledges the land
our first people
birds
elements
and living things
in interrelationship
the current scenario in which we live
and ways of creating and being, together, through it
Image Angel L.
continue to look here and connect with updated initiatives, activities and inspirations - take care~
Image: Crystal N.
... and back to our Arts Blog
there is always something
unfolding through MMHS Visual Arts...
click the link to find out more
scroll down for our ongoing activities>>>
ART AS MINDFULNESS, POSITIVE FOCUS, CREATIVE SOLUTION
Art is good for you and we are here for you.
MMHS Visual Arts students have been provided with take-home creative assignments related to courses and active creative engagement. As information becomes available, we will design creative solutions, and more course related content will be communicated to you. Content and projects will be adapted for materials and technologies available to all.
Arts is good for everyone. Creative exploration helps. All MMHS students, staff and friends may visit this space for links to great creative initiatives offered by artists and designers, continuing to contribute to community and well being. We will, also, post some of our MMHS creative works here to amuse, inspire and keep in touch. Join us in creativity.
From Spain to Port Hope and beyond artists everywhere are displaying art and rainbow colours in their windows to focus on creativity and encourage others. Take up the challenge in this 'window' and your own. We will post some MMHS wonder here, as it continues to grow.
Our Student Creative Team has been working to Bring You ARTS MIND MAGAZINE 2020.
Anticipate a gradual release of interactive printable pages as we go virtual.
Arts Mind, each magazine is unique, because you create it.
Image: Angel L. Design: Angel L .and Midd.
RENEW through CREATIVE ACTION - bring positive focus, meaning & energy to your day
INSPIRATION ONE - RECHARGE YOUR SUPER POWERS with imagery
Give yourself a surprise and a laugh to
Humour and amusement can lift us each day.
1) image search your name + glamour shot - the second one is for you
2) give it an MMHS twist: image search name plus superhero and see what comes up first
3) take it to nature: image search your name plus flower - pick the one that suits you
4) try all those as .gif searches if you need an extra boost
5) take it a step further and use one as inspiration for an artwork.
The first one is via artist Wild Kristin and her amazing group of creative friends.
INSPIRATION TWO - KEEPING IT CLEAN, KEEPING IT CALM
Promote household hygiene for flattening the curve. Create a cleaning selfie. For photo students, this is a good opportunity to practice selective focus and creative, communicative portraiture (faces optional).
Skip the glamour and tell it like it is ... or glam it up... either way. Keep it as is or use it as a Basis for a poem, drawing, dance, or dramatic work.
INSPIRATION THREE - NEW FORMS
Finding Signs and Making Messages - creative efforts to positively and responsibly communicate
are emerging around us. Record one or create one.
INSPIRATION FOUR - TOGETHER, APART
We are all in partnership at this present time.
Create an expression about social distance or distance socializing.. in image, words, dance, drama, music.
Create an expression related to connection ... across space ~
INSPIRATION FIVE - GRATITUDE
Identify something that makes you feel grateful. Create a photo, drawing, song or dance around that concept.
INSPIRATION SIX - SANCTUARY
Visit the Aga Khan Museum Without Walls Initiative
Tour the New Sanctuary Show, featuring artists and patterns from around the world https://youtu.be/ZuPCjKmfbFU
INSPIRATION SEVEN - THE DIVIDE
TOPICAL: How do experience the physical divide? Is it actual? How can you frame it? embrace it? transform it?
respond in word, drawing, photo, paper sculpture, food styling, office supply stacking, dance, drama or ...other viable means
INSPIRATION EIGHT - TINY 3D Wonderlands
tiny quarantine gallery for gerbils
fancy yourself a curator? into spatial design?
see what happens when and London museum curator is quarantined
keep yourself and your pets happy during challenging times
hint: it fits an upcoming design project
2021
2021, will be something different. What's your idea for a yearbook theme and cover?.. virtual or print edition
continue to look here and connect with updated initiatives, activities and inspirations - take care~
ARTS COMMUNITY
https://www.socialdistancingfestival.com/ Toronto Playwright, Nick Green has created a space
to shares artistic content from cancelled art events
https://ago.ca/agoinsider/experience-ago-from-home - new virtual content from the Art Gallery of Ontario
TOPICAL: How do experience the physical divide? Is it actual? How can you frame it? embrace it? transform it?
https://nobodyhere.com/ creative company and inspiration since 1998 - suggested by Ms Comerford
DRAWING & DESIGN
https://www.kennedy-center.org/education/mo-willems/ lunch doodles with Mo Willems, artist in residence at the Kennedy Centre
https://www.proko.com/ illustrator Stan Propenko - great content and skills building - freebies - 30 Day Great Trials
comic book instruction with Will Sliney ongoing create challenges
https://99designs.ca/logo-design/contests huh, logo pro design competitions with potential payout prize
https://99designs.ca/contests - more pro design contests of all sorts
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xn04yV5ig2w&feature=youtu.be Steam Punk portrait with art teacher Christine Rasmussen provided by Ms Perez
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nclSb-MlAxo drawing a day can change your life .. and is certainly a great focus for now... give it a try
free courses
Lose Yourself, Find Yourself: Write & Draw for Creative Self-Discovery March 23-April free mini sessions 1 month trial https://www.skillshare.com/workshops/878?via=logged-in-home-workshops-row
proko.com amazing - free month trial and much other - support your figure drawing and portrait development https://www.kennedy-center.org/education/mo-willems/ lunch doodles with Mo Willems, artist in residence at the Kennedy Centre
https://www.proko.com/ illustrator Stan Propenko - month course trials - build your portrait & figure drawing skills
PHOTO
PHOTO of the DAY (and week) https://www.photo.net/photo-of-the-day/#//Sort-Newest/All-Categories/This-Year/Page-1 https://www.photo.net/photo-of-the-week/#//Sort-Newest/All-Categories/This-Year/Page-1
Quarantine photo challenge https://www.instagram.com/ascobereta/ by Artist Isis Ascobereta
https://glenbow.blog/glenbow-from-home/ - go to Calgary to tour Vivian Maier: In Her Own Hands
https://www.gallery.ca/canadian-photography-institute-blog/soap-bubbles-early-outdoor-portraiture early portraiture CNG
https://www.instagram.com/trishazemp/ - stop motion animation with Trisha Zemp
https://filmfreeway.com/QuarantineInternationalFilmFestival movie making in the 'stuck'
https://northrup.photo/podcast/ the picture this podcast
SKILLS DEVELOPMENT
2 months free creative skills guidance! https://www.skillshare.com/
+ do your own search, follow your own interest for a range of tutorials -... offerings are out there
ACTIVITIES and CHALLENGES for ALL
#antisocialartshow by Airigami https://www.instagram.com/p/B9pT5DIA3tO/ using any available supplies
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ngakids-art-zone/id904766241?ls=1 gallery app with fun edu.art interaction - National Gallery, USA
http://elisegravel.com/en/livres/free-printables/ free colouring and activity pages
http://library.nyam.org/colorourcollections/ Annual Colouring Festival - Unusual Sources
https://www.instagram.com/p/B99HV7EgUep/ https://www.instagram.com/p/B92_-_PgX6i/ colouring pages and sport illustration competition by illustrator Steph Cheng
https://www.porthopenow.com/?p=8791 window art challenge - start you own
some of these creative finds sourced from CBC, other media/social media posts + searches
thank you to our local broadcasters and creatives who continue to generate and offer creativity to others
it can be a challenge to start, to 'unfreeze' on your own... give creativity a try.. click .. start.. be
PODCASTS
https://www.cbc.ca/radio/unreserved arts and culture with Rosanna Deerchild
ART, ONGOING - there is a lot to explore (see the resource page for more)
MORE: SEE OUR RESOURCE PAGES FOR OUR COLLECTION OF GALLERIES and other ART SITES
MORE WELLNESS>>>
LISTEN
BREATHE
MOVE IT - at your own pace and comfort and in your own way - examples below:
...find your own inspiration, honour your traditions, beliefs, personal ways & paths ... and keep flowing ...
continue to look here and connect with updated initiatives, activities and inspirations - take care~
GALLERY 44 - LANGUAGES - FEBRUARY 13-22
RECEPTION on FAMILY DAY, FEBRUARY 17, 12:00-3:00
Join us Gallery 44, Centre for Contemporary Photographic, in the 401 Richmond Arts Building, for LANGUAGES, featuring photographic imagery from our Gr. 11 Design, Gr. 12 Visual Arts and IBVA students.
It is quite a privilege to show in a gallery space, right after a show, featuring the works of famed street photographer, Helen Levitt and alongside the first professional show curated by our own MMHS 2019
grad, Heidi Wong.
Heidi is now in internship at Gallery 44, developing her role as an emerging curator alongside studies at OCAD U. She was introduced to the gallery and other creative opportunities, while developing her admissions portfolio through coursework and creative ventures with MMHSVA. Her current three artist show runs through March 14th and is entitled, WHEN ONE IS FAR AND GONE.
See our MMHS work in the main studio space and Heidi's show one level below, in the production gallery. We thank the Gallery 44 team for their ongoing commitment to photography, photo education and fostering student expression and opportunity. LANGUAGES opens February 13th, with a reception on February 17th, Family Day. We suggest that your take in all the galleries in the 401 Richmond and 80 Spadina, and visit the art bubble gum machine while at the show ... and spark your own creative fire.
MMHS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT as LANDSCAPE - ARTONOMY @ QUEST
YRDSB QUEST -INDIGENOUS EDUCATION & EQUITY NOVEMBER 20, 21, 22
MMHSVA embraces the ongoing journey towards Equity and Reconciliation. This year, we proposed to share our Acknowledgement Landscape, in creative process and were invited to be featured in main space of QUEST, YRDSB's signature educational conference. MMHS has participated in ARTONOMY at QUEST in previous years, through collaborative projects, with a technological focus. This year, we slowed it down, to create a space and pace for Acknowledgement, that was mindful, personal, collaborative and hand-rendered. Our featured landscape features the act of stitching in its many global incarnations and traditions as a metaphorical action of mindfulness, connection naming and healing. The work uses the elements of art to communicate elements of this land and represents the many personal landscapes within the collective landscape. Our landscape is meant to name and honour the Indigenous Peoples, including the Wendat, Anishinaabe, and Haudenosaunee, as an inseparable and integral part of the land on which our school is built. In proposing the acknowledgment project, we found ourselves discussing the thread of awareness, acknowledgment and action running through our coursework, extra-curricular projects, and partnerships. Much of our departmental work is about shared understanding. alignment and collaboration; so, we brought along our aligned projects and partnerships, including: Arts Mind Magazine, Yearbook, IBVA, Green Inc., TEAM, and associated student leaders. We offered an interactive connection to our work and planning in action, under a collective title, ACKNOWLEDGEMENT through LANDSCAPE. Our total MMHS team involved 40 students in rotation, in varied roles, representing many groups including: ELL, Personal Alternative Education, Cooperative Education, Special Education, IB, Equity, Healthy Schools, and Student Council. At MMHS, Visual Art is a foundation, rather than an adjunct.
  logo: Crystal N. Illustration: Angel L.
The first day, presented many in-depth discussions with an array of educational professionals: teachers, consultants, principals, superintendents, associate director, director, and educational business innovators. It was even an opportunity to show our own busy MMHS staff, attending the conference, what we do, how we do it and the importance of The Arts in our school and educational system. Our educational partners from the Netherlands, on their annual tour, were particularly interested in student lead approaches to learning. Many educators left with images of our projects, links to our planning and webpages, copies of ARTS MIND MAGAZINE, Angel's illustrated Acknowledgement as personal reminder card, and the ideas extended through our team. On our second day, students greatly appreciated the opportunity to learn directly from students and teachers , Ms Kontozis and Ms Johnston, from Sutton District High School, through their RED DRESS PROJECT, a significant work of personal and collective awareness, acknowledging and honouring The MISSING and MURDERED INDIGENOUS WOMEN, women residential school survivors, relatives, elders and the value of Indigenous women. We look forward to further collaborations with our friends at SDHS, across the expanse of YRDSB. Our friends from Stephen Lewis S.S. dropped by on the third day and lingered to discover through spontaneous creativity, fibre art and our mindful, interactive illustration. We connected with fellow educators and creative professionals, bringing some into our circle for MMHS EARTH DAY and other explorations. Video of our students in action was shared within the conference and posted to the conference site, further extending the creative effort and expression. Through it all, students were dedicated, focused and engaged and actively learning more about project proposals, event planning, presentation and collaboration, while making significant progress, across current projects and advocacy themes. 2020, is, symbolically a year of clear vision, and we are carrying the vision of Acknowledgment through the year and our projects. Join us in April 29th on Earth Day and Arts Mind in May, to further engage with our Acknowledgment pieces.
Be on the lookout for:
ARTS MIND MAGAZINE 2020 (Angel, Anya & Yashini leads)
ARTS MIND WEEK for Mental Health Awareness (MMHS ARTS COLLECTIVE) - show, performances, activities
ART ALIVE!! LIVE PAINTING IN ACTION (Frederica & Kabilash) - 1 hour, 1 canvas, creativity always wins
YEARBOOK 2020 (lead by the whole, amazing Yearbook Team & Ms Sukhaj)
ARBORETUM GUIDE (Dylan, with GREEN INC. & FNMI)
BUILDING the FLOCK - a collective paper sculpture installation related to Bird Safety & Advocacy
EARTH DAY 2020 - April 29 (a collaboration between BIRDS CANADA, SHADOWLANDS THEATRE,
GREEN INC., TEAM, MMHS ARTS, the FNMI TEAM, ADMIN., SLAM, EQUITY & others)
MMHSVA IBEX2020 - Opening MARCH 26th - our first IB show related to personal connecting concepts
and social themes of our times - level one Cafetorium and showcase
..plus the fibre arts ACKNOWLEDGEMENT LANDSCAPE (Alena & Iqra with Quest +)
bringing students into collaboration and new discovery ... and MMHS to QUEST
This year, we continue to work with concepts of acknowledgement, ecology, and sustainability, recognizing that personal and collective wellness
is connected to planetary, environment and First Nations wellness
and the innate need for creative expression.
We align this mandate across our publications, activities. partnerships and courses.
ART ALIVE!!
 Images: M. Coleman
On May 10th, ART ALIVE!!, the culminating event of Arts Mind, landed in the atrium like a creative whirlwind, with over 25
painters in a focused Art Discovery challenge against a 55 minute clock. The theme was Inner Landscapes,
in keeping with Land Acknowledgment, Mental Health Awareness and aligned with MMHS Drama's Landscape inspired production (in partnerships with Tarragon Theatre, the University of Toronto and the works of landscape artist and educator Doris McCarthy).
It was a Visual Arts Ventures opportunity for Frederica and Kabilash who confidently ran the show weaving dynamically and
spontaneously through the images, music, participants and audience. Our late arrival special guest artist almost 'stole' the
show, but each unique creative expression shone through.
As in traditional art challenges, all of MMHS was invited to view the process and final artworks and consider a personal favourite, an, admittedly, difficult task. Votes were split across all of the images, showing an appreciation for the range of design and technique, individual response to theme and creative resilience in action. Mandy amassed the most responses for her vision of tranquility and everyone, participants and audience, alike, were winners in creativity.
We send a big thank you to Mr. Hilland and his sound team for getting us up and running and all the students and staff who
took on the creative challenge, building sharing, mindfulness and community at MMHS. Arts Mind is MMHS ARTS week long
offering of creative explorations, shared performance and community in conjunction with Mental Health Awareness Week.
JOIN US
MAY 1st is ARTS KNIGHT. Join us from 6:00- 8:00 pm in the atrium for, featured offerings from
Dance, Drama, Music and Visual Arts. Support The Arts in Action at MMHS & Mr. Hillands final MMHS performance.
All are welcome.
 Image: Dylan T- VENTURES - with MIDD
May 6-10, it's Arts Mind, a series of daily lunchtime activities, performances and workshops, in conjunction with Canadian Mental Health Awareness Week. Painting music, flash mobs, bubble art and ensembles are all typical parts of the roster, plus more. This year, we will also have a live theatrical performance in the center of the atrium. It all wraps up with Art Alive!!, the Paint 'Battle' and over 25 participants registered to face the creative challenge. Check the schedule in the showcase for details.
Engaging with art supports well being. Our doctors can now offer prescriptions for art shows and performances as a means to foster well being and connection. Whether an audience member or participant, art is good for you... for health, for skills, building meaning and community. Join us in creativity and sharing.
SPRING DISCOVERY LANDSCAPES + ARTS MIND, the 'ZINE
INNER LANDSCAPES - This Year, Arts Mind has a thematic focus. MMHS Drama has initiated the direction through a collaboration with Tarragon Theatre and U of T, Scarborough and we are inspired to join them on the journey. Within this theme, we consider our personal interior landscapes, collective landscapes and the impact of historical and contemporary actions on individuals, groups, communities and The Land.
ARTS MIND - The 'ZINE, 2019 - Inner Landscapes/Landscape of the Mind
The Collaboration extends into the relationship of image, word and interaction with the Inaugural edition of ARTS MIND, The 'ZINE, added to the Arts Mind roster. Creative, mindful activities designed by MMHS students will be interspersed with original poems and imagery. Every book will be different and personal, because the 'reader' is also a creator. See Ms Coleman and Joyce Z. for details.
  Tracy with Kitty AWD3M1-MIDD Yino with Krystal AWD3M1- MIDD, Angel AVI101, Dylan- VENTURES
Don't forget... Arts Battle/the Paint Challenge will return... full force, in landscape theme, in the atrium .. May 10th, with Frederica and Kabilash as Masters of Ceremony, a solid soundtrack and a ticking clock.
Our participation list is open until April 25th. See an art teacher to be included. Students & staff are welcome.
Arts Mind for Whole Health Awareness, In Conjunction with Canadian Mental Health Week - May 6-10.
YORK REGION SKILLS CHALLENGE & The PERSONAL INITIATIVE
At the end of February, Students from across York Region will engage Skills Challenge, hosted by Seneca College. Heidi was nominated by her the photography crew to represent Milliken Mills HS and YRDSB in Photo Category. Heidi and our other photographers have grown accustomed to discovering and developing and refining photographic works independently. Students in the event, will respond to a predetermined, but, as of yet, undisclosed photo challenge and respond within time and location parameters. It will be interesting to see what unfolds.... no pressure... just exploration.
Heidi's triptych requirement for the challenge is shown below. She will be combining this and other works together to curate and model a personal show entitled, EMERGENCE, within our Arts Mind/Arts Knight spring show, beginning May 1st (particularly helpful to students considering the IB Visual Arts Programme).
 :  VENTURES- YR Skills Challenge
AWQ3M1, AWD3M1-MIDD & INDEPENDENT
GALLERY 44 - Centre for Contemporary Photography
CAMERALINKS: LOOKING FORWARD
On February 13th, Gallery 44 Centre for Contemporary Photography held the opening for their annual CameraLinks thematic exhibit, Looking Forward. Photographs by MMHS students are presented within a feature wall arrangement and in a customized digital display.
The gallery welcomes visitors to view these and other diverse works included in Looking Forward. The Show runs through to February 23rd, (excluding Sunday), at 401 Richmond Street West (at Spadina), in the heart of the gallery district.
Through our Visual Arts Ventures Network, we actively seek to connect our students to a range of meaningful opportunities and experiences. MMHS has a rich history of showing art within GTA galleries and our community.
Gallery 44 is one of a just a few photo focused galleries in the GTA. It has a special mandate to promote photography education in traditional and contemporary approaches. As part of our approach to Equity, all of our students are offered an opportunity to refine a related project for showing and engage with the documentation and preparation of works for display as part of design 'delivery', and an aspect of Visual Arts curriculum. This year, digital prints from AWD3M1 Visual Design, AVI4M1 Visual Arts and independent students (Middleton), plus a framed projection sequence from AWQ3M1 (Kong) will be featured.
BLACK HISTORY MONTH
Several of our MMHS Visual Arts Photography and Design students were invited to show collaborative Photographs at the Markham African Caribbean Canadian Association &City of Markham Black History Recognition Ceremony on Wednesday January 3rd at Markham Flato Theatre and the Civic Centre's Great Hall. Since the event was STEAM based (with a focus on science, technology, engineering, art and math), the organizers were particularly interested in the technical motion studies from our Gr. 11 Photography course, influenced by groundbreaking electrical engineering studies at MIT (with related application to scientific, sports, advertising, news. and fine art photography).
Students were asked to present large scale prints and a slide show, with Daniel taking the lead to speak on the intersection of Art & Science in their Photographic work. Physics, Chemistry, Math, Technologies, Engineering of photographic devices and scenarios are all a part of full-spectrum study of Photography at MMHS. (We don't just point and shoot). The group presenting work on the theatre screen included Daniel, Usman, Sheraz and Aditya, with additional print design and portrait works by Safia with Taylor (on display until the end of the week). Students had an opportunity to meet and interact with community leaders and the mayor while communicating the value of personal collaborations and mindful creative engagement through Photography. That's what Visual Arts Ventures Networking is all about.
(UPDATE: Daniel and Usman have now been accepted to all three of the post-secondary Photography Programmes to which they applied. They showed independence and determination in ongoing exploration, consultations and refinements to build truly personal admissions portfolios. Congratulations!)
   Markham Mayor, Frank Scarpitti, with Photographs by Safia with Taylor, AWD3M1 (Middleton) Motion Studies by Usman and Aditya with Daniel AWQ3M1 (Midd)and Usman with Daniel (Indpendent with consultation) Image: City of Markham
MACCA/City of Markham Recognition Awards Recipients Image: City of Markham Image: Usman with Daniel
 
Event Promotion Image: MACCA & Eventbrite MMHS at Markham Flato Theatre Image: City of Markham
BLACK ART & CULTURE - IN SCHOOL - During February, visit our display board, featuring an array of works by Black artist/innovators and help create the Roots & Rhythms Glass Mural as we take Visual Arts Discovery, to the Library and Maker Space. Discover rich traditional patterns from Black cultures around the globe and add your own colours and shapes to the mural concept, designed by award winning MMHS student, Shamar. Extend the inquiry and use the library resources for further inquiry into traditional and contemporary art, artists and culture. All staff and students are welcome in this collaboration between Alternative Education TEAM, Maker Space, Library Learning Commons and Visual Arts.
YEARBOOK - IT's HAPPENING..
THANKS TO AN AMAZING TEAM AND THE LEADERSHIP OF MS JOBANPUTRA
Yearbook is for everyone, the book and the course. You still have a chance to order a copy. And, if you have a prior senior Visual Arts or Technology credit, you still can enrol in next year's AWE4M1 course, learn about professional graphic design and publishing and have a chance to build next year's experience. Yearbook is networking and community, 30 YEARS, strong. (Image: Yearbook Team, with S. Jobanputra) 
Annual Shows - A Tradition Continues
Every year, we venture out, extending student creative expression into the community. In September, it was an installation at Markham Fair, featuring multiple students (see the blog post, below)... in November, the Provincial OSSTF Finals, in January, the Civic Centre and Markham Flato Theatre and, in February, we engage Gallery 44 and York Region Skills Challenge. Some of our student work is on permanent community display, with two trios of MMHS Visual Arts students completing large commissioned paintings at the Milliken Mills Community Center and Library, each related to Equity and Wellness. Spring marks the Arrival of Arts Knight and Arts Mind as Our students experience their art related to community, connection and opportunity.
UPCOMING... G44 CAMERALINKS: Looking Forward - in February
Gallery 44 is located in the 401 Richmond Street, Building at the south east corner of Richmond and Spadina. The photographs will be on display from February 13-24, with an opening reception of February 13th as part of CameraLinks, LOOKING FORWARD.
 
MMHS student photography on display at G44, 2011 MMHS at McKay House Image: Gallery 44 Article: The India Times
New Year, NEW VENTURE
 
(January 2019)
It's freshly 2019, with Lunar New Year and semester 2 approaching. All that, tends to make us look back on what we have done and DEFINE, directions moving forward. It has been a semester filled with collaborations. People drop by daily for support with individual and classroom projects, research questions, admissions portfolio & essays, contest refinements, visual resumes.... it's ongoing and only growing with the increased visibility and use of art & design in the modern marketplace.
Connection is a vital part of the Visual Arts Department. So, we are enacting the title, Visual Arts Ventures Network, as an umbrella, for the array of initiatives that we support outside of the classroom - in which students, school and community partner together through common creative purpose. Networking, is more than adding names to a social media list. It is timely communication and collaboration in action, defining clear goals and developing action steps to creatively manifest them. See our OPPORTUNITIES PAGE to find out more and see the results of Visual Arts venture networking throughout our pages.
Arts Club, too, is trying on a new name, better associated with the unique goal of our weekly mindful creative gathering, to differentiate it from our service and product based efforts. Arts Club has been around for 30 years and for the last 15, the focus has been on mindful, sustainable creative explorations, offered during lunch, open to all students and staff. To reflect this, Arts Club is becoming VISUAL ARTS DISCOVERY. Discovery is a design industry term, often used to describe the open-ended, exploratory stage of the creative process. VISUAL ARTS DISCOVERY, it's about possibility, pressure-free personal exploration and creative play; it's discovering about self and other, through creativity... no pressure, just exploration. DISCOVERY uses readily available sustainable materials, suitable to the time frame and all levels of experience. DISCOVERY is open to all students and staff and our offerings will be announced and posted to insure equal access.
Green Guardian via Gr.9 Visual Arts... is on the way
(December 2018)  
Madeline - Character & Cover Prototype AVI101 (Middleton) exploratory mock-up ... concept in development
(with study of figure drawing studies, Photoshop)
When students explore creativity and personal meaning, utilizing their skills and gifts.... projects align with purpose. Such is the case with Madeline, who has been developing a character and cover design as part of a Gr. 9 culminating assignment which seems, naturally aligned to current issues and the Mandate of Green Inc./Eco Schools ... and, in just a few moments, and some effective communication... an alliance was formed (and, the concept of VISUAL ARTS VENTURES, opportunity matching focus, (see OPPORTUNITIES PAGE), again, made sense ).
Part of our Role in Visual Arts is to recognize and foster creative alignments, linking individual, community and real-world experience - expanding resumes, portfolios, messages and connections. Fostering collaborative relationships and an awareness, helps us all. With creative work like Madeline's, the concept of VISUAL ARTS VENTURES (see our OPPORTUNITIES & DIRECTIONS PAGE) began to make even more sense.
Madeline has been taking control of the project and her vision, consulting and discussing the possibility of a storyline involving polarized possible futures. Immediately, she began to consider adapting the story scenario and design detail to best suit the opportunity & Eco mandate, through a positive tone. She has embraced the opportunity, considering an ongoing multi-year initiative, across her time at MMHS, with a role to match her interests and inclinations. Wow.
Be on the lookout for more of Green Guardian - as Madeline applies her skills, gifts and experience ...
Early connections and opportunities help to show students what is possible and how we can work together
in action for our collective future and potential personal futures and possibilities.
More GREEN INC/ECO SCHOOL MATCHING through Visual Arts Ventures
Naomi - Acrylic on Board Painting AVI4M1 (Middleton) (December 2018)
Everybody has been admiring Naomi's recently completed dragonfly, an acrylic painting on wood panel.
People and groups have asked to have it, others have just come to visit dragonfly. This happens sometimes. Our students apply themselves within the project process, resulting in refined, viable and meaningful creative products. At MMHS, we match work to purpose, we don't give it away. In the digital age, students can retain their original copy and still offer their work for meaningful purpose... and what better purpose than habitat and biodiversity preservation. Naomi immediately offered her image and support to GREEN INC and other artists and their subject creatures signed on as well.
The project itself is designed for awareness and connection, through Naturalistic study. The art class became more connected to their bugs, insects and the rest, and we started to discuss when we last saw a 'Praying Mantis' and other species subjects that the students had chosen to depict. It caused us to consider the reduction in local species numbers and diversity, across the globe. The resulting art, considers the detail and beauty of each species and will be used to bring this awareness to others. The 'fade' technique contributes the visual emphasis and furthers the message that our biodiversity is disappearing.
Green Inc Design Duo, Dylan and Vivian, are integrating the images into promotion/educational posters.
Alternative Education's TEAM generated the slogans, related to bio diversity. Watch for the unveiling, within Green Inc initiatives.
YRAC - Youth Committee - A Visual Arts Venture Network Match
 (December 2018)Congratulations Heidi. Heidi's interests in Arts organizations, art history and curatorial concepts lead to a Visual Arts Ventures match with York Region Arts Council. She used the creative process to DISCOVER the mandate and role of the organization and learn about the application process for YRAC Youth Committee and DEFINED a council suitable role related requirements and deadlines. She DEVELOPED solid integrated visual resume, personal logo, cover letter and updated her on-line portfolio, consulted around refinements and DELIVERED her pitch in a council interview. Heidi is now a member of the YORK REGION YOUTH ARTS COUNCIL executive, a great learning experience, networking opportunity and addition to resume. She can continue in this role during her post-secondary education and move on to other roles within this and other related organization.
In her role, can represent the interests of Milliken Mills and Markham alongside personal interests, a step forward into inter-relating benefit. In MMHS Visual Arts we strive to prepare students for opportunity with projects that build personal visual identity and experience, and skills, while offering ongoing support outside of class time.
Opportunity awaits. Starting early builds awareness, confidence and possibility.
WINTER GREETINGS and COLLABORATIONS
Gr. 11 students created a winter design and fundraising experience, with the Guidance of Ms. Ng. The extracurricular venture was a great learning opportunity around the preferences of a target audience and market, materials costs, fundraising protocols, advance orders and direct deliver systems. Proceeds (after costs) will go to BEST BUDDIES, an MMHS fundraising focus.
Cards were designed By Teressa, Dylan and others, with a group approach to sales and delivery. Students often design occasion cards logos, and other marketable items as part of the independent inquiry component within our courses. Seeing their designs in action, re-enforces the real world applications of art and design. This venture may become an annual tradition, with cards celebrating our array of winter festivals, including Diwali, Lunar New year, Hanukka, Kwanza and more.
Design class, AWD3M1 (Middleton) was also in mode, adapting a course project on mental health awareness into a winter holiday greeting, suitable to varied cultural traditions, while acknowledging that both the holiday season and winter can be a particular challenge, with a call to mindful within the season. The image acts as both an e-greeting and print postcard, that can be kept as a reminder throughout the year. Our featured image was created by Emily and model (using paper theatrical design, lighting and digital photography with Photoshop).
Remember the YRDSB annual calendar features art depicting the meaningful nature of all cultural celebrations and any student can enter to have work included. The deadline to enter your work if February 22, 2019. See an art teacher for details.
9 OSSTF STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS
Dylan T. Represents York Region - Senior Visual Arts Division (November 2018)
As always, we encourage our students to pursue creative opportunities and provide in- house postings, details and ongoing support. This Year, Dylan's artwork, Hands of Time, has been selected from all York Region Senior Visual Arts entries, to represent OSSTF District 16, at the Provincial final.
Dylan extended the components of his drawing project in AVI3M1(Ng), into a personal statement and challenge, related to the contest theme, spending many independent hours fine honing his pencil and pencil crayon techniques towards magical naturalism. This year's theme, Ahead by a Century, is a challenging one, designed to foster inquiry around whether collective and human actions, in recent decades, can be considered more as advancement or detriment to our world. Dylan's artwork is full of rich nature symbolism, a fitting match to the theme, like paintings by the Baroque Vanitas masters, visited in AVI3M1 curriculum.
Last year Dylan entered an excellent independent digital illustration in the Junior category, related to the
popular, What's your Super Power theme. He regularly and willingly applies his creative skills to service, fostering further versatility, awareness, rendering/design skills, while building a personal portfolio through real-world work with Green Inc., Arts Knight, Arts Mind, and other MMHS initiatives. Works from Gr. 10 are appreciated around the school, for use in varied mindful, ecological and equity initiatives. Behind
the contest, is an amazing example of how creative engagement enriches community, connections, meaningful causes, and aligns personal focus and opportunity. When students engage in our three focus areas of Visual Arts, Visual Design and Photography (with both traditional and contemporary media and techniques), they become a Visual 'Triple Threat'+. Dylan has already been matching his skills and vision with his awareness of MMHS and community initiatives, touching base, within the Department for consultation and refinement of work. Some of Dylan's cross-disciplinary work related to MMHS NETWORK initiatives is featured below (check-back for his growing portfolio, and versatility... coming soon to the portfolio showcase):
  .jpg) .jpg) .jpg) AWD201-MIDD VENTURES- MIDD
AWD301-MIDD
WHITE RIBBONS & ROSES - DECEMBER 6th
This Year, MMHSVA will support the traditional MMHS table space, honouring and including the 14 women engineering students of Ecole Polytechnique with an atrium display featuring powerful works created by Heidi with Naomi, Safia with Taylor, Tracy with Kitty and Grace with Lee. These images arrive at a pivotal time, alongside the expansion of the Me Too phenomena and other human rights initiatives. (They also act as a preview to our related work with Looking Forward in February and Arts Mind in May.) Elizabeth Z serves as curator/prop & lighting designer for the exhibit, with poetry and content support from Joyce Z and the AVI4M1 group and research by Mona. Thank you to each additional student who created sculpted paper flowers to honour the women of Ecole Polytechnique and all those taken by gender based violence.
Curation: Elizabeth with Joyce Research: Mona (Co-op ollaboration- Mitchell & Middleton)
Part of our mandate is producing meaningful art, developing skills of art presentation and collaboration, engaging social cause and community. Visit the showcase to view the works.
for additional information:
https://www.whiteribbon.ca/
http://blog.legalaid.on.ca/2013/12/05/december-6-national-day-of-remembrance-and-action-on-violence-against-women/
REMEMBRANCE DAY BANNER
This year, a team lead by Teressa under the Guidance of Ms NG and Ms Kong, created a banner to support
the annual MMHS Remembrance Day ceremony. The banner, with classic imagery can now become part of
the MMHS tradition. With advanced planning, the team worked extra-curricularly, over several weeks to
meet their delivery date, with Teress demonstrating great dedication in completing the project. (P hoto: S Ng) 
For more information on Rememberance Day Observances and Visual Symbols visit:
https://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/history/a-day-of-remembrance/why
https://toronto.citynews.ca/2007/11/11/remembrance-day-facts-and-symbols/
GALLERY 44 Centre for Contemporary Photography Another of our students has been chosen to represent Gallery 44 online and in print. It is a great continuation of our longstanding involvement in all manner of Photography in MMHS Visual Arts
and demonstrates the continued role and value of film, darkroom and hand rendered work in, and beyond, the art community.
Aditya's image was one of several of his portraits that were on display at Gallery 44. His work was chosen from all school submissions and is the only student work featured on the gallery site. The image will be used to promote this year's CAMERALINKS show and remain on the Gallery site for an extended period, (an excellent addition to any resume).
This semester, Design, Photography and Visual Arts students will all be creating, preparing and showcasing images for a professional gallery environment. Part of out mandate is to connect students with opportunities, experiences, community and creative networks, building resumes, awareness and confidence.
 Image: Aditya, with Sheraz from the Pictorialist Portrait Portfolio series AWQ3M1 (Middleton)
OCTOBER IS:
ISLAMIC HERITAGE MONTH & WOMEN'S 'HER STORY' MONTH CHECK OUT OUR DISPLAY IN THE VISUAL ARTS HALL
(ASSEMBLED BY A GREAT GRADE NINE VOLUNTEER TEAM) FOR FEATURED ART, ARTISTS
& CREATIVE CONNECTIONS
YEARBOOK 2018-19 available for preorder NOW. (September 2018) $26 Hardcover! .. School Cash Online - for details, contact Ms Jobanputra 
Yearbook is community & opportunity - connect now & in
the future, claim your belonging, stretch your roots, reach
your branches, expand your network, share in the surprise,
unfolding...Yearbook is us, in it, together Yearbook 2018-19
new year, new theme, new team, 30th anniversary!
Image: Yearbook Cover 2017-8 AWE4M1 (Jobanputra Group)
MARKAM FAIR ... (September 2018)
MMHS INSTALLATION (partial view)
AVI101, AVI3M1 painting & AVI4M1 curation (Middleton)
with Co-op display design, construction and assembly
commissioned Poem - Joyce Z
plus drawing additions from Visual Arts DISCOVERY (Kong, Ng)
This Year, MMHS Visual Arts and Co-Operative Education Departments collaborated on an Art Installation in support of Markham Stouffville Hospital. The project became an opportunity for us to engage and create between departments and with our community as well as explore career areas involving curation, display construction, transport and assembly. The interdisciplinary artwork featured the work of multiple students, including a collaborative feature piece from our special needs class who visited the fair and saw their artistic expression on display, alongside the work of other community artists.
Our theme, in response to the Fair's working title Old Days, New Ways, involved the connection between Art & Harvest across time and styles of art-making. The form of the installation was inspired by tradition wooden produce packing crates and roadside stands. As with many things, details emerged mid process and a new title for the show emerged from the Fair - “Cultivating Canada: Voices for the Past, Visions for the Future”. This caused us to further consider the role of Treaty Lands and Treaty Peoples as integral to our national harvest and art, within the installation. A transparent Treaty Map and outlines of Canada were placed at the center of the arrangement, with a symbolic seed, sculpture and poem, representative of potential healing and new growth. Our installation demonstrated how we may consider multiple mandates and something approaching more fulsome awareness within a creative endeavour.
MARKAM FAIR ... next year ... the 175th anniversary!
Visual Arts DISCOVERY - Mindful Art Activities
In semester 2, our weekly offering will reboot under a new name, reaffirming our commitment to accessible, mindful, sustainable creative art experiences .....most TUESDAYS - P.3
ART DISCOVERY is an open, creative activity and space vs. a closed name roster or hierarchy.
All are welcome to participate in Art Discovery activities which will posted and announced to insure equal access. DISCOVERY uses readily available, low cost, environmentally friendly materials in creative ways. Our Visual Arts experiences are open to all students and staff.
OPEN STUDIO/PORTFOLIO DEVELOPMENT CONTINUES
OPEN STUDIO is ongoing independent access to the Visual Arts studio spaces (130, 132, 242A photo studio and darkroom) by arrangement. A supervising teacher volunteer is required for you to access a studio.
Consultation is also available and recommended. See a teacher for supervision availability. Open studio is guaranteed one day per week, but often is available more frequently.
(Please do not assume that a teacher will always be available or that the art spaces are substitute daily lunchrooms.)
VISUAL ARTS VENTURES NETWORK
At MMHS, we match students to opportunity. The projects and opportunities that we create within the department are often designed to align with community initiatives and needs. We strive for real world connections, experience and relevance which further builds portfolios, resumes and leads to further opportunity in an ongoing cycle of creative manifestation.
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SEE the message boards, listen to announcements & check in for details of new, rotating activities & featured topics.
ART IS OVERFLOWING - for more... EVENTS, CONTESTS & OPPORTUNITIES, VISIT OUR MESSAGE BOARD
The art of teaching is the art of assisting Discovery. - Mark Van Doren
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K.Middleton, Subject Head, Visual Arts, MMHS, YRDSB
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