The Cline House Gallery recently hosted a four-day artprogram, “Introduction to Land Art and Projects for Public Spaces,” led by renowned interdisciplinary artist Emily Rose Michaud of Gatineau, QC. The program, which took place from August 20 to 23, 2024, was part of an initiative funded by the City of Cornwall’s “Building Safer Communities” grant.
Emily Rose Michaud, known for her work at the intersectionof art, ecology, and education, guided participants through an exploration of art in public spaces. “This was the culmination of a four-day-long residency that the youth in Cornwall participated in,” Michaud explained. “We did walking tours of Cornwall to think about how our studio creations could fit into public spaces.”
Throughout the program, participants engaged in variousprojects using media such as stencil making, sticker art, and cyanotype, which Michaud explained was “one of the first photographic mediums.” The residency encouraged young artists to creatively engage with their environment,culminating in public installations around Cornwall.
Bella Bressard, a 14-year-old student from École secondairepublique L’Héritage, shared her experience. “I painted some insects, like a ladybug, ants, and a butterfly. They were pretty big, and then there was a cool thing over there. It kind of went up a tree, but it looked like vines.”
Souichero Yodogawa-Laflèche, a 12-year-old who will beattending École secondaire publique L’Héritage this fall, added a reflective touch to his project. “I used some rocks with notes on them, like ‘Smile,’ ‘Live in the moment,’ to just brighten up the mood because sometimes there are old people going on a walk. They may be sad for some reason, and then when they see that, it makes them smile.”
The residency concluded with a public exhibition on Friday,August 23, showcasing the individual and collaborative works created during the program. The event offered a glimpse into the creative minds of Cornwall’s young artists.
