The Vancouver Island School of Art relies on tuition for its main source of revenue. VISA strives to achieve excellence in terms of the academic standards of our courses and our involvement with the community. We need your help to continue to move forward as a dynamic element of the cultural life in Victoria. Since it was established in 2004, VISA has had a remarkable impact on the artistic vibrancy of our city and region. As both a former student and current VISA board member, I'm so pleased to see the great success that the school has had in reaching out to the greater community through initiatives like the Crystal Pool Mural Project, and also in welcoming local residents, artists and art-appreciators to high impact annual events like Art Incognito and the amazing art shows in Slide Room Art Gallery located at the school. Through art education and community outreach, VISA unquestionably adds beauty, knowledge and understanding to the local neighbourhood and to our region as a whole, and it deserves our support. VISA provided me with a learning environment where I was not afraid to take risks and grow my skills as an emerging artist. School instructors embraced the fact that I had little formal training and gave me the confidence to further explore my interests in art. My initial experience at the school was so positive, that I decided to bring my own aspiring high school student artists to study at VISA in a two-day series of workshops. Students found their time at the school filled with interesting lessons and instruction and left the workshops with an increased awareness about how art can make you a better person! VISA is unique experience for both students and instructors. As an instructor it is exciting to be teaching in an institution where ideas are paramount. VISA encourages its instructors to help students work independently and with confidence. They gain a rich understanding of their creative potential here. VISA is a place where students are challenged to create their wildest ideas in all seriousness. At VISA students think critically and play creatively. In the three years I've been teaching at VISA, I've come to appreciate it more and more. I think what is unique about VISA is that while it offers a phenomenal number of courses on a par with major art institutions (in both number and quality), it is a intimate school that is able to provide personal attention to those who attend. In this way, it has the best of both worlds. The importance of an art education cannot be overstated. The ability of art to question, explore, respond to and change our world are of the utmost importance. VISA creates the opportunity to be part of a community that respects and shares the values that come from an art education. VISA recognizes the importance of a creative response to the world we live in. WATER WALL COMMUNITY ART PROJECT When the City of Victoria was looking for an art school partner to replace aging murals at the Crystal pool, City staff naturally thought of the Vancouver Island School of Art. As a neighbour in the North Park Blanshard area, the partnership seemed like a good fit and could lead to future collaborations. The Water Wall project has been a great success and the City now has a legacy for many years to come. Being a participating artist in the Crystal Pool mural project was a rewarding experience in so many ways. When some of my proposed designs were accepted for the project, I was delighted and encouraged in my efforts to make art, and I feel that I developed as an artist by participating in a group project alongside other artists. This experience was a highlight in my growth as an artist, and it will be gratifying for years to come to see some of my designs at the Crystal Pool hanging along with those of other artists associated with the Vancouver Island School of Art. PICTURE THIS I feel that creative self-expression and connecting with one's community are the keys to creating the sort of society I want to live in. Too often we find ourselves racing the clock in the 'work, car, consuming' cycle and we no longer build relationships with our neighbours or take the time to play and create. Picture This was the kind of creative endeavor that takes on a life of its own and inspires people to connect with friends and folks they have never met alike while tapping into their creative side. The results were really amazing to behold and I believe that if more people gathered to play and create in this way the ties connecting our communities would grow ever stronger. It was also an incredibly cathartic experience to get to colour all over the walls! Childhood dream made reality. |
The Vancouver Island School of Art relies on tuition for its main source of revenue. VISA strives to achieve excellence in terms of the academic standards of our courses and our involvement with the community. We need your help to continue to move forward as a dynamic element of the cultural life in Victoria. 
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