Attend the closing reception for “Play, Fall, Rest, Dance” on Thursday June 26 (7-10 pm) at grunt gallery. More details here.

Valerie Salez began her project at grunt gallery in late May, these are blog posts on the first week of work created by the youth:

Week 1

1st Day – Deshik (Click to read more…)

With a long white piece of paper and a blue marker he asked me to name birds…any kind.

Deshik knows every kind of bird. He would draw them quickly with appropriate distinguishing features while all the while citing facts about that specific bird.

1st Day – Amelie (Click to read more…)

Amelie has an extremely shy disposition yet there is a fierce strength to her.

Her style was fragile yet focused and determined.

1st Day – Isabelle (Click to read more…)

Isabelle was very overwhelmed with all the supplies and materials.

I asked her to quickly choose four things that she finds interesting.

She chose all things black, white, red and clear glass.

1st Day – Henry (Click to read more…)

Henry did not talk the whole time.

Not a word.

We played Glenn Gould and he set to work immediately.

Guest Artist – Solange

Solange participated in the PLAY FALL REST DANCE project last summer at Open Space Gallery.

Week 2

2nd Day – Deshik (Click to read more…)

Deshik does not have any pets.

Yet all he talks about and draws are animals and birds.

I promised I would bring my dog (Negrita) to the gallery so Deshik could meet her.

2-3 Day – Amelie (Click to read more…)

Soon she feels lost. “I dont know what to do now?”
She seems uninspired or bored.  We had talked about various options earlier.

I said, “I am not going to tell you what to do. It has to come from you. “
She fell silent and looked discouraged.

I said we can just sit here and if she is done with the project then we can just quit and the wall work is enough.

Before I could finish my sentence she said, “I want to paint one of those cubes.  Can I paint all over it?”

2nd Day – Isabelle (Click to read more…)

Isabelle is the dedicated sculpture / assembler of the Grunt group.

She loves colour, shape, pattern and texture.

2nd Day – Henry (Click to read more…)

I was speechless at his frenetic painting style and the re-visioned work.

And then Henry started to talk to me for the first time.

He took my hand, turned around to the opposite wall and walked us over to Amelies wallwork.

“Thats good.” Henry said.

3rd Day – Henry (Click to read more…)

The subject matter was that of any typical 12 year old……sci-fi, comic, warrior, fighting, robot beings.

But there was an intensity about the way he attacked the lines.

Also these were a few of many hundreds of drawings. Henry draws ALL THE TIME.

But only with pencil.

3rd Day – Deshik (Click to read more…)

Questions like, “Is the rattler hollow like a music rattler?”

Like, “What is the oldest animal alive?” & “What is the youngest?”

We did some research online.

He was fascinated with the still living, primitive fish the STURGEON.

It was only logical, to Deshik, that he BECOMES the STURGEON.

About the Project

Artist Valerie Salez invites children to art-making sessions to re-imagine their environment. Every child is encouraged to use fabrics, paint and repurposed materials from Salez’ previous projects. The children respond to the imaginative spaces they create through movement, dance, sound and play. The artist thoughtfully guides the children to explore their creative processes.

Looking For Youth

We’re partnering with KickStart Disability Arts and Culture to find youth with disabilities to participate in this exciting incarnation of Play, Fall, Rest, Dance. We are looking for four to six children between the ages 6–12 years old. The artist will work one on one with the child (with attendant or parent in attendance if needed).

Email Meagan Kus meagan@grunt.ca at grunt gallery if you have any questions or would like to register your child for this project, this is a free project and there is no associated cost to register. You can also reach grunt gallery by phone at 604-875-9516.

Where & When

The project will take place at grunt gallery. We’re located at 116-350 East 2nd street, Vancouver BC. We’re a few blocks from Main Street and a short walk away from the Main Street Skytrain station.

Sessions will happen one to two times per week, the artist will schedule sessions with the children based on their availability. The sessions will be 2-3 hours in length. Transportation support can be provided on request.

DOWNLOAD “Play, Fall, Rest, Dance” Information Booklet.

DOWNLOAD Poster.

About the Artist

Valerie Salez brings Play, Fall, Rest, Dance to Vancouver following a successful residency with Open Space (Victoria, BC) last year. At Open Space she worked one on one with over 20 children, guiding children to produce countless installations and performances.

Her experience with working with children and the arts includes:

>> Arts Reach (instructor: special large scale art projects in underfunded public schools- Vancouver Island)
>> Selkirk Montessori (artist in residence: work on art projects with kids with special needs and disabilities- Victoria, BC)
>> Victoria West Community center (artist in residence: working on art projects with small children- Victoria, BC)
>> Robert Service School, Dawson City, Yukon (artist in residence as special guest art teacher: two years working with at-risk and special needs First Nations children and youth)
>> Artist in the schools Victoria, BC and Yukon (special art projects in public schools in Victoria and all over the Yukon territory)
>> Canada Winter Games- National Artist Program – Whitehorse, Yukon (mentored youth in producing art works for large scale exhibition)
>> This Town is Small – Charlottetown, PEI (mentored youth artists to make work for outdoor art festival)

Learn more about Valerie and her art practice on her website.

grunt gallery

grunt.ca

grunt is an artist-run centre founded in 1984 in Vancouver, BC. We have a long history of supporting creative, challenging, and innovative projects and exhibitions. grunt hosts youth-based projects on an annual basis. In 2013, we worked with artist Desiree Palmen and 7 Aboriginal youth on the project MAMOOK IPSOOT (To Hide or Make Hidden). Learn all about it here: grunt.ca/projects/mamook-ipsoot. We are incredibly excited to host Salez and her incredible project Play, Fall, Rest, Dance.

Kickstart Disability Arts and Culture

kickstart-arts.ca

KickStart Disability Arts & Culture (formerly the Society for Disability Arts and Culture) was incorporated in November 1998 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Kickstart’s mission is to produce and present works by artists with disabilities and to promote artistic excellence among artists with disabilities working in a variety of disciplines.

Read more about Play, Fall, Rest, Dance on Open Space’s website:

“When a child arrives inside Salez’s studio, shouts of delight mingle with the occasional flute melody echo throughout the building, further enticing an audience to observe the young artist at work. Instead of a planned activity, Salez allows the children the freedom to select their own medium and materials. The child is left with limitless possibilities, encouraged to use their boundless imagination.”

http://www.openspace.ca/ReganShrummValerieSalezEssay