I Can Make Art Like Andrew Qappik. Jane Churchill (Writer & Director). Tamara Lynch (Producer). Sally Bochner (Executive Producer). Montreal, PQ: National Film Board of Canada, 2005. 11 min., 55 sec., VHS or DVD, $99.95. (Complete series $279.95). Order Number: C9105 091. Grades 5-8 / Ages 10-13. Review by Ann Stinner. **** /4
	I Can Make Art Like Emily Carr. Jane Churchill (Writer & Director). Tamara Lynch (Producer). Sally Bochner (Executive Producer). Montreal, PQ: National Film Board of Canada, 2005. 10 min., 44 sec., VHS or DVD, $99.95. (Complete series $279.95). Order Number: C9105 094. Grades 5-8 / Ages 10-13. Review by Ann Stinner. **** /4
	I Can Make Art Like Kai Chan. Jane Churchill (Writer & Director). Tamara Lynch (Producer). Sally Bochner (Executive Producer). Montreal, PQ: National Film Board of Canada, 2005. 11 min., 21 sec., VHS & DVD, $99.95. (Complete series $279.95). Order Number: C9105 093. Grades 5-8 / Ages 10-13. Review by Ann Stinner. **** /4
	I Can Make Art Like Marcelle Ferron. Jane Churchill (Writer & Director). Tamara Lynch (Producer). Sally Bochner. (Executive Producer). Montreal, PQ: National Film Board of Canada, 2005. 10 min., 41 sec., VHS or DVD, $99.95. (Complete series $279.95). Order Number: C9105 090. Grades 5-8 / Ages 10-13. Review by Ann Stinner. **** /4
	I Can Make Art Like Ron Noganosh. Jane Churchill (Writer & Director). Tamara Lynch (Producer). Sally Bochner (Executive Producer). Montreal, PQ: National Film Board of Canada, 2005. 15 min., 43 sec., VHS or DVD, $99.95. (Complete series $279.95). Order Number: C9105 095. Grades 5-8 / Ages 10-13. Review by Ann Stinner. **** /4
	I Can Make Art Like Maud Lewis. Jane Churchill (Writer & Director). Tamara Lynch (Producer). Sally Bochner (Executive Producer). Montreal, PQ: National Film Board of Canada, 2005. 12 min., 3 sec., VHS or DVD, $99.95. (Complete series $279.95). Order Number: C9105 092. Grades 5-8 / Ages 10-13. Review by Ann Stinner. **** /4

The unique needs of middle years students are occasionally overlooked in visual arts education, and material is sometimes too adult in approach or too juvenile. However, the “I Can Make Art” series has everything that 10 to 13-year-olds would love and their teachers and parents would find educationally enriching: contact with real art and artists, exciting hands-on experiences, opportunities to express ideas about and through art, and chances to connect with curriculum areas beyond art and with the world outside the school.

     This six part series is by writer and director Jane Churchill and a production team from the National Film Board. Each video is between 10 and 15 minutes long and focuses on the work of a single artist and the inspiration which that artist provides for the artmaking of a group of middle years students. The six artists are: Marcelle Ferron (abstract painter and stained-glass artist), Andrew Qappik (graphic designer and printmaker), Maud Lewis (folk artist), Kai Chan (sculptor), Emily Carr (painter), and Ron Noganosh (sculptor and installation artist). As a whole, the series does a fine job of embodying diversity in terms of the cultural traditions of the artists, the regions of Canada represented by the artists, and also the range of art forms practised by the artists.

     Each of the videos shows the artist him/herself - or an instructor - guiding students through an appreciation of the artist's work, discussing ways of generating ideas for art, demonstrating media and techniques, and critiquing with the young artists the art they are making while it is in progress or when it is finished. Finally, they encourage students to share their work in a celebration of art with schoolmates, parents, and the wider community.

     At the same time, the series uses a very student-centred approach. Most of the narration and opinions about art and artists are provided by the students, themselves, who come from schools located in different parts of Canada. Their observations and insights are very engaging and are sure to be good starting points for discussion by middle years viewers. The visual format is also very kid-friendly as it presents beautiful large images of the artwork under discussion, short animation sequences for a change of pace, clear demonstrations of studio processes, and, of course, lots of young people in action creating their own art. Occasionally, we even follow students as they leave the art room and go on a field trip to an art gallery or on an outdoor sketching expedition.

     For teachers and interested parents, each video comes with a sheet of educational suggestions. These include possible curriculum connections, objectives, previewing tips, an overview of the studio components (including advance preparation, materials, safety considerations, sequences of experiences), and hints for follow-up discussions and activities.

     Teachers will find this series an inspiration for teaching. The links between art appreciation, art production, and general visual awareness are beautifully presented in each video. Furthermore, the six videos together could almost provide the core for a whole middle years art program since they present such a wide range of artists, media, and approaches to artmaking.

     And, of course, middle years students, themselves, will find the series compelling because they see kids their own age talking about and creating art in such a spirited way.

Highly Recommended.

Ann Stinner is a former art education instructor in the Faculty of Education at the University of Manitoba, in Winnipeg, MB.

To comment on this title or this review, send mail to cm@umanitoba.ca.

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Published by The Manitoba Library Association ISSN 1201-9364

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