Matthew Bennett Young
Literary
Specialities: Creative writing, Improvisation, Nature-focused art
Contact Info
Email address
Phone Number
Website address
Resides in
English Montreal
Social Media
Experience working with
Student In
- Early childhood
- Cycle 1 Elementary
- Cycle 2 Elementary
- Cycle 3 Elementary
- Secondary 1 & 2
- Secondary 3 & 4
- Secondary 5
- CEGEP
- Senior Citizens
Lifelong Learners
- Adult Learners
I regularly explore the following Broad Areas of Learning/Themes in my work
- Health and Wellbeing
- Environmental Awareness and Consumer Rights and Responsibilities
- Media Literacy
I've received CHSSN Mental Health Initiative training for:
- Youth
Listed in the Quebec Culture in the Schools Repertoire
- Yes
I have experience working with
- Culture a L'ecole
I can facilitate virtual creative experiences
- Yes
Travel
- I am available for travel within the same day
- I am available for travel overnight
- An extended residency is an option
I have been producing picture books for 20 years. I love the marriage of art and literature. My intention is always to stimulate discussion between adults and children, so we may share our experience of something together. My books also form the basis of some of my interdisciplinary workshops which use the senses to stimulate literary creativity and challenge assumptions that are made around us. I love to see children and youth inspired by their own sense of creativity.
Creative Approach and Experiences Offered
Music (7 instrumental recordings) is used in my workshop as a means to stimulate feeling. Those feelings are then articulated using a word/s, expressions or images. Then the children are encouraged to use those words or images as a platform to create a basic story outline. The workshop has a very simple structure but great significance and the children love it. I also gave this workshop recently to students & faculty at McGill and they loved it too. The best way to describe it is as a 'translation of the senses'.Interestingly, having given this workshop to so many different age groups one common kind of feedback I get from teachers is how delighted they are when their special needs students respond very positively. They do not seem to find it challenging in the same way they might a more formal approach to constructive story writing and that's because the music relieves the student of the initial creative responsibility of the development of their story.
One-Day Event Description
Art & Literature - The Beautiful World of Picture BooksMatthew will introduce and read from his picture books Maybe Colours, Snowman and Spaceball. He will talk about his creative process, including his inspiration and intentions with each picture book and give tips on how students might improve their own stories. He will also discuss the various ways to publish books and what that involves. He will be reading from his fourth picture book, a comedy characterisation called ‘Farmer Barrow’ that has not yet been published and has not been shown to the public before. Of course he would like to answer any questions the children may have.
I can work with any number of students at a time.
Mutlimedia Links (copy paste web address into your browser to view):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0maXK63PL1k&t=13s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBFITJCcNPQ&t=34s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-2Cao0TRmU&t=11s
Additional Comments - I hope to inspire the children by showing them how they can begin their author/artist/publishing journey themselves if they are interested in that. As with any other interest/skill it just takes commitment and practice....and patience! More importantly I would like to highlight the link between creativity and innovation by developing the skills of thinking in practice and improvisation. In my opinion these skills will enhance any career path or artistic journey the children may wish to take.