As we adjust further into life with physical distancing, we are discovering more about the ways we can reach youth with online art education. Listening to young students speak about the ways in which they continue their arts learning even after ArtistsInspire online workshops are over, is both inspiring and encouraging.

As part of ArtistsInspire online workshops series, Quaranzines, and Return of the Quaranzines! with Rachel McCrum & Lisa Kimberly Glickman taught students how to make mini-zines from two sheets of paper and some thread. A “zine” is a homemade magazine to be filled with one’s own poetry, stories, reflections, or artwork. 

Rachel McCrum is a poet and performer, originally from Northern Ireland.  Lisa Kimberly Glickman is a visual artist who makes art daily, primarily painting and drawing.  Together they provided the perfect artistic skill set to create Quaranzines! Rachel and Kimberly taught that making a zine is about self-expression and creativity. To facilitate distance learning, Rachel and Kimberly provided on-line followup videos and supplementary resources to encourage work at home between workshops, and carried on independently for future projects.

As one student said, “I got to learn a lot of new techniques I didn’t know before.”  She went on to make more ‘zines after the art workshop, even modifying her approach to suit her own style.  The student’s mother explained that she used “her own method. She experimented a little bit!”, testifying to the potential for online art workshops and distance learning to spark learning and creativity beyond the workshop.

To learn more about ArtistsInspire online art workshops and our resources, follow @ELANArtEd on social media: Facebook & Instagram

One page layout from Ben, a young student who participated in the first online Quaranzine!

Quaranzines!

My workshop experience!

My favourite part of the workshop

What I learned in the workshop!

Lisa Kimberly Glickman (photo: Zoe Migicovsky)

Rachel McCrum (photo: Chris Scott)