Sutton Elementary’s Ecologically Engaged Collaboration, “Please Save the World”

Mixed media artist Angela Marsh visited Sutton Elementary in the Eastern Townships to lead a collaborative art project that resulted in a beautiful, colourful installation that enhances the entrance of the school.  Angela worked with fifty students, from Kindergarten to Grade 6, to create sculptures made exclusively from recuperated materials and clay, with the theme “Please Save The World”.  Angela led the students in finding and recuperating items (plastic, cardboard, natural found materials) in order to transform them into art.  In addition to sculpture and design, the pieces also incorporated sewing techniques, stitching, and embroidery.

The creative workshop developed student’s awareness of environmental issues. Under Angela’s guidance, they explored themes of consumption and its impact on the natural world, with a special focus on the plight of marine mammals.  Individual artwork from each of the students was assembled together into a larger-scale, inspiring, up-cycled installation. The enthusiasm of the children was evident as they asked to stay in at lunch and recesses just to keep working with Angela! 

Angela says, “Emphasis is placed on the power of the art process as a means for self encounter and as a way of understanding our place in the world”. She has over 15 years of experience as an arts educator and creator of community art projects, and holds an MA in Visual Arts (Université Laval, 2019) and an MA in Education (University of Toronto, 2004).

Sutton Elementary School’s ArtistsInspire Grant was made possible by an ELAN Quebec/LEARN partnership for students from Quebec’s English-speaking communities to participate in arts and culture experiences, thanks in part to funding from the Government of Canada.

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