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The art of Dream Broker connections

Art is becoming more accessible to interested students through a budding relationship between the Dream Brokers program and a local Yorkton art studio.

The opportunity for Dream Broker students to pursue creativity and learn in the process came into fruition when Janine Graves, who serves as a Dream Broker in Yorkton, noticed many of her students displaying an interest in art.

Graves had been following Rebecca Wilkinson’s ‘R Fine Art Studio’ account on social media and became familiar with her workshops, which made her confident that Wilkinson would be a great partner with Dream Brokers.

“I chose Rebecca to lead the workshop because of her remarkable passion of art and her inspiring ability to connect with students. Rebecca’s enthusiasm for creating is infectious; she approaches each lesson with a vibrant energy that encourages creativity and exploration,” explained Graves.

After their initial exchange, Wilkinson was informed about the Dream Brokers program, which operates in 19 schools across the province, and immediately jumped on the opportunity to help the students explore their creativity.

For Wilkinson, art and creativity is a fleeting practice in the school system and is an experience that she wants to reintroduce to youth. In her eyes, everyone is born creative and it’s important that individuals, especially youth, get the opportunity to apply that skill in relation to education.

Over the duration of six weeks, Wilkinson taught students in grades two to five, various techniques related to graphite sketching.

“We started with learning the fundamentals of art, because just like sport, you need to know the basics to build up and take your art to the next level. The first lesson was understanding the pencils, the tools and the instruments used to create certain styles of art. From there, our lessons focused on landscapes and others were intricate like eyes and animals,” said Wilkinson.

She notes that every student may have a particular interest, so she makes sure that her lessons are versatile in subject.

Jaylee, a Dream Broker student who attended the workshop, had her first experience with graphite sketching. Over the term, she learned about the application of graphite pencils and how to use various techniques to achieve her desired sketch, her favourite being a cat.

According to Graves, Wilkinson’s wealth of artistic experience, patience and creative teaching style made her an ideal teacher for Dream Broker students. Her time with the students will be memorable both through the knowledge gained and the friendships made.

“[Wilkinson] fosters a nurturing environment where young artists feel comfortable expressing themselves, allowing them to grow in both skill and confidence. I am confident that Dream Broker students will not only learn valuable techniques but also develop a lasting love for art,” shared Graves.

Following the success of the summer program, Graves and Wilkinson determined a second workshop could be offered to other interested students.

Set to take place from November to December, Wilkinson will oversee a second group of students, grades six to eight as they explore the realm of acrylic paint. In the future, Wilkinson hopes to host a mixed-medium workshop with Dream Brokers, teaching students how to connect with their creative side.

“I’m really happy that Dream Brokers is a thing, because it gives students and families a lot more opportunities…to have that creative outlet,” exclaimed Wilkinson.