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v~ - rt By Stephanie Hounselt CANADIAN CHAMPION STAFF The so-called "generation gap" can seem unbear- ably wide, especially to teens who don't necessarily fit the mould. But a group of artists is helping to bridge that gap through a series of creative workshops its gîving to students at a local alternative edu- cation school - and the teens couldn't be more grateful. "Having adults treat you normal -as tcens -and not stereotvpic you (is refreshinig)," 'said 17-year- old L.aynee BeIzil, a student at the Secondary Teen Education Programn (STEP), part of Gary Allan High Sehool. But thats not the only reason she likes the art sessions. "It's lots of fun sitting around and getting your hands dirty," she laughed, adding it takes her back to ber childhood. Laynee is just one of the stu- dents at STEP - which meets at the back of Grace Anglican Church on Main Street - who bas taken part in a number of the art work- shops, which are voluntarily put on by artists of the Tuesday Painters, a member of the Fine Arts Society of Milton (FASM). The workshops have introduced the students, who range in age from 16 to, 19, to the world of collagra- phy, a type of printmaking. Most recently, students made Mother's Day cards using the tech- nique, and another workshop is set for Thursday, May 14. Since the STEP programt doesn't have art classes as part of its cur- riculum, the time and effort donat- cd by the artists is giving the stu- dents an opportunity they wouldn't otherwise have to be creative, said STEP teacher Betty jean Hutton. She said it's heartwarming to observe how the artists have taken to the students and vice versa. 1Ifs a great sight to see the stu- dents of Gary Allan mingle with the older generation," Hutton said. 1 think greater understanding and tolerance was developed between the generatlons as a result of the workshop(s).«" Students at the half-day STEP programt are there because of a vani- ety of challenges, Hutton said. Some have ADD or work at a slow- er pace than a "regular" high sehool allows for, while others have life circumstances that prevent themn from attending sehool full time, such as financially-necessary jobs. "They ail corne from regular high sehools where for whatever reason they didot fit in so mayhe their expenience with adults is not great," Hutton said, adding thats what makes this expenience an important one. Learning something new and doing it well raises gtudents' self esteem and simply makes them feel good, she said. To make their collagraphs, the students build up a collage on a piece of cardboard with a vaniety of materials. They then cover the col- lage with ink via a roller and make a print, transfemrng the image of the collage onto a piece of paper.. M5H-AtL IVANIN/bFttIAL iu I t Lm/SmriuN ARTISTS AT WORK: Joan Hatten leads an arts workshop at Grace Anglican Church as part of the STEP program. Laynee said she considers ber- self a creative person and used te, enjoy drama in middle sehool. She said she misses having a chance to dabble in art, and is grateful for this opportunity to do just that. "If's giving -me the chance to express myself and to let every- thing else (worries) just fade away because f'n focusing on art and heing creative." 0f course, ifs not just the stu- dents who, benefit from the classes. It's also the artists themselves. Joan Hatten, one of the Tuesday Painters who heads the workshops, said ifs been very rewarding. 1It gives them sometlhing to be proud of - something different from their dlay-to-day routine," she said. Hatten admits she was a bit hes- itant at first, not knowing if the stu- dents would be particularly inter- ested in what the Tuesday Painters - who meet in the hasement of Grace Anglican Church - would have to say. She needn't have womred. Their response was overwhelming. When the afternoon STEP stu- dents recently heard the morning students were making the cards, one of them reportedly said: "Hey, we have mothers too," Hatten said chuckling. She added Hutton told ber the students didn't want their master- pieces put up on the classroom walls because they wanted to take tbem home. "If's a feel-good thing," she said. Stephanie Hounsell can be reached at sthiessen@amiltoncanadi- anchampion.com. Sunday, May lOth! 2 SEATINGS llam&1:3Opm Cui Allison Assorted Roils & Butter Seasoi Cheese & Antipasto Selection ;ia Olive AIIison's Gourmet Salad with Field Greens, ;ýw Salmo Sllced Strawberrles, ThInlly Sliced Red Onion, ;,w CarSe Slivered Almonds ;,& Assor Bacon & Sausage ;&w Fresh BuIId-Your-Own Omiette Bar ;,& Fresh Reservation Ony, sine Provided By 's Gourmet Catering nal Vegetables with Basil Butter >11 Roasted Red Skim Potatoes n & Orange Roughy in Chervil Beaurre Blanc i pp of Beef ed Sweets & Pastries Fruit Plalter Coffee and OrganicTea Chest R Ej-E R\/A Ti 1 JO N Yr k- i .Art workshops helping bridge generation gap :ý Area artists challenge STEP program stwlents to discover their creatîve side C