Students from Ms. Jacquelyn Collin’s 2017 spring semester Art Foundations 11 and 12 classes completed an ambitious art project.
The Heritage Society of Port Coquitlam approached Collins and asked her as an art teacher at Riverside to create a historical project that could be displayed at City Hall. The project that came to Collin’s mind was clay sculptures of head busts. They were placed in the City Hall of Port Coquitlam from May to August, but Collins brought them back for display in the main foyer at Riverside.
The project explored many different types of heritage from different kids in the classes that contributed to the project. “What’s very interesting about the show is that I have included all students’ work, so every student who was in Art Foundations had their work in the show,” said Collins.
Students who worked on this project managed to share all kinds of different cultures with everyone at Riverside. “My mother’s side of her family emigrated from Scotland to Canada. The last name “Ross” is represented through the design of the tartan shown around the neck with a broach pinned to it. The thistle (flower) is a symbol of Scotland, woven into the crown displayed on the head,” said Chelsea Davis, Grade 12.
I think it’s fabulous. It means that we, as a school and community, are truly multicultural and it’s so interesting. Students told the stories of their heritage to each other in the class and we all came with such different cultural stories. It’s rich. It’s really rich.
Another student who had worked on the project managed to share some background history on her origin. “My great-grandmother was Incan. She lived and died in Peru. Her son, who is my grandfather, came to Canada when he was a young adult. I have referenced my great-grandmother through the head band and my hairstyle. On my cheeks, are tattoos that used to be done to women. Nowadays in Peru, these marks are painted on,” said Riley McDonnell, a former Grade 12 at Riverside.
Collins was fascinated with all the different heritages she learned about within her classes. “What’s really quite remarkable is to look at all of the different heritages that are in a class here at Riverside. I think it’s fabulous. It means that we, as a school and community, are truly multicultural and it’s so interesting. Students told the stories of their heritage to each other in the class and we all came with such different cultural stories. It’s rich. It’s really rich. It makes our life here in Port Coquitlam a very rich life,” said Collins.
The sculptures were put in the front of the school to share the history projects with Riverside. “The showing of the sculptures in the front foyer in those display cases with the write up that is in front of each head is the sharing of the heritages of the students, so the students are sharing it through their artwork,” said Collins.
The students should be proud of their accomplishments in helping make people aware of our diversity.
