Jessie McNeil May 2027

Workshop

In May 2027, Artists for Kids is excited to offer an Artist-in-Residence program for students in grade 4. During two school days, students who are nominated will have the opportunity to work with artist Jessie McNeil (external site) at the Artists for Kids Studios.

 

ARTIST BIO

Jessie Mcneil
My interdisciplinary practice reflects on themes of place, memory, the quotidian, time and migration. Varying from map-making, collage, video and book media, sculpture and painting, my work explores the past and present of my environment and how they may play a role in our ever-evolving private and public identities.

Since the birth of my daughter in November 2020, I have been interested in how the experience of occupying space as a mother can further my investigations of private lives in public space. Taking the form of a self-initiated residency (following the lead of hundreds of artists, including founder Lenka Clayton), my Artist Residency in Motherhood (ARiM) uses the fragmented mental focus, exhaustion, nap-length studio time (and/or whatever child-minding periods offered or arranged), and other distractions of parenthood as additional working materials and not obstacles to overcome.

During most of the year, I live and work in my hometown, Vancouver BC - the unceded lands of the Coast Salish community, which includes the territories of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), Stó:lō and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.

Artist's Website (external site)

The Artists-in-Residence Program brings together artists, teachers, and students. From ceramics and painting to collage and photography, this vital program provides full-day, skill specific training that gives young artists the rare opportunity to immerse themselves in critical thinking and art making. Students who are nominated by their school district teachers have the opportunity to step outside the regular classroom stream to work closely with a professional artist at the Artists for Kids studios.