Mentor Statements
Amy Capern, Nancy Newton & Robin McPhail-Dempsey
Milkweed Collective Mentors
"The Kreativ U-turn Apprenticeship Project has been an opportunity for me to take on a new leadership role in the arts and to help offer skills transfer, encouragement, support and guidance to emerging artists in my community. Working with these committed and talented young artists has been a rewarding experience. Through this apprenticeship project I have witnessed the participants learn, share, create, practice new skills and refine old ones, support each other, become inspired and help support and inspire children and youth in their community."
Amy Capern
“The Kreativ U-turn Apprenticeship Project has given members of the Milkweed Collective the opportunity to share the methodology of accessing the creative imagination with a new generation of artists. The process of training and then witnessing these emerging artists use their new skills with children and youth has been an exciting adventure! Seven emerging artists, picked from a large, accomplished pool of applicants, had intensive training. The programming included participating in the Exploring Creativity in Depth™ experience on three occasions followed by practice in running the program with mentoring by the Milkweed facilitators throughout. The enthusiasm and energy of the emerging artists from varied arts experiences, such as theatre, music and visual arts has been inspiring for me as a facilitator and from my observation, for the children they worked with throughout the summer. The exhibition at Richview Library is a testament to the ability of these young artists to connect and engage with children and youth. The participants had a powerful experience activating their own creative imaginations, followed by sharing with peers and now with a wider audience. May the process continue!”
Nancy Newton
“The Kreativ U-turn Apprenticeship Project has proven to be a full and rich experience. Only six months ago, we were sifting through applications in the search to find our seven, very talented, Emerging Artists and now its closure is all but upon us. It has been an honour to work with the EA’s and witness the deep resonances that occurred during the Intensive Training, the Ah-Ha moments that came with them leading the ECiD school programs and the creativity and leadership that blossomed during the Summer Arts Camps. What an amazing bunch! It has also been an honour to work with Austin, Ina, Nancy and Amy on this project and to have the opportunity to develop some of my own skills along the way. It’s one thing to do the work of the ECiD... it’s another to try to share whatever kernels of knowledge you can with the hopes that they will grow into something beautiful elsewhere. Having had the opportunity to mentor these very talented artists from all disciplines, makes me think of and appreciate the fine mentors that I had when I first began my own journey into the ECiD program. Without their guidance and wisdom, my participation in the KUT Apprenticeship Project wouldn’t have been possible. Thank you to Joanna, Luci, Elaine, Janine, Louise, Patricia and Austin for all the kernels that you have shared with me over the years.”
Robin McPhail-Dempsey
Amy Capern
“The Kreativ U-turn Apprenticeship Project has given members of the Milkweed Collective the opportunity to share the methodology of accessing the creative imagination with a new generation of artists. The process of training and then witnessing these emerging artists use their new skills with children and youth has been an exciting adventure! Seven emerging artists, picked from a large, accomplished pool of applicants, had intensive training. The programming included participating in the Exploring Creativity in Depth™ experience on three occasions followed by practice in running the program with mentoring by the Milkweed facilitators throughout. The enthusiasm and energy of the emerging artists from varied arts experiences, such as theatre, music and visual arts has been inspiring for me as a facilitator and from my observation, for the children they worked with throughout the summer. The exhibition at Richview Library is a testament to the ability of these young artists to connect and engage with children and youth. The participants had a powerful experience activating their own creative imaginations, followed by sharing with peers and now with a wider audience. May the process continue!”
Nancy Newton
“The Kreativ U-turn Apprenticeship Project has proven to be a full and rich experience. Only six months ago, we were sifting through applications in the search to find our seven, very talented, Emerging Artists and now its closure is all but upon us. It has been an honour to work with the EA’s and witness the deep resonances that occurred during the Intensive Training, the Ah-Ha moments that came with them leading the ECiD school programs and the creativity and leadership that blossomed during the Summer Arts Camps. What an amazing bunch! It has also been an honour to work with Austin, Ina, Nancy and Amy on this project and to have the opportunity to develop some of my own skills along the way. It’s one thing to do the work of the ECiD... it’s another to try to share whatever kernels of knowledge you can with the hopes that they will grow into something beautiful elsewhere. Having had the opportunity to mentor these very talented artists from all disciplines, makes me think of and appreciate the fine mentors that I had when I first began my own journey into the ECiD program. Without their guidance and wisdom, my participation in the KUT Apprenticeship Project wouldn’t have been possible. Thank you to Joanna, Luci, Elaine, Janine, Louise, Patricia and Austin for all the kernels that you have shared with me over the years.”
Robin McPhail-Dempsey