Program helps youth through art and employment

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Dallas Poundmaker has been an artist since he was a child. Growing up, he focused mainly on traditional Aboriginal art because his culture is important to him and his family. Now as part of a community art project in Saskatoon, he's being paid to do what he loves and is gaining valuable life skills.

Poundmaker is just one student at Saskatoon Community Youth Arts Programming Inc. (SCYAP), an organization that helps at-risk youth get their lives back on track by encouraging their artistic side to flourish.

"We use the visual arts as a vehicle to get them on their journey, a positive journey," explained noted artist Arnold Isbister, SCYAP's Aboriginal arts leader.

The participants in the program are aged 16 to 30 and between 60 and 80 per cent of them have been Aboriginal. They are at-risk in a variety of ways: they may have come from a dysfunctional family, abused drugs or lived on the street.

In Poundmaker's case, Isbister said he is shy and lacks some confidence. In addition, his father was recently killed.

"In spite of these problems, he blossoms as an artist," said Isbister with pride. Poundmaker is the first student there in the morning and works all day. Isbister said his classmates really like him because he works hard and has a good attitude.

That good attitude prevails among Poundmaker's classmates, too, said Isbister, though it can take some time to reach that point.

"They go through a spell where they whine and complain, and then they can't believe they get paid to do what they love."

Students are paid minimum wage. They work eight hours a day, five days a week, for 32 weeks. Isbister said it's basically three years of university art courses crammed into eight months. Students begin working with graphite, charcoal, ink, and pastels, learning different approaches. Then they begin painting works that can be seen covering up construction sites or dilapidated homes or decorating other buildings.

Soon works will also adorn the Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan festival and a large mural will be painted on the site's trailer.

Each student submitted an idea for that mural, and Poundmaker's was chosen, though all students will work on it.

Up until now, students have been replicating masters like Picasso, Monet, and Manet. Now they are beginning personal pieces, some of which are on display near the Rainbow Cinemas in The Centre at Circle and Eighth.

As part of its mandate, SCYAP also opened its own gallery to showcase the work of its students. Isbister said his students were pretty excited about the whole idea and the outcome. At the grand opening in mid-April, Isbister stopped counting at 150 visitors, some of whom were overflowing into the studio and onto the sidewalk outside. The mayor of Saskatoon, Donald Atchison, was one of those in attendance, and according to Isbister, "he liked what he saw."

Isbister hopes that translates into funding from the city, as federal government funding for the program runs out in August.

Poundmaker likes the idea of a gallery to house the work of SCYAP's students. "It gives me inspiration to stick with this."

Isbister doesn't think that will be a problem. He said in terms of doing work for commission, Poundmaker is "100 per cent, because you know it will get done and likely ahead of time.

"I've got all the confidence in the world in him. I just need to relay that to him," said Isbister.

Poundmaker has already sold one of his still-life paintings that is in the SCYAP gallery now.

The majority of SCYAP students have been successful, with between 60 and 70 per cent completing the course. Isbister said one graduate is already making a name for himself, and a current student is passing on what he's gained through the program by holding workshops in Saskatoon schools.