Hilltop Grade 9’s explore mixed media with local artist!
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Local artist Justine Vandenhouten returned to her former high school yesterday to share her passion for art and lead Mrs. Zack’s Grade 9 art students through a mixed media project.
Mixed Media is a form of art that combines painting with different materials and objects like letters and images from books and magazines, and buttons, coins, rocks and shells. No object is off limits!
Students learned how to use epoxy, glue and gel to add or refine texture in their piece depending on the look and mood they were trying to achieve. Vandenhouten also shared her belief in the importance of keeping a portfolio and learning through looking back on one’s own work.
Justine shared her experience as an artist with students, from discovering her passion in high school to Edmonton where she moved after graduating to study Theatre Production, to returning home to share her passion with her community.
Mrs. Zack is one of Vandenhouten’s greatest supporters, “I’m so proud of her accomplishments and all that she does for our school and for our community and I love her message of helping individuals to embrace who they are and their creativity.”
ABOUT JUSTINE
Justine Vandenhouten grew up in Whitecourt and attended Hilltop High. Her first art class was taught by Mrs. Zack, who was in her first year of teaching at Hilltop! Art became a passion for Justine and after graduating high school she moved to Edmonton to study Theatre Production at Grant MacEwan. During her time in school she served as Wardrobe Head for the production Xanadu as well as working on numerous other shows.
But home was calling and after graduating she moved back to Whitecourt.
Vandenhouten dreams of combining her passion for art and for her community in a studio and business.
“I want to create a space where local artists can come to work and share their art – studio and gallery space - where anyone can explore their artistic interests, in whatever form that might be, whether it is painting, pottery, photography or building furniture.”
She also envisions being able to offer art classes for all ages at her space. Vandenhouten is in the planning stages of her dream, working full time days at OK Tire while pursuing her artistic aspirations in the evening and weekend hours. You can find Justine at the Allan and Jean Miller Centre where she is currently teaching a 6 week session.
You can check out Justine’s work and more on her facebook page Evermore Artistry – Justine Vandenhouten!
