Where Are Books Going?

What communities do you feel most connected to?

The Centre des aînés in Montreal's Pointe-Saint-Charles [where art education students offer workshops to senior citizens] is a beautiful seniors organization that is interested in working with me during my thesis. As well, Concordia's Webster Library offers a very supportive campus community for graduate students. Their recent renovations have made me question what roles discarded books can have in society. I feel that the wisdom of seniors gets easily discarded in much the same way as old books are being thrown out due to advances in digital technology. As a result, I am interested in questioning the recent rapid transformations of Webster Library and other cultural and literary institutions.

How did you get here?

My journey to this point is it's own story - perhaps that is why I am so interested in how stories and play influence our lives. I completed two degrees in science and humanities at Queen's University, only to then take an unexpected turn for the arts. The arts have allowed me to discover who I really am. Through this experience, I have become drawn to the power that art education possesses for healing and empowering individuals and communities. Upon arriving at Concordia, [art education professor] Anita Sinner pointed me in the direction of working with seniors. Through my preliminary research with seniors, I discovered a great joy and happiness in working with this population. Play has also become a treasured research niche for me due to how my own life story helped me understand how essential play is to living a happy and satisfying life. Currently, I am learning a great deal about the meaning and nature of life in general through hearing seniors' stories on play and creativity in art education.

What are some of your recent accomplishments?

I recently represented Concordia at the 2016 International Play Association/The Association for the Study of Play Conference in New Jersey. The Journal of Modern Education Review requested to publish my proceedings from this conference so I am initiating that process now. A woven 'story book' piece of mine was recently part of a group exhibition at the Anna Leonowens Gallery in Halifax, Nova Scotia. I am currently submitting a paper on myth, magic mysticism, and play narratives to an upcoming conference in Langley, B.C. I am also submitting some of my book sculptures to a gallery exhibition in Halton Hills, Ontario, scheduled to open in September.

What do you appreciate most about being at Concordia?

I appreciate having the resources and time to do what I love. Time is such a gift in today's face-paced culture. Graduate school offers the gift of time, focus, and resources. I often find myself using the resources of the Centre for Digital Arts to complete my research and artwork. I do wish there was more sewing studio access for graduate students in art education. Most of all though, I appreciate my professors. My supervisor, David Pariser, is incredibly supportive, informative and empowering. He has already helped me learn and grow so much in my first year of my MA here at Concordia. I hope to continue to do what I love to do into the future, as my own story continues to unfold.

Check out Where Are Books Going? on the third floor of the Webster Library until the end of June.

Learn more about graduate programs in Art Education.