Liquid Art
Liquid Art is a community-engaged, practice-based research project investigating the social impact of improvisation in live painting and mixed media. This project works with visual arts as a liquid, live form, able to sustain a creative city. It explores painting, drawing and mixed media art as liquid forms that can be created live with audiences, and used to sustain and enrich communities. In particular, it explores live painting, drawing and mixed media art as a format that allows learning in the visual arts to flow from established artists to emerging artists, to young artists, to the communities of Canada and back again. It examines the social impact of live art on communities in Saskatchewan through supporting live art workshops, events and exhibitions. This initiative is a project by the Regina Improvisation Studies Centre, The Creative City Centre and its Hague Gallery in Regina, Saskatchewan, working with renowned Indigenous artist collective Sâkêwêwak and the communities they are embedded in, and two local high schools: Scott Collegiate and Balfour Collegiate. Whilst the workshops and exhibition are complete, the researchers have completed video documentation and a teaching guide.
Photo Credit Larissa Kitchemonia
Research Questions:
- Can improvisation in live art forms produce new forms of artistic and social mentorship for young people in at-risk communities?
- Can improvised live art practices support and sustain stronger communities?
- What kinds of innovative art practices might emerge from curating new kinds of live art events?
- Can live are partnerships strengthen research into critical studies in improvisation through access to new forms of community knowledge?
Research Outcomes:
- 2 workshops at Scott Collegiate, Regina, (Grade 10 students), 2015.
- 2 workshops at Balfour Collegiate, (teen mothers program), 2015.
- Natascia Lypny, “Regina project harnesses a trickle down of art education, inspiration,” Regina Leader-Post, Feb 15, 2016.
- Live painting at the University of Regina iPad Concert, April 9, 2016.
- Live painting at the Living Heritage: Truth and Reconciliation Event, April 29, 2016.
- Exhibition at The Hague Gallery at The Creative City Centre, Regina, SK which included art by established and emerging artists and community art from the school workshops, June 2016.
- Liquid Art: Exploring Live Painting and Mentorship, dir. Michelle Brownridge, 2017.
- Liquid Art Teaching Guide
