Youth create art as a healing tool

Aboriginal youth took full advantage of the opportunity to create art at the first Neechee Studio art workshop, held Nov. 27 at Definitely Superior Art Gallery (DefSup) in Thunder Bay.
“Doing art programming is a stress reliever,” said Sierra Nowegejick, one of about 60 Aboriginal youth who attended the first workshop. “It takes your mind off things and you just get in the zone.”
Nowegejick said her mind feels clear when she is in the “zone.”
“I’m not thinking of anything,” Nowegejick said. “I’m just thinking of the art and everything else is like, it’s not distracting. Usually when you’re trying to study and do homework, it is distracting when you hear noises. But nobody here is distracting me at all. There’s so much going on but at the same time I can still do my art and not get distracted.”
Although Nowegejick had a school assignment to work on that evening, she decided to head down to DefSup and create some art.
“Having it here at this gallery is more fun because it’s just a new environment compared to the friendship centre,” Nowegejick said. “And it’s a really good turnout. I haven’t seen so many people at a workshop.”
Lucille Atlookan, a 24-year-old artist originally from Eabametoong, helped form the idea behind Neechee Studio as a means to provide Aboriginal youth aged 14-30 with an opportunity to express themselves in free art workshops scheduled throughout the school year.
“I’m an artist too, and I use art to express myself — it calms me down and I use art as a healing tool,” Atlookan said. “I thought, why can’t we have (art) workshops throughout the school year.”
The youth learned about traditional drawing styles and street art during the first workshop at DefSup, which is located on the north side of Thunder Bay near the corner of Park Ave. and Court St.
Found object painting will be taught by Derek Khani and Jordan Meekis at the next workshop on Dec. 18. Silkscreening, Hip Hop spoken word, beadwork and sculpture will also be taught during the remaining five workshops, which are scheduled for Jan. 22, Feb. 19, Feb. 26 and March 12 and 13.
Atlookan first got involved with DefSup when she submitted some of her artwork to the gallery’s Die Active Art Collective.
“When I paint, I paint my emotions and it makes me feel good,” Atlookan said. “I don’t plan when I paint, I just put the paint down and it comes out very dark because I use my art to tell my story. I’ve lost a lot of people in my life. I’ve been through a lot, just like any other Aboriginal young woman. I was very shy about showing my work, scared about what people would think, but I just sent my work to Die Active and it was a part of their show.”
Now she is a longstanding member of Die Active Art Collective, which aims to mentor and support future young artists while creating unique and contemporary publications, performances and public art.
The Neechee Studio workshops are being led by local emerging and Aboriginal artists with a focus on artistic expression and learning various art mediums and skills.
Each workshop is designed to address the issues of family violence and healthy relationships with young Aboriginal people in a way that is both restorative and skill building.
“When I was a teenager, I had a lot of problems,” Atlookan said. “I got through my struggles by painting and drawing and poetry, especially.”
Youth who live far away or who are not able to attend the workshops can share their art online by posting it on Instagram #neecheestudio or the Neechee Studio Facebook group or by e-mailing it to neecheestudio@gmail.com.
Plans call for the youth’s art to be presented in an online exhibition, a live exhibition and a publication.
Neechee Studio was developed through a grant from the RCMP’s Family Violence Initiative Fund and support from the Regional Multicultural Youth Council, Dennis Franklin Cromarty First Nations High School, Matawa First Nations, Nishnawbe Aski Nation and Aboriginal youth.