Artist Statement: As teachers and artists, we believe that creating and celebrating community is an important aspect of education. Unfortunately, the reliance on technology is causing many to disconnect with their natural world, and the "us first" mentality of our policy makers is serving to destroy the connections children build. We recognize that by building bridges between people, countries and the nature that surrounds them is critical to a peaceful future. This important conversation is one we hope to inspire our students to have by exploring it in our piano. We have combined images of shattered technology with natural elements to build a connected city scape; incorporating the Brooklyn bridge and NYC with the Vancouver skyline and the Port Mann bridge.
Shannon Thiesen and Chelaine Neufeldt teach together at ASIA North Poplar Elementary in Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada. Both teachers are Visual Arts Specialists and have spent the past few years collaborating on various art projects, both at school and in the community. Thiesen is an Art Battle live painting competition champion, competing at the national level. She shows her portraits throughout the province, is the 2016 Arty Award winner and the 2016 University of the Fraser Valley's Young Distinguished Alumni award winner. Neufeldt has a Bachelor of Visual Arts and is celebrated for her abstract, expressive mark-making. Both teacher-artists participated in last year's Sing For Hope project and painted a bright moose in their design, inspired by one of their student's drawings. They hope this year to inspire their students once more via Sing For Hope as their experience last year was so incredible.
