Mélodie Coutou
Born in 1977, Mélodie Coutou is a Métis from Quebec. She draws her Indigenous Heritage from her mother, from the Mi'kmaq Nation and her father hailed from France. Her indigenous roots are at the foundation of her environmental values and artistic practices. Mélodie lives and raises her family In the Outaouais. As an ecological artist passionate about the environment and social action, Mélodie Coutou (La Ressourcière) uses obsolete and discarded objects in her installations and sculptures. By highlighting the relationship between causes and effects of natural resource exploitation, she draws attention to the impact of humans on biodiversity and ecosystems.
Explore a variety of tools, materials, and processes of their own choice to create visual art forms in familiar and new ways; communicate ideas and emotions; create two- and three-dimensional works of art that express personal feelings and ideas inspired by the environment or that have the community as their subject.
Inspired by her Métis heritage, Mélodie presents a variety of workshops with an environmental focus, offered with a deep respect of the land.

New Artist

New Program

Residency

Indigenous

Performance

Workshop

Seniors

English

French

French Immersion
School Workshop: Eco-Talking sticks
The one who holds the stick has the right to speak, the others have the right to listen. Using beaver hewn sticks, students will draw on the four elements to personalize their own stick. Choosing a variety of materials such as leather, fur, shells, feathers and other found objects, they will develop knotting and braiding skills as they tie these elements onto their stick.
Grade 3, Grade 4, Grade 5, Grade 6, Grade 7, Grade 8, Grade 9, Grade 10, Grade 11, Grade 12
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30
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Visual Arts
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Time and Price:
In person only: Half day: two 75 minute sessions $340 + HST Full day: three 75 minute sessions $440 + HST Materials $3 + HST per student
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School Workshop: Contemporary Cornhusk dolls: a new interpretation
Begin with cornhusks, either natural coloured, or dyed with beet or turmeric. Manipulate them into a doll shape, and then adorn them with a selection of materials such as dried or fresh flowers, feathers, fur, beads, leather, shells or pinecones. The result is a combination of a stick puppet and corn doll.
Grade 3, Grade 4, Grade 5, Grade 6, Grade 7, Grade 8, Grade 9, Grade 10, Grade 11, Grade 12
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30
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Visual Arts
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Time and Price:
In person only: Half day: two 75 minute sessions $340 + HST Full day: three 75 minute sessions $440 + HST Materials $3 + HST per student
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School Residency: Eco-Totems: a collective and collaborative workshop
The artist will work with students to connect the sacred symbol of the totem with reflection on what we dispose of as a society. Inspired by this image of the First Nations People, participants will create one or more contemporary, personal sculptures from common discarded materials. This workshop may be offered as an individual project, a group project or a project that the whole school participates in.
Grade 3, Grade 4, Grade 5, Grade 6, Grade 7, Grade 8, Grade 9, Grade 10, Grade 11, Grade 12
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15 students per session
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Visual Arts
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Time and Price:
In person only: Half day: one 2½ hour session $350 + HST Full day: two 2½ hour sessions $450 + HST Three full day residency: $1350 + HST Each additional day: $450 + HST
Materials not included; dependent on project.
As every project is different, a meeting with the artist is required to determine the parameters of the project, the number of participants and the number of days required to complete the project.
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Seniors Workshop: Contemporary Cornhusk Dolls a new interpretation
Begin with cornhusks, either natural coloured, or dyed with beet or turmeric. Manipulate them into a doll shape, and then adorn them with a selection of materials such as dried or fresh flowers, feathers, fur, beads, leather, shells or pinecones. The result is a whimsical and delightful combination of a stick puppet and corn doll.
Seniors
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30
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Visual Arts
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Time and Price:
In person only: One 2-hour session: $315 + HST Materials: $3 + HST per participant.
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