Simone Elizabeth Saunders, She Grows, 2020 (detail).
Our Contemporary Youth programs help inspire young people through the exploration of contemporary art, connecting them to community, global, and social issues that affect all of our lives.
This workshop involves creating a collage based on Simone Elizabeth Saunders' artwork using similar formal elements and themes relating to nature, femininity, and social justice.
Sunday, November 28
3 – 5pm
For youth ages 12 - 18.
Maximum group of 30 children, with one guardian per child.
Snacks and workshop supplies will be provided.
This is an in-person program. Masks are mandatory, and physical distancing will be maintained. Contemporary Calgary requires visitors ages 12 and older to provide proof of vaccination, documentation of a medical exemption, or a negative PCR or rapid test within the last 72 hours in order to enter the gallery.
About the Facilitator
Makayla Krause
(she / her)
Makayla found her passions at a very young age when she discovered volunteer opportunities around Calgary and the ability she had to create change in her community. She always found ways to express her devotion for art whether it be music or visual and incorporate it into her learning and advocacy journey. She believes art is a way to express your voice on social justice issues and explore topics like human rights through community building. She likes to inspire youth and children to challenge themselves and step outside of their comfort zone with different art forms such as theatre, painting, music, and poetry to reach important social justice outcomes. Makayla has been involved with Antyx for several years, including being a past youth participant and now facilitator.
About Antyx
Antyx works in communities across Calgary. Antyx community arts projects can have a neighbourhood focus or they may be focused on addressing community-identified issues. Arts are used in development processes to build community capacity and to creatively and critically engage people in processes that address important community issues.
Their work has a focus on engaging youth in their communities, school and neighbourhoods.
Antyx uses the arts to engage youth and spark their curiosity and commitment. Community arts projects provide opportunities for youth to make tangible contributions to their community and be recognized for those contributions. The arts open the door to self-reflection and self-expression, allowing youth to explore who they are and their place in the world.
About the Artist
Simone Elizabeth Saunders in her studio. Photo by Pardeep Sooch, courtesy of the artist.
Simone Elizabeth Saunders
(she / her)
Simone Elizabeth Saunders (she/her) is a textile artist based in Calgary, Alberta. She holds a B.F.A. from the Alberta University of Arts 2020. Her textiles are hand tufted in the medium of rug-making. Saunders explores themes of the diaspora, ancestorship and Black womanhood. Her colourful textiles highlight motifs and iconography from her Jamaican heritage and engage with sociocultural factors reclaiming power from oppressive ideologies. Saunders has a career in the theatre arts, weaving her experiences and integrating dramatism and story-telling within her creations - uplifting narratives of Black joy and resilience.
Simone was named the National Winner for the Bank of Montreal’s 1st Art Competition in 2020. Simone has been internationally featured, select media credits include: Create Magazine, Canada’s House&Home Magazine, CBC Arts, CBCq, Boooooom, Uppercase Magazine, Pom-Pom Magazine (England), FairLady (South Africa), Surface Design Journal, Colossal and DesignMilk (USA). Most recent exhibitions include the Alberta Craft Council for the Arts and Art Museum University of Toronto. Simone has been collected by several international museums and her emerging series will debut at Contemporary Calgary.
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