The Slant
(L-R) Students Ivory Mollison, Finley Labelle, Ava Salo, Alastor McMilan, Owen Rusnick, and teacher Ryan Oryniak
A Mixed Media Art Show with Co.Lab Gallery
Story and photos by Sarah-Beth Constantin-Furlong
The students at Westgate CVI have been busy preparing for their fifth annual art show The Slant—a collaboration between the school's art department and the Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) programs. This year, the show will feature about 80 pieces of unique and thoughtful art, with a special emphasis on the senior art students. Accompanying the art pieces, show-goers will be treated to a special menu put together by the school's SHSM culinary students and guided by local chef Allan Rebelo.
“The Slant is in regards to our way of seeing things, our viewpoint,” says art teacher Ryan Oryniak. On display there will be an eclectic blend of artwork, created using a wide variety of materials and techniques. Oryniak says there won’t be a comprehensive theme to the evening, and that the students have taken inspiration from all kinds of places.
“A lot of my pieces just come from things that I want to do, or you know, characters from games that I love, things that I know people around me would love,” says Finley LaBelle. Her main piece of artwork was inspired by traditional Greek pottery and the nine Greek muses.
“I wanted to do something a bit more childish for my final senior art show piece [...] I’m graduating and this is my last step of childhood before I become an adult,” says Alastor McMilan. McMilan created her piece Growing Up by crocheting, felting, sewing, sculpting, and painting.
“My family is very animal-oriented, wildlife-oriented, so I’ve always loved nature,” says Ava Salo, holding her realistic fox jaw sculpted ashtray.
This year will also be the first year that the culinary SHSM program will be integrated into the show. The culinary students are excited to be working with Chef Rebelo “With a chef, we're able to broaden our horizon massively with all of the dishes that we can serve,” says Owen Rusnick, a student of both the art and culinary programs (keep an eye out for Rusnick’s fantasy-inspired, detailed ink sketches ). The students will be preparing and serving an assortment of canapes, finger foods, and more.
The Slant will begin on June 5 (from 6-8 pm on opening night) and run until June 17 at Co. Lab Gallery + Arts Centre in Goods & Co. Market.
