Institute offers family environment for artists

The Boreal Forest Institute of Indigenous Arts uses a model of instruction known as the master-apprentice approach. This is a form of instruction hat matches students with master artists. Master artists lead each course, which entails an extensive two weeks of instruction in just that artist's medium. For the past two weeks, Dempsey Bob a mask carver from B.C.'s coast has been instructing the students at the institute.

"Every two weeks we have someone like him come in," said Garry Berteig. Even though he's responsible for the creation, direction, management and coordination of the institute, Berteig actively shuns having a title. On top of his duties towards the institute, he also teaches an art at Keyano College, where the institute is located.

"But Berteig works on more than just the artistic drive of his students, and has developed a model that brings them together.

"They join us together as a family," said Evelyn Marchand, a student at the institute. "When you leave here, you feel like you're leaving family. You don't want to leave (because) there's so much happiness, laughter and openness."

Berteig wants his students to grow spiritually and emotionally as well as artistically. They participate in talk, mediation and prayer circles to bring individuals together and unify them as an artistic family.

"Art is a spiritual and intellectual challenge. It operates on many levels of the human experience," said Berteig. "Part of the philosophy of this institute is based on the principle of unity through diversity."

The instruction is so intense that a break is necessary after two weeks. The experience for the students is so exhilarating that they have mixed emotions about leaving the institute during the breaks.

"When you leave you are exhausted physically and mentally, so you need the break, (but) it's hard to leave and you can't wait to get back," said Marchand. On the other hand, "when you leave, you leave rejuvenated so you can go back home."

The intensity of the course means that the students learn a lot in just a short time. The benefit of the master artist in the class means that all the students get to learn all the tips and tricks that they've learned throughout their career.

Bob's class has been "the most demanding class I've taken," said Gordon Roghnie, another student. "I find myself progressing rapidly. How to cut into the wood, what kind of wood, that kind of trial-and-error stuff that would take years to learn on your own.

"Already, in this short time, I most definitely feel that I've grown as an artist," he continued. Part of that growth stems from working with different artists in different mediums.

Harvey Scanie has been taking courses from the institute since it opened nearly two years ago.

"It's kind of exciting to be involved in something like that ? to get to know well-established artists and to work alongside them," he said. "Each session that we had was different."

"I worked with acrylics but, after I started this school here, I got into stone work, woodwork and carving," he continued. The students also help one another out because of their different levels of experience in the various mediums.

"Everybody helped everybody," said John Lepine. "Some of the students are a little ahead of the others. If the instructor is busy, you can ask for help form the other students. It helps tremendously. If you didn't know the person, it would be difficult to ask, but because you know the person, it's easier to ask for help."

The institute studies Indigenous arts and isn't exclusively open to just Aboriginal students. The students applaud the institute's ability to bring artists together, regardless of racial background, and create a unified, friendly and family-like environment.