When Damara Jacobs-Morris took on the new role of youth mentor at the Port Moody Arts Centre this summer, her goal was to get students out of their comfort zones.
Some were good in one medium but she encouraged them to explore other art forms, too: from mixed media collage and painting to sculpting and drawing.
Her aim was for students to build their portfolios that showed a range of talent - something that's essential as they apply for future jobs in the arts industry.
"It's so important that artists be well-rounded these days," said Jacobs-Morris, who has worked with the Ferry Building Gallery, the UBC Museum of Anthropology and the Britannia Community Centre as well as the Smithsonian, and currently has a public relations and consulting group.
"People want to see that you can do more and are flexible enough to try new things."
For the PMAC mentorship course, Jacobs-Morris used her curriculum from a program she had developed as a master's degree student at the University of Arizona in Tuscon. There, as part of the Wild Cat School of Art, in the institution's art and visual cultural department, she worked with third and fourth graders for 10 weeks, helping to nurture their artistry.
Last month, Jacobs-Morris had three PMAC students under her wing who, at the end of their two-week intensive, presented what they had learned at a curated show.
"They did so well and they were really pleased with the results and how far they'd come over the 10 classes," she said.
Next week, PMAC will have another intake for its mentorship program - running from Aug. 18 to 29 - and applications are now being accepted for emerging artists aged 11 to 15.
Jacobs-Morris said the program is especially useful for teens who want to collaborate - another strength needed for their careers.
"As a professional artist, you're going to have to learn to work with others," she said. "That's just part of how it works these days. Partnerships are the key."
Students are asked to bring a sketchbook and an HB pencil (all other supplies are included). To sign up for the Youth Art Mentorship Intensive, call PMAC at 604-931-2008.
