Students at Markville S.S. had the opportunity to engage in a unique, hands-on learning experience led by Indigenous artist Victoria Grant, known as Vicky the Real Artist.
The workshop brought together 90 students from Grades 9 to 11 to explore the art of wood burning, also known as the art of pyrography, while learning about Indigenous culture, symbolism and storytelling.
“Having hands-on projects like this makes it a lot more fun for the students,” said Hailey, Grade 9 student. “I think it helps us connect to different cultures and ideas because we're really researching all the different symbolisms and meanings.”
Working together to create a lasting art installation for their school, students learned wood burning techniques and reflected on the meaning and history behind their work. Guided by Vicky, they created a land acknowledgement signpost featuring hand-crafted arrows with each arrow pointing toward nearby Indigenous communities with accurate names, distances and directions from the school.
“Historically, Indigenous storytelling was not written. It was always verbal or visual,” says Grant. “It’s opening their eyes to things that they didn’t know before, and that’s extra knowledge that they’ll have hopefully forever.”
The signpost will remain at Markville S.S. as a permanent installation leaving a lasting legacy that sparks dialogue, reflection and a deeper understanding for years to come.
“It’s not just these 90 students who are getting this experience. Once this project is completed, we are going to have a permanent installation here at Markville, where the learning is going to continue,” said Christina Fiorentino, Teacher.