Tara
Tara teaches
art to the women of the Downtown Eastside every week. Her teaching philosophy
has developed over a 22-year career, and it emphasizes the uniqueness of each
individual's learning path. "It's important to know when people are ready
for something," she says, "to recognize when they need more guidance, or more
independence." This is especially important for teaching the women who attend
the WEAVE workshops: Some are tired from the struggles they deal with outside;
some are under the influence of drugs are alcohol. Tara's sensitivity to her
students means they can all feel comfortable learning again.
The women who come to Tara's workshops appreciate her artistic mentorship; but it is the respect she treats them with that really resonates. Respect is a commodity not easy to come by on the Downtown Eastside, and it makes all the difference to the women who regularly attend the workshops. "Every person's life has some beauty," Tara says, and part of her work is to cultivate that recognition in the women she instructs.
Tara says some of the most important lessons the women take with them often have more to do with life skills and communication than art. Sharing supplies while sitting at a circular table is like family-style dining and you say "please pass the green paint" and "thank you." Tara advocates a collaborative approach to art, likening the weekly WEAVE workshops to a dinner table. "This is family-style art. We all share from the same plate."
