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Artist in Profile:
Cecilia Lea

Sometimes, the way a person finds their creative side is simply by default. Such was the case for artist Cecilia Lea. Sixteen years ago, while working in a
craft store in Calgary, Cecilia’s employer enrolled her in a painting course so she would learn more about products sold in the store. “I went to the course with a poor attitude. I had never painted before. I thought I’d be embarrassed.” However once there, after painting a particular piece of work, Cecilia surprised herself, “I couldn’t believe I had actually painted what I did! That was the beginning of what was to become something very important in my life.”

Cecilia attended several workshops and then credit courses at the Alberta College of Art. Her energy for painting only grew and grew. A move to Invermere was a significant one when she met and studied with a well-known painter also living in Invermere. “At that time, I was lucky to meet my Mentor, Karen Hersey, who for a very short, but critical time in my career, took me under her wing, and gave me wonderful information and confidence.” It was this same mentor who, years later during a set-back in Cecilia’s painting career, told her there was a change in her style which was not for the best. “I thought I would put my paints away forever, but after several months, once I felt I could look at my work critically, I was able to see exactly what she was telling me.”

Cecilia now lives in Revelstoke and keeps in touch with Karen via e-mail, her tool for “continuing education”. With the experience and invaluable advice given to her along the way, Cecilia has since become an educator herself and hosts her own workshops here in Revelstoke. She has taught beginner courses in oil painting where she touches on basics and soon plans to have a workshop where students travel through the surrounding area and enjoy painting in the great outdoors, one of her most inspiring classrooms. “So often what we see is taken for granted, and passes in a moment. I want to capture that moment. One of my favorite things about painting is seeing a blank white canvas. I love to watch it take shape and become a living memory of a moment in time that I have found worth recording.”

To see Cecilia’s work, visit the Saturday Market in Grizzly Plaza or go to her website at wolanski.ca/lea/index.html

Emerging:
Revelstoke’s Youth

Maybe you have heard of us! The Screen Smart Committee is a community based group with members who are parents, teachers, child-care professionals, law enforcement officers, physicians, and other concerned individuals. The group was started this year as people started to see the need for education concerning the use of electronic media (TV and computers).
There are many, many, good uses for electronic media, but like many good things they are overused. Screen Smart hopes to help parents and kids develop a healthy screen diet! Too much of a good thing always causes problems! Think of the last time you ate too much at Christmas dinner! There are studies and statistics that show too much time in front of a screen causes
problems for kids and teens.

Young children who watch TV too much (more than one hour a day) often have trouble paying attention and behaving properly in school. This may be caused by the brain developing differently than a child who is stimulated by social interaction with others, being read to, and being active. Older kids who spend too much time on the computer often have trouble paying attention in school, reading, interacting with others, and being physically active. Our brains do the most growing when the rest of our body does, from birth to age seven. As teenagers our brains continue to grow and need stimulation. The brain grows
best when fed a healthy diet of problem solving, being creative, trying new things, being active, and interacting with others.

Being in front of a screen may sound like a good way to feed the brain, but in fact scientific evidence shows that over exposure to TV’s and computers don’t help the brain grow at all. We are talking OVER EXPOSURE! Your brain will not shrivel and die because you surfed the web for an hour, or watched an episode or two of The Family Guy but that screen becomes a problem
when it has become your best friend, your teacher, your reason for living! If this sounds like you, then you must walk away from the screen! Do it now, don’t look back!

Screen Smart had a week long community challenge in May in order to bring awareness in Revelstoke to the overuse of TV and computers. There were events to help families spend time together being active, and the event hopes to become an annual affair. You will hear more from the Screen Smart Committee. We are a group that wants our young Revelstokians to be
the best that they can be! Get active, turn off the screen more, and have fun with others!

Sarah Luxmore
Educator

[Spring 2006 Article]
[Winter 2005/06 Article]
[Summer 2005 Article]