Maria Daley
I
n her bright white-washed studio in east Maple Ridge, Maria Daley guides a trio of women through an art lesson. Pallets positioned in front of their canvases, all three clutch brushes and deftly manoeuvre and mix the paint. Daley takes a look, suggests a hue of yellow to one artist and moves on, allowing all three the freedom to paint whatever takes their fancy that morning. Lori Simonski’s canvas is a kaleidoscope of vibrant orange, purple, yellow and blue. Alli Lammi has baby blue flowers on her painting while Nicole Trepanier has brushed multicoloured stripes on her canvas. Daley is using art to transform the lives of people with developmental disabilities. “When they enter that door,” says Daley, pointing to the entrance to Vicuña studio, “They are artists.” Vicuña Arts Studio opened in 2008 to provide a creative outlet for individuals from the Ridge Meadows Association for Community Living. She offers artistic instruction tailored to the skill level of each participant in her class. It doesn’t even matter if a student can’t hold a brush. “The main goal here is assimilation and encouragement for people,” says Daley. “My dream is to develop more possibilities for them.”
By Monisha Martins
Art allows Daley’s students to express themselves without words. Many travel to the studio on Handy Dart, accompanied by their care aides or parents, eager to spend hours in front of a canvas and get their fingers messy in paint. Their drawings and paintings feature in three shows hosted by the studio every year. “Nobody is left out,” says Daley. “I can see how it builds their confidence and self-esteem.” The program is similar to one Daley taught at the Community Living Society in Burnaby for 23 years. Daley is originally from Chile, where she graduated with a degree in graphic design. She moved to Canada in 1978 and has lived in Maple Ridge with her family for more than 20 years. She decided to make the transition into full-time painting 12 years ago. An award-winning artist, Daley loves that she can now use her talent to introduce others to people who rarely enter the spotlight. “Now I realize how good it is to an artist,” says Daley. “I have the opportunity to help others understand them. It doesn’t matter if a painting is good or not. It’s your expression. It’s part of you.”
103–11952 224 Street, Maple Ridge Open 7 Days a Week 604-477-8787
ACTING for FILM & TV
For Kids & Teens
All classes taught by professional working actors.
BEGINNER TO ADVANCED 7 YRS - TEENS
Weekly Classes Starting Mon, Sept. 19th
Teen & Advanced Classes taught by Susanne DePencier (Casting Director) and Wendy Bollard (Director/Prod)
ACT NOW RESERVE YOUR SPOT TODAY
604-465-6636 peggypeat@telus.net
AUDITION & ACTING
Learn what’s needed for you to be on screen for Movies, TV Series & TV Commercials.
IF YOU HAD TRAINI NG YOU TOO MIGHT HAVE AU DITION ED AN D WORK ED ON SOME OF TH ESE: Twilight
Saga, Hannah Montana, GL Joe 2, Psych, Fringe, Degrassi, Flashpoint, The Listener, The Troop, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Marmaduke, The Haun ting Hour, Mr. Young, Eureka, Supernatural, Smallville, Heart land, Vampire Diaries, Barbie, Fisher-Price, McDonald’s, Mattel, Ikea, Kohl’s, Best Buy, Disney, PNE, Crayola, Nestle Water, Kraft, Campbell’s Soup, American Girl, Marks, Flicka 3, Clue, Alcatraz, Arctic Air, Level Up, Wolverine, Secret Circle , The Note, Once Upon a Time, Goodnight for Justice, The Company You Keep, The Devil You Know, Becoming Redw ood, Murdoch Mysteries, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parna ssus, Frankie & Alice, Seven Deadly Sins, Sanctuary, Starg ate-U Bridesmaid, A Dangerous Man, Fresh niverse, Always a man Father, Harper’s Island, Trick ‘r’ Treat, The Betrayed, Mrs. Miracle.
Peggy Peat School of Dance #5-20475 Lougheed Hwy., Maple Ridge (affiliated with Reel Kids/Real2Reel Talent Agency)
3 | Our Community. Our People. | Supplement to the Maple Ridge Pitt Meadows News | August 2011