Crichton Cultural Community Centre, 200 Crichton Street
One of the Centre's spacious classrooms
Another view of the classrooms with my hubby Kevin
The CCCC provides a great atmosphere for creating art!
Me waiting for you at the CCCC!
Thought I’d start off the New Year by giving you a virtual tour of the Crichton Cultural Community Centre (CCCC) where I offer courses and workshops. The CCCC is a not-for-profit centre located in the heart of Ottawa’s New Edinburgh neighbourhood on Avon Lane (behind 200 Crichton Street). A stone’s throw away from the building is the peaceful Rideau River, Stanley Park and trendy cafés and shops located along Beechwood Avenue. Nestled within a quiet, friendly residential area, being in and around the Centre gives one a feeling of tranquility. Located on the second floor of a beautifully maintained historic building, it’s a bustling hub for all kinds of activities related to the arts and well-being as well as hosting a myriad other community-related events. The Centre is also home to the Main Works Artists’ Cooperative whose works grace its hallways and classrooms.
From the first moment I walked into the CCCC I felt at home. I was warmly welcomed by Programming Director Susan Ashbrook as well as Administrator Kiki Cliff. Susan’s warm, professional manner as she ensured all my teaching needs were met, instantly secured my trust in the building’s administration. When I taught my first workshop there this summer, I was blown away by the classrooms – large and spacious with high old-fashioned ceilings and windows that let in lots of natural light, I felt as though I was in art studio heaven! There was so much room to move in them – I don’t know about you, but I can never have enough elbow room to make art! I was equally impressed by the spotlessness of the facilities… encountering clean tables and chairs that didn’t need to be wiped off and sparkling floors was unbelievable! I’ve long felt that maintaining a clean work space is good for students’ health; it was a relief to find an art organization caring for its facilities as I do my own home studio. As a result, my students enjoyed using the space; it gave them the perfect surroundings within which to collage their first vision boards! I feel very privileged to be part of the CCCC!
This month I’ll be teaching another Vision Board Workshop there. Although my Journaling course will not run due to low enrolment, I’ll be offering it again another term and hoping for some takers. It would be so nice to have you there for a few hours… we could visually “play” with our reflections, share some insightful thoughts about our lives and art as well as make a few new friends. Stay tuned for news on my upcoming workshops and courses which I’ll post on my Workshops/Courses website page. Hope to see you at the CCCC sometime in the future!
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