November 07, 2012

Welcome our new Program Assistant, Elfred Matining!

We would like to officially welcome our new Program Assistant, Elfred Matining!
Elfred is a recent graduate from Emily Carr University with a BFA concentration on sculpture and installation, and came highly recommended from his internships at the Rennie Collection. In addition to a creative mind, Elfred brings a wealth of problem-solving skills, great enthusiasm for his work and a passion for the arts.

In his own words, "I really admire the work that ArtStarts does for the community. I believe that nurturing creativity in young people is one of the most important duties of a society. My hope, post undergraduate, is to gain a more expansive experience of what the arts provides for its community. I want to see art in practice, away but still in proximity of the theoretical and critical discourse of the white cube. When I was 12 years old and as a new immigrant to this country, my elementary school via Artists for Kids sent me to partake on an art retreat with the sculptor, Joe Fafard. That time spent was a truly creative and formative catalyst in my life. It allowed me to extend my ideas of what art is and what it does and for the first time said, ''I want be an artist when I grow up.'' I love being a part of an organization that on a regular basis engages and educates young people on the values of the arts."

Elfred has already been a great help to many areas of operation at ArtStarts, from gallery reception and outreach, to working with volunteers, to administration support of our funding programs.

Welcome to the team, Elfred!