by Jerelyn Craden
If you’re itching to express yourself creatively but don’t know where to start, then Thursdays at the Haliburton School of Art + Design (HSAD) are for you. Every Thursday ‘til the week of Aug. 15, there is a great opportunity to walk-about three HSAD locations from 4 p.m. to 5:45p.m., see the classrooms and studios, meet and chat with instructors, see displays of work made by current students, and get a real sense of the school, which could inspire you to take a course. Plus, a great free one-hour concert is yours to enjoy in the great hall from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.

Sandra Dupret, executive vice president, academic and student services, said, “The walk-about is a tradition at the school. It’s a great opportunity for the students who are taking one of our 200 plus courses to showcase the work they’ve been making throughout the week and for those who are not enrolled to get a real sense of the classes being offered and the school itself.”
“The students get to mill about from class to class that take place on the main campus and at our off-site locations,” she said, “whether that be the blacksmithing or stone sculpture studio located on Mallard Drive off of Industrial Park Road, or in the high school [Haliburton Highlands Secondary School] where we also have a number of classes. It lets them see what’s happening in other classrooms for their own creative pursuits. Maybe they can find that next class that they might like to try.”

Gail Woodard, HSAD operations officer added, “We have a lot of intriguing studios here at the main campus and we have a huge jewellery wing that’s going to be doing chain making – bracelets, necklaces and earrings.”
Woodard said the most popular courses are drawing and painting, glass blowing, and blade smithing (otherwise known as knife making), including pottery.
She adds the popularity of the HSAD’s full offering of courses is something for all ages.
“We have a family who booked classes and are flying here from Europe with their children for a week,” she said. “The parents are taking different courses and one child is in the kids’ art camp course and the other is in the youth teen course. It’s their vacation.”
Many of HSAD’s music instructors also perform in the Thursday concerts.
Nicholas Russell, accomplished guitarist, composer, music producer, and stringed instrument maker performs on July 21. Suzie Vinnick, three-time Juno nominee, CFMA Award winner, and a 10-time winner of the Maple Blues Award performs on July 28. Jason Fowler, highly respected Toronto singer/songwriter, session guitarist and producer performs on July 28 from 4:45 to 5:45 p.m.
“The music is always nice,” Dupret said. “It brings the community in. Many people just come for the entertainment, some for the walk-about or both. There’s a little bit of something for everyone.”

For all concert and course information go to www.hsad.ca, scroll down to continuing education, click on summer and fall art programs, then click on the PDF at the bottom of the page for the brochure.