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Press Releases
| Eric Laurin Receives Wilfrid Laurier University Award For Fine Arts Program |
| Ayr News |
| Wednesday, February 26, 2003 | |
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by Pat Keachie
At a time when many young people have no idea what they want to do with their lives, Eric Laurin has the possibility of two rewarding careers!
The 22-year-old Ayr resident excels in both art and gymnastics. A third year student in the Wilfrid Laurier University Fine Arts Program, Eric recently received the George and Agnes Roy Award, which is given to a graduating artist for his overall work. Instructors select the recipient.
Eric recalls another art award, this one when he was in Grade 8 at C. Cornwell, doing the "advanced stuff." He says he has always wanted to do something with art for as long as he can remember, and took every opportunity to 'learn and do'. Teachers at Ayr Public School, C. Cornwell, Southwood Secondary School and now Laurier have been encouraging and supportive as they obviously recognized a unique talent.
In high school Eric has some of his art shown in the Gallery at the Preston Library, and just last year he had a solo showing during one of the play runs at the Galt Little Theatre.
Through the years he says he has "tried everything and liked it all." When painting he does mostly acrylics because it's the 'medium of choice' due to its versatility. Since last Fall Eric has been working on a project that will account for 25 per cent of his total marks and will shortly begin another also worth 25 per cent.
The idea came from something he saw at a plowing match! Woodworking artistry involving creativity, imagination and finesse. He has created a unique seven-foot wooden sculpture, 16" in diameter, all done with hand tools and featuring a ball fashioned inside. Eric has worked from seven to 14 hours each week since October and once this is done, he will begin work on another, this time using machine tools; he will then compare the methods. Patience and hard work are learned along the way when you're an artist. Eric says that he still has 20 hours of sanding to do on the first project. "Hopefully" 20 hours will complete it! As he is in the advanced studio course in the Fine Arts program he and fellow students were given autonomy to choose what to do and even break down the marking scheme. This makes them choose carefully and identify strengths and weaknesses, learning for themselves what comes somewhat easier and what needs work.
Eric observes that when he starts something he doesn't know how it will turn out. He will have a general idea of what he is about to create but no specifics. He starts with ideas and sketches, chooses the best medium and begins. If he chooses to name the work, he will not name the piece until it is done. All the work Eric has produced in his three years at Laurier belongs to him and he has the option to sell what he has created. Teachers work with the students to 'get shows going' and will approach local galleries to display their work.
A recurrent theme in Eric's art is gymnastics because of his intense interest in the sport. It has been a 'huge' part of his life since high school. He joined the after school gymnastics club at Southwood and discovered he had another passion. He has been coaching with the well-known Cambridge Kips since 1996 and in spite of his hectic schedule, still conducts the open gymnastics class on Wednesday evenings.
The fun and challenge of the gymnastics theme in art for Eric has been finding various ways to create and present it. He has been more than up to this challenge as his work definitely shows. A back toss on the parallel bars is shown in 'regular' and abstract modes. A cardboard figure was painstakingly created and one of his most unique pictures is a self-portrait of the iron cross move. In this move the gymnast is on the rings with his arms extended outwards, a painful, punishing and strength draining accomplishment. In Eric's work he has divided the picture into its light and dark components, then shapes and patterns, then the word gymnastics repeated in each and every area; truly a visual stunner!
An incredibly lifelike acrylic painting of a woman and clever life and line drawings are also among his creations. He has even tackled stained glass, modifying a window in his parents' home on Stanley Street.
Eric finishes his degree this August and will apply for teacher's college, though he has not decided what grade level he would like to teach. In the meantime, he will have a year before starting college to get his art out into the community and hopefully sell some of his pieces.
It is possible that life will go in an entirely different direction however. Eric is a 'strength' gymnast which means he has not only the skills but also the endurance. It uniquely qualifies him for something he hopes to tackle as soon as he is finished school - stunt work in films. Through gymnastics he met someone in the business and Eric has no doubts he could do the job.
"A lot of stunt work is blatantly gymnastics," he says. "I could name the moves that they are doing." Eric speaks as enthusiastically about flying through the air as he does about wielding a paintbrush. "I have fairly good awareness of where and how to land," he understates with a smile. He knows that his dedication, enthusiasm and knowledge would make stunting a goal he could achieve.
Though stunting is fun and exciting Eric is aware that it would also have to be treated with respect and professionalism. It is not a job for the faint of heart or the amateur. Eric feels it would be ideal for him because it is not a "9 to 5" job so when not stunting, he could supply teach; for him, the best of both worlds.
His skills and boundless energy have benefited many aspiring gymnasts already, not only at Kips, but at a summer gymnastics camp in Wisconsin. Eric has volunteered there the last five years, coaching young people from seven to 17 and meeting people from around the world including Olympians who also volunteer their time there.
There's always something more in gymnastics and Eric says he is still learning. He is now in the Masters Category and competes with individuals 19 and older. In addition to a broken tow and wrist and knee problems, Eric has wrestled with the bane of many gymnasts - the mental block. "It's a big work in gymnastics."
Determination, perseverance, working through the pain and building muscle till you can finally do it. "You will yourself to do it."
Eric remembers the intense satisfaction when after years of working towards it, he achieved the Iron Cross move. Once attaining the goal, he says, you find you then have more advanced goals.
It is indicative of Eric's strong character that he continues to set and achieve goals that would thwart less focused individuals. Right now it's crunch time for his schooling. He is happy with the work of the past three years which have included classes in history, classics, philosophy and astronomy.
His coin collecting will have to wait as he has little time for anything other than school. Fortunately his girlfriend of three years is a gymnastics coach who understands the demands of working and schooling. Unfortunately she lives in Mississauga so visits have to be planned to fit into both their busy schedules. Sometimes it's just "his and good-bye" to his parents Vic and Sue and brothers Chris, Robert, and Michael.
Eric works part time at Conestoga Cold Storage in the shipping department. It doesn't matter what the temperature is outside, it's minus 20 for Eric every working day as he hauls boxes of food from the freezer lockers in the large warehouse. His strength and fortitude, sense of humour and optimistic outlook come in handy at this juncture.
Somehow he will still find time to do art commissions such as portraits because, he says, "I love to have someone give me an idea and I go with it."
If past experience is any indication, whether he teaches art or gymnastics, stunt doubles or does something completely different, with his outlook and attitude, Eric Laurin is sure to be a success.
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| George and Agnes Roy Award |
| Faculty of Arts Student Awards Ceremony |
| Thursday, January 30, 2003 | |
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Eric Laurin is the recipient of the George and Agnes Roy Award at Wilfrid Laurier University. This award is presented to a graduating student in Fine Arts at the discretion of the instructors in the Fine Arts program. Flora Roy has endowed the award in memory of her parents.
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| Class is serious art |
| The K-W Record |
| Wednesday, December 11, 2002 | |
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In response to a letter written condemning my professor for his hiring of a dominatrix, "Art classes shouldn't become sex shows," several letters were written to defend his action. My letter was one of them:
I do not think that it was inappropriate for Prof. Marshall Ward to hire a dominatrix for his drawing class at Wilfrid Laurier University. I am a third-year student at Laurier with a fine arts major. I am in Marshall's class and was there the day that Georgina (the dominatrix) modeled.
I consider myself a "serious art student" and find nothing insulting in the hiring of a dominatrix for the class. In fact, I found it enjoyable (not sexually). Other art courses have the same model over and over. Thanks to Marshall's hard work, we had a wide variety in models.
I found the experience educational, too. "A whip and black leather clothes help students learn how to draw better" due to the fact that I found it to be a challenge to draw these accessories juxtaposed to human flesh.
No one was "focusing on the model's sexual habit." It was just a costume. I agree, "a drawing course is not a human sexuality class or a strip show." No one was stripping. I also agree, "life drawing is in no way a voyeuristic activity." It can't be; we are too busy drawing.
Eric Laurin
Ayr
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| Teacher throws curves at drawing students |
| The K-W Record |
| Friday, November 22, 2002 | |
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by Joel Rubinoff
University. A place of higher learning. Scholarly debates. Naked dominatrices.
Wait -- what was that last thing?
"Our attempt is to break with tradition and be as open and uninhibited as possible," says Marshall Ward, renowned local artist and instructor for a Wilfrid Laurier University drawing class.
"It's pretty rare to have a dominatrix-type person up there."
It is indeed. And as the black leather sex queen removes one clothing item after another before a class of 20 or so art student, the question naturally arises: Huh?
"It's kind of like a forbidden sexual object, so it's kind of neat to be able to see her in our class," says Rebecca Lamb, 20. "I'm just really open-minded, though."
Classmate Jessica Sywyk, 21, says it's all about context.
"My friends are all like 'Oh, you're drawing naked people'. But you're not really thinking about that. You're drawing shapes and light and darkness and madly trying to get it all down on paper.
"To me, it's the furthest thing from sexual."
This enlightened view of art, and the process of art, seems at odds with the sight of a large, naked woman posing with a claw, whip and other instruments of sexual fetishism while the Swedish pop group ABBA sings Dancing Queen on the classroom stereo.
"It doesn't faze me," says Kate Bellair, 22, a fine arts and history major.
"If it was another class and a dominatrix walked in, you would be surprised. But in our class it's kind of...everything goes."
And that, says Ward, is the whole point.
"I've always considered myself to be in the entertainment business with regards to my art," says the Kitchener artist and former artist-in-residence.
An avid collector of Wrestle mania paraphernalia and Ozzy Osbourne videos, the 31-year-old father of one once hid inside a cardboard box at an art exhibit to protest the pretentiousness of art exhibits. Midway through, he emerged dressed in tights and a mask and started boxing with a mannequin.
"I see myself as having a responsibility to be entertaining -- if I expect anyone to care or pay attention," says Marshall, whose wacky side is tempered with a soft spoken intelligence.
"I approach teaching in the same way. It's very important to me to keep those students interested and enthusiastic about making art and thinking about art."
It appears to be paying off, with several students switching their majors from business or science programs to fine arts since Ward began teaching the class in September.
Despite the sensationalist trappings, the students appear to be quite serious -- even, gulp, the guys.
"I think there's an unspoken etiquette and ethics in this," says Eric Laurin, 21, one of only four men in the class.
"It's just an opportunity that doesn't come by often."
Listen buddy, maybe you're not aware, but there's a near-naked female with a whip sitting three meters away.
"I think it's kind of understood that, if you're looking at the model, it's going to be for drawing on the page -- as opposed to just coming in and looking at them," notes Laurin, who appreciates the chance to draw someone with a lot of curves.
"I just put it in the context, that we're here to take any opportunity to draw someone out-of-the-ordinary."
"You don't feel like you're looking at a naked person, " insists psych major Dan Power, who took the course as an elective.
"It seems like you're almost drawing an object.
"My roommates -- they're brutal. They think it's all pornography. I guess you have to do it yourself to really get the feel."
In the end, of course, it comes down to the model.
"You need a connection with the class, " says Georgina Brown-Branch, who donned, and doffed, the dominatrix duds strictly for this class. "It's all about an interchange of energy."
And when it's happening, as it is this day, it's happening.
"People say it must be weird taking your clothes off -- especially being a larger woman," says the one-time pharmaceutical rep. "But it really isn't."
"I've had a couple of gals come up and say 'You look just like me, I feel so comfortable -- it's nice to draw someone with curves' and I think it's great they see varied body types, because the world isn't all just thin people."
"I like being a counterculture image."
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