Karen Cornelius

Karen Cornelius

Details:

Visual arts

Grade Level: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Language: english

Regions: Norman, Parklands, Interlake, Westman, Central Plains, Pembina Valley, Eastman, Capital Region

Contact:

Phone Website

Biography

Karen Cornelius is a professional visual artist/printmaker who works out of her own personal printmaking studio and Martha Street Studio in Winnipeg. Cornelius has exhibited work locally, nationally and internationally and has travelled the world with residencies, exhibitions and art educational activities.

Cornelius has worked with Manitoba students through the Manitoba Arts Council's Artists in the Schools programs for over 18 years. Cornelius has taught students in remote Northern Manitoba reserve communities and in rural, city and inner-city schools. She has also taught students in schools in Africa, China, Europe and Ottawa including several years in an International School in Eritrea.

Cornelius works in collaboration with the teachers in each school to determine the content of the program. She has taught mural creation, printmaking, comics, drawing and collage.

Media

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Project Samples

Murals

Mural creation is an excellent opportunity for many students to explore an idea and work collaboratively on a project. The focus of each mural is determined in consultation with the students, teachers and the artist. Students investigate the selected idea using probing questions put forward by the artist to stimulate discussion. They engage in research towards deeper understanding of the concept and collect visual resource material to assist with drawing. Cornelius uses the student’s drawings that emerge from this investigative process to compile a mural design which is transferred to the mural support surface. The process of creatively examining an idea is as important as the hands-on realization of the physical mural both of which build respect, pride and a sense of accomplishment. The completed mural reminds students of what they learned and can be enjoyed by the entire student body.

Printmaking

Mural creation is an excellent opportunity for many students to explore an idea and work collaboratively on a project. The focus of each mural is determined in consultation with the students, teachers and the artist. Students investigate the selected idea using probing questions put forward by the artist to stimulate discussion. They engage in research towards deeper understanding of the concept and collect visual resource material to assist with drawing. Cornelius uses the student’s drawings that emerge from this investigative process to compile a mural design which is transferred to the mural support surface. The process of creatively examining an idea is as important as the hands-on realization of the physical mural both of which build respect, pride and a sense of accomplishment. The completed mural reminds students of what they learned and can be enjoyed by the entire student body.

Comics

Young students speak easily in the language of the image with spontaneous, unselfconscious ability to combine pictures to make something happen and tell a story. This program builds on the students' skills to communicate using an image. The artist introduces comic storytelling with a variety of creative exercises intended to stimulate the imagination and give the students confidence in their ability. The artist demonstrates basic drawing skills and optional ways to express emotion, drama and expression, encouraging each student to develops a personal, approach and style. The students use oral, written stories and personal daily events to create visual narrative comics as part of this program.

Testimonials

Karen worked through the Artists in the Schools and the Artsmarts program at the Ecole St. Avila School over the course of several years while I was principal there. Karen worked collaboratively with the teachers and students teaching skills and techniques which could be later used by the teachers. The students enjoyed working with Karen. She stimulated their imaginations and creativity. Karen was organized and was able to adapt her programs to meet the needs of the school, teachers and

—Retired Principal - Gordon Campbell

Karen Cornelius was invited by Stanley Knowles School to participate in several Artists in the Schools programs in several different years. She worked closely with the art teacher and the teachers of the participating classes. Two murals and an electro-etching residency were completed with grades 6-8 students. She collaborated with the students and teachers and was well organized and brought creative energy to the projects. The students enjoyed working with her.

—Principal Stanley Knowles - Darryl Stevenson

I worked with Karen Cornelius at Strathcona School in Winnipeg. We collaborated on numerous projects over several years. We worked with grades 1-6 students to create three murals investigating the boreal forest and violent weather related to climate change. We collaborated with student lead ideas and design creation for individual classroom doors. Cornelius is organized, works well will students and teachers and provides professional development as part of her program.

—Retired Art Teacher - Wendy Ledger