Poverty, PSAs and...Pork

A new day finally arrived at the Institute. The session commenced with more arts and crafts. This time, we had to create a collage of a social issue plaguing our school environment. One common thread linking the schools of my group seemed to be poverty and inequity. I was finally able to use the crappy collage I created last week. Hooray! A few in the group actually claimed it was "good", and gave it some artistic merit! Unbelievable. It's definitely a great example of what Peggy Alvers referred to as "outsider art"-- pieces you have to look at really (in some cases, really really)closely to find the art lurking in often the most unusual ways. Tracy drew the Co-Op and water bucket, Bonnie added the Breakfast Program, drugs, and the welfare application form, Alison created the gun (or hairdryer, depending on your perspective)...and, hey, before we knew it, we were done! This was so "outsider art"! I was curious as to what we were going to have to do with these pieces.

Sure enough...after lunch we had to present our posters and the issue to the large group. I should have known. Tracy did an outstanding job, both speaking clearly and articulately, while at the same time, fending off any line-cutters! Super! After a short discussion of possiblities for creating change, we were introduced to our next project: Public Service Announcements (PSAs). I will not elaborate on them. There is no need. Ours is already almost complete, I am sure. Tracy is labouring over here computer, as we speak, to complete, not only her own PSA, but Bonnie's and mine also. Thanks, Tracy! Ha! Ha!

Finally, after a long day at the Institute the three of us headed out to Oakville, to Yvonne's lovely home, for a wonderful home-cooked, non-buffet-style meal. It was so kind and generous of her to make us feel right at home. She served wine, beer, snacks, gourmet salad, potatoes...and pork! It was absolutely fantastic! The directions out to Oakville were superb. Unfortunately, coming back, I was too busy laughing that I missed a turn, and we ended up well beyond our destination. No worries, though. Thinking fast (as we always do...especially when washrooms are needed), we turned up "BURNHAMTHORPE RD." We thought this could be a connector...but we weren't sure why! It was more of a guess really. Then, with Mississauga literally in sight again, we found Dixie Rd. After dropping Tracy off at the "Stagecoach Hotel", knowing she was headed up to work on and, subsequently, finish the "collaborative" projects, Bonnie and I left...only to later miss our exit too...for the exact same reasons! ARGH!

In the end, to relieve your suspense, Bonnie and I made it back to the hotel safe and sound. Being the clever girls that we are, we simply followed the direction of the planes! Just like we learned to navigate the computers last week, we are also learning to navigate the streets and expressways of Toronto...not by choice, though. Between all the talk of poverty, PSAs and pork, I've had a big day! Good night.