Ivan Stewart wasn’t expecting to have his homework published on the front page of the newspaper.
But his art class at Three Oaks Senior High in Summerside was given a challenge – make a piece of art depicting P.E.I. at Christmas time.
The winner would receive a gift, and their piece would be delivered to doorsteps and mailboxes across the province as part of The Guardian’s 2019 Christmas artwork contest.
Shannon Dunphy, the Grade 10 art teacher, said the style of art was her choice. Her class make linoleum prints – or linocuts.
“I find this project is very popular because it’s different,” she said.
Ivan and his classmates had to use chiselling tools to carve their festive images onto a sheet of linoleum.
“We were carving it to make a print, which we would press onto paper and show the reverse result,” he said.
“You had to think in reverse.”
He decided to model his artwork after an old family photograph during a P.E.I. winter.
The photo features himself, about four years old at the time, and his older brother, Erik, with a snowman outside their former house.
While he didn’t have the photograph on hand, he was able to recreate it from memory.
The scene reminded him of a peaceful time when he and Erik got along well.
“Before years of ‘brotherly love,’ you could say,” he said
Carving the linocut took him a couple days' worth of art classes.
“It was labour intensive,” he said. “You gotta take your time and not rush through it.”
His red linocut was officially selected as the contest’s winning artwork on Dec. 19.
Along with his piece being featured on today’s print of The Guardian, Stewart received a gift certificate for Michaels craft store in Charlottetown.
While all of the submissions from Three Oak’s art class were well done, Dunphy was impressed with Ivan’s.
He used his limited space effectively and he matched the contest theme with a meaningful scene, she said.
“He took the challenge in making a story out of it."
Also impressed was Henry Purdy, professional artist and contest judge. He kept returning to Ivan’s piece during the judging process.
With linocuts, everything that turns out white in the final product is what had to be carved into the linoleum surface, he said.
“That’s why this one is really good.”
Ivan's piece features large portions of the colour white, meaning it took time and precision to ensure the intricate outlines of his scene were realized.
“In fact, I’m quite amazed with that particular piece. It shows a lot of work was done,” Purdy said.
It was also marked 1/1, meaning it was Ivan’s first and only attempt at the linocut.
“(He) only made one print. This is it.”
Ivan has always enjoyed doodling in his sketchbook and was looking forward to seeing his winning piece on today’s front page.
The experience may influence him to keep being artistic, he said.
