Every Thursday evening at Remai Modern, young people gather to explore their creativity, build new skills, and connect with like-minded peers. This spring at a watercolour workshop led by Métis artist Dylan Primeau, youth were guided through a creative process that helped encourage their own personal expression.
The Importance of Creativity in Youth Development
For Primeau, art has been a lifelong passion. It was nurtured from a young age by his grandfather, an oil painter. While oil painting remains foundational, Primeau’s artistic journey expanded to include watercolours. “Watercolour kind of offers me an opportunity for happy mistakes,” he shared, explaining how this style gives him the freedom to embrace unpredictability.
For Primeau, the Youth Art Night workshop was not just a chance to teach but to connect with young artists. Despite some initial shyness with the group of youth, the workshop became a meaningful experience, demonstrating art’s power to break down barriers and create connections.
Building Confidence Through Artistic Expression
“The biggest thing that I’ve learned is not to teach what to paint, but how to paint,” Primeau explained. His philosophy encourages self-expression and helps youth develop their artistic voice.
Primeau’s own experiences as a tattoo artist and visual artist have taught him the value of freedom in the creative process, an idea he eagerly shared with the youth. “The most important takeaway is showing kids that the physicality of creating art is a way of forming reality… That the stuff that’s in their imagination can become a reality on the page.”
Cultural Connection and Mentorship
A key aspect of Youth Art Night is its focus on Indigenous arts, offering youth a chance to connect with local mentors and learn about cultural traditions. Primeau’s Métis heritage plays a significant role in his work, especially in his most recent pieces.
“It’s just going back to the stories that my Elders told me,” he said. These stories are visualized through bold lines and vibrant colours, techniques of the Woodland art style he learned from Indigenous artists like Norval Morrisseau and Jean Paul Langlois.
Through workshops like the one Primeau led, youth gain exposure to a variety of artistic styles and techniques, broadening their understanding of art’s cultural significance.
Looking to the Future
Primeau’s advice to young artists is simple: “Don’t stop looking.”
The journey of finding one’s artistic voice is an evolving process, requiring openness and persistence. “Art is not about finding your spot and staying in that lane forever. It’s an evolution.”
For the youth of Youth Art Night, this workshop was just one of many opportunities to discover their creative potential, explore new forms of self-expression, and connect with professional artists.
Help us keep creativity accessible for everyone
About Youth Art Night
Youth Art Night is a free drop-in program that runs every Thursday from 4–6 PM at Remai Modern in Saskatoon. Designed for youth aged 14–20, the program offers a welcoming and inclusive space to experiment with various art forms and connect with professional artists. All supplies are provided. In addition to regular sessions, Youth Art Night invites guest artists like Primeau to lead specialized workshops.
For more information on Youth Art Night, please check out the events page on our website.
Youth Art Night is presented by TD Bank Group through the TD Ready Commitment.