Cirque du Soleil is back in town next week, and Penticton Secondary School art teacher Shauna Reid has jumped on the chance to create art around the colourful, fantastical performance.
She first did the project in 2015 when Cirque brought Varekai to the South Okanagan Events Centre. This year, it’s a different challenge for the students with Cirque’s new show, Crystal, which is coming to Penticton April 18 to 22.
“There is always amazing costumes, and acrobatics and colours, so lots to work with when it comes to creating a piece of artwork,” said Reid. “The kids get to learn a bit about marketing a big show like this and all that entails: framing their pieces, putting a show together and then talking to media, which is not always easy.”
“They had to design paintings that went with the theme Crystal. We had the trailer for the show to work off, and then some stills that Cirque du Soleil provided us of the characters and some of the things they are going to be doing and what the sets looked like,” said Reid. “That’s really all we had to go off. We’re hopeful that we have done the show justice.
“Cirque du Soleil is world-renowned production, so to be part of that has been really exciting for all of us.”
Regan Shorrock’s painting shows crystals intertwined with ropes.
“They have these ropes that come down that they use in their show, and I really wanted to put that in my piece. So I based it off that and added the crystals,” said Shorrock, adding the end result wasn’t quite what she expected. “It’s different from what I was originally expecting, but I would say I liked it better.”
The students’ art will be a part of the experience for people going to the show.
“That’s the best part. Once they’ve been on display here for the next couple of days, they are going to be moved to the SOEC. They will be on display in the Hockey Hall of Fame for the duration of the show, from April 18 all the way to the 22nd,” said Carla Seddon, SOEC marketing director.
“We do hope that people, during the intermission or before the show, take a walk around the SOEC and take a look at them. These students have been working very hard on them.”