Macdonald Elementary students put some top notch art on display earlier this month at the Britannia Art Gallery. The exhibit "Ancient Here to Now" showcased paintings created under the supervision of Artist-in-Residence Susan McCallum, who worked closely with Grade 7 students to develop their water colour skills.

The results were eclectic and vibrant depictions of the flourishing ancient civilizations of North America. Many of the students at Macdonald were inspired by their own Aboriginal backgrounds. To get the creative juices flowing, the students attended workshops at the Museum of Anthropology about the archeology of Metro Vancouver. They also spent a considerable amount of time studying maps of BC and traditional First Nations territories as well as exploring the SFU archeology website.

Each student then chose a photograph of the traditional territory of the First Nation that they had studied. Some students posed for shadow cut-outs. Others used acrylic paints on wood to create the background of the shadow cut outs.

Macdonald teacher Joyita Rubin says it is her hope that the art exhibit "Ancient Here to Now" helps transform the way people consider ancient culture education.