Roots and Rhymes with Sydonne Warren & Nastassia Aikman

Every child has a unique experience of the world and a story to tell. How do we share these stories? How do we stay true to ourselves and celebrate what makes us different and special?

As part of Esker’s ongoing RELATIONS Engagement Series we invite children aged 8-12 to explore their stories, creativity and identity with local artist Sydonne Warren and poet Nastassia Aikman in a two-part writing, art-making and performance workshop.

Participants will be led in a response to Manuel Mathieu’s compelling painting, ST-Jak 3. This powerful piece expresses Manuel’s identity and the story Haiti, the land that he comes from. Children will be encouraged to reflect on their roots through a series of activities that will explore what keeps us grounded, and how we connect with the people and things around us.

Nastassia Aikman fell in love with poetry as a small child growing up in rural Jamaica. The iconic Jamaican poet and folklorist, Louise Bennett-Coverley influenced her craft and soon Nastassia began writing and performing her own poems. Nastassia is a performing artist who mainly writes in her Jamaican dialect, “Patois” and can be found performing her pieces in and around the city of Calgary at various events.

Sydonne Warren is a Jamaican-Canadian artist specializing in large-scale expressive paintings, murals, and digital design. Her artwork often showcases high contrast subjects, bold colour palettes, and a mixture of expressive strokes, drips and rigid lines. Her themes reflect her experiences as a Jamaican-Canadian immigrant, woman and mother. She uses her perspective to share her desire for the African diaspora to occupy, impact and own space.