Workshops
Stories & Mixed Media Portraits
with Amanta Scott
In conjunction with her exhibition Eyeing Medusa, Toronto-based artist Amanta Scott conducts an afternoon of discussion and artmaking. Eyeing Medusa is an exhibition of encaustic portraits which celebrates visionary women of all ages, orientations, cultures and walks of life making a difference in our world today. The workshop starts with an in-depth talk and tour of the exhibition while touching on the urgent social issues that drove Amanta to complete this body of work. Amanta then guides participants through creation of their own mixed media portrait, either literal or symbolic, of a person who has made a difference in their lives.
Workshop at Orillia Museum of Art & History
Workshop at Greenhaven Shelter for Women
Sharing Our Stories
through art & Conversation
Exploring the contents of a suitcase to create personally significant art installations and share stories.
Creating paintings inspired by a person, creature, object, photograph or story that touches your heart.
Designed and directed by Canadian Artist, Amanta Scott, SHARING OUR STORIES workshops bring together people of all ages, cultures and socio/economic backgrounds to share and explore diverse perspectives, choice, perception, memory and the subconscious — through conversation, storytelling, performance, interactive sculpture installations, and painting.
Cultivating empathy, compassion and teamwork, SHARING OUR STORIES workshops empower participants to listen to and connect with others; and to express themselves through art.
A powerful catalyst for developing intensely personal, thoughtful, revealing and insightful installations by participants of all ages, the workshops create a forum for creative expression and release.
Stories in a Suitcase
What's Been Said
The objects remind me of many things: War, sadness for the death of many innocent lives. The toys give me much sadness for all those innocent child orphans. Thanks for this beautiful dynamic.
A suitcase. A jumble of keys.
Locked? Unlocked?
What does the suitcase signify?
What do you see?
Students engaging with objects from a suitcase in Amanta Scott’s workshop for Parallel Lines at Kirkland Lake District Composite School
what’s been said
Painting From The Heart
Intercultural Workshops in Toronto
Amanta conducted three 1-hour workshops for New Canadian young mothers — at Rexdale Community Hub. Participants spoke Farsee, Hindi, Arabic, Twi, Urdu, Spanish, French and English.
Intercultural Workshops in Kirkland Lake
Amanta conducted five 3-hour workshops for participants from Beaverhouse First Nation; Canadian Mental Health Association, Cochrane - Temiskaming Branch; and Kirkland Lake District Composite School.
Encaustic Painting Workshops
15 Minutes of Fame
in-gallery workshop
“In the suitcase thingy I found my past, present and possibilities of future things.”
Amy — participant in 15 Minutes of Fame installation and workshop with Parallel Lines exhibition - Museum of Northern History
“For me, the bed represents my own internal prison and the sense of alienation I have felt in the world around me.
The paintings are an effective manifestation of my own internal struggles.
It’s comforting to know others experience similar discomfort.
We are all alone together.”
LyAnne - visitor/participant in 15 Minutes of Fame installation with Parallel Lines exhibition - Museum of Northern History; Counsellor with Canadian Mental Health Association
Matthew - participant in 15 Minutes of Fame installation with Parallel Lines exhibition - Museum of Northern History
“Before I was born my biological dad threatened my mom to kill her and I. So she ran away. My adoptive father was an alcoholic who was empty. Then he met my mom and I and then he was fun. When my brother was born her introduced me to my native cultures. The beads is my and Keara’s friendship. Even though we have different stories we still formed a bond.”
Sky-Lynn — visitor/participant in 15 Minutes of Fame installation with Parallel Lines exhibition - Museum of Northern History
Storytelling
Stories from Amanta
— perspectives and adventures —
WORKSHOPS ARE DESIGNED TO:
cultivate compassion, learning and understanding through feeling and knowing
open doors to empathy and compassion through storytelling and sharing
bridge cultural, linguistic and generational gaps
enable people to see aspects themselves through others’ stories and creations
further intercultural awareness and understanding through listening, feeling and doing
provide a safe environment where people may express themselves and be heard
motivate personal expression through the arts
combat loneliness, isolation and alienation
connect people through play, storytelling, song, movement, painting, performance, and laughter
empower and enable us to appreciate new values, priorities and perspectives
develop awareness of subconscious bias through collaborative activities
demonstrate the power of the arts to communicate and explore relevant personal issues
present multiple options, avenues and vehicles for communicating through the arts
explore tools for coping with depression and present alternatives to substance abuse, self-harm and suicide
deepen personal connections with the arts
demonstrate why the arts matter
deepen public engagement with art
bring together people of all ages, cultural backgrounds and abilities, including: seniors, adults, youth, children, Indigenous people, newcomers, disenfranchised individuals and people with special needs
include people speaking in up to eight languages. Translators are welcomed (Amanta speaks English and Spanish; basic French and some Japanese)
Other Workshops with Amanta Scott
This intercultural workshop brings together people of all ages, cultures and walks of life, to explore and discuss the meanings of the lyrics of each others’ culturally significant songs, and then sing them in each others’ languages.
Conducted with Bengali, Chinese, Tamil, West Indian, Ethiopian and Spanish Participants, this workshop was hosted by Harmony Hall Centre for Seniors in Toronto, resulted in a three-year program and culminated in several successful public performances. Read more
This workshop brings together people of various cultures to discuss the similarities, differences and varying interpretations of symbols occurring in weaving patterns
Participants discover hidden gems and delicious treats in previously unexplored neighbourhood restaurants. Here, Participants may also tour the kitchen, meet the chef, discuss the making and presentation of the food, and experience the art and music of the culture as they dine.
The Chef speaks with Participants at Hirut Restaurant on the Danforth in Toronto.
Designed for arts schools, this workshop introduces young participants to the basics of syncretic art, integrating visual art, music, theatre and dance.
pictured here: workshop participants performing at TASIS school in Dorado, Puerto Rico
a performance workshop designed to honour and illuminate aspects of the refugee experience, commissioned by UNHCR
This workshop empowers participants to find their own interpretations of artworks; create personal responses to artworks through sound and movement; and use an art exhibition as a catalyst for presentations integrating voice, percussion, sound, movement and visual arts.
First offered during the exhibition of Lockdown and 15 Minutes of Fame at Art Gallery of Algoma this workshop was conducted with the public twice daily throughout a 3-week period.
Rooted in stories of our lives, this workshop enables participants to develop powerful choreography, music and performances.
pictured here: Shellshock performance presented at Music Gallery, Toronto, and developed in collaboration with University Settlement House Choir
A 6 month Syncretic Art project commissioned by HRDC - Human Resources Development Canada - for 16 youth deemed to be "at risk" in the City of Kawartha Lakes.
Through daily workshops in a wide range of artistic disciplines the youth developed a series of performances — integrating sound, voice, movement and sculpture —which toured to over 25 seniors' homes, festivals, fairs and art galleries across Central Ontario.
Designed for university level participants in arts colleges, this workshop explores multiple interpretations of liminal space, interpreting the symbol of the doorway through the creation of found object sound sculptures with sound, movement and performance.
pictured here: participants consider their installation addressing the takeover of Hong Kong by China and the potential situations that might result, at Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts
Designed for arts schools, this workshop empowers Participants to express powerful emotions through sound and movement.
pictured here: student performance at Claude Watson School for the Arts
This workshop brings together people of all ages and cultures to share stories and explore common phrases and expressions.
Cultivating unity in diversity this workshop was first conducted with Ethiopian, Burmese, Spanish and First Nations people in Toronto.
Dragon Tango features two dragon sound sculptures created entirely out of found objects.
In conjunction with exhibitions of these works, Syncretic Art workshops were offered twice daily over a six-week period for school groups and the general public following exhibitions of Dragon Tango at the Edmonton Art Gallery and Royal Ontario Museum.
Students also participated in the initial stages of Glove Forest, donating single gloves accompanied by messages of hope and pledges to protect the environment.
Arising Phoenix features a sound sculpture of a magical phoenix created in performance.
pictured here: installation at National Gallery of Canada
workshops introduce participants to found object sculptures and performance
Syncretic Art workshops were offered following performances of Arising Phoenix and Dragon Tango in theatres — including Yilan Cultural Centre Theatre, Taiwan; Academy Theatre, Lindsay; and Market Hall, Peterborough.
To the delight of the audience and performers alike, the performance of Arising Phoenix at the Yilan Cultural Centre Theatre culminated in an impromptu jam-session with members of the Taiwanese National Orchestra.
For more information contact Amanta Scott, Artistic Director: Leading Tone Arts Productions Inc.
For information regarding other workshops by Amanta Scott
click here
Conducted in communities, schools, offices, art galleries and museums — the workshops are guaranteed to generate lively discussion and laughter.
Leading Tone Arts Productions is a not-for-profit charitable arts organization dedicated to promoting the arts, cultivating unity in diversity; generating intercultural awareness and understanding; and educating through installations, exhibitions, workshops and performances.
The support of our friends, community partners, patrons and sponsors enables us to touch the minds and hearts of people of all ages, cultural and socio-economic backgrounds.
Some of these workshops were made possible through the generous support of:

