Deena Dlusy-Apel, MA
- Part-time Instructor, Art Education
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Biography
What is Art Education in the 21st century?
"Art education can open many doors. Today medical students are urged to take art courses; engineers are told to look at the world from an artistic point of view. With art education many career opportunities are opening - in business, in museums, in schools... the possibilities are unlimited."
Describe your teaching philosophy.
"I really love activist art... you can get a lot of your political ideas expressed through art. But it has to be good art - just because it's political isn't going to mean that it can stand on its own. For teacher training I feel that there are certain basic things that have to be taught to everyone, but it's essential to understand that every student is going to have his own particular way of learning, and we have to try and reach each person in a different way, even though that can be very difficult in a classroom where everyone at some level does have to conform somewhat."
Deena Dlusy-Apel has been an educator all her adult life. After teaching pre-school for several years, she returned to teachers' college and then proceeded to teach high school English and art for more than 20 years. After early retirement, she returned to university, redid her BFA and completed an MA in art education. Throughout this time she continued to be an active visual artist.
Both in her teaching and in her art she has tried to convey the importance of social consciousness and the ability to express oneself politically through artwork. Because of her extensive experience in the classroom, she has enjoyed teaching and supervising the future art teachers in the art education program.
For twenty years she has been on the board of directors of Breast Cancer Action Montreal, an activist organization that promotes the importance of environmental links to breast cancer and other diseases. She gives presentations on this topic to various groups throughout the city.
She has published an article entitled "Activist Art in the Classroom" in The Canadian Art Teacher which showcased her work; one of her pieces has also appeared in the Women & Environments International magazine. She has presented many workshops on activist art in the classroom.
Exhibitions
2010 Women's Art Studio of Montreal, Centre Culturel George Vanier, honourable mention
2010 Women's Art Society of Montreal Annual Juried Art Show and Sale
2009: Women's Art Studio of Montreal, Centre Culturel George Vanier
2009: Coffee Art Show, Kokino
2008: Visual Art Centre, Juried Group Show
2008: 3-Women Group Show. Mile End Art Gallery. Entre Les Fleurs
2008: Women's Art Studio of Montreal First prize
2007 2006: Women's Art Studio of Montreal, Fraser-Hickson Library; honorable mention
2004: Concordia Homecoming Week, Vanier Library
2004: Maimonides Geriatric Centre, First Annual Art Exhibit
2003: Arts NDG group show
2003: Journée Internationale des Femmes La Peinture en Direct, Gelber Centre Montreal
2008 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 1994 and 1993: Art Auction for OMPAC Montreal
2002: Masters in Art Education Department Exhibit Concordia University, galerie de la ville centre des arts DDO
2002: Fundawear Show group exhibition, Center for Contemporary Art, Sacramento, CA
2002: "old stories, new takes" group exhibition, galerie de la ville centre des arts DDO
2002: Association of Jewish Artists group show, La Gallerie 1637 Montreal
2001: Association of Jewish Artists group show, Commensol
2001: Group Show The Nude at Arts NDG
2000: Solo Show on Breast Cancer at Gallery Gora
2000: "Adam/Eve" at Arts NDG
1999: Annual Professional Members' Exhibition Arts NDG
1999: The Toronto Outdoor Show Juried
1999: The Broken Fence Environmental Art Show, Polson Pier Gallery, Toronto
1998: Vending machine art (project of graduate student Melissa Gordon) University of Waterloo
1998: Women's Show for International Women's Week, Student Life Centre, University of Waterloo
1997: Miniature Show and Gallery Silent Auction, University of Waterloo
1991: Art Auction Saidye Bronfman Centre, Montreal
1983-1989: Saidye Bronfman Centre, Student Show, Montreal
1985: Curator of group show Centennial Regional High School Montreal
1974: One-Woman Show Brasserie Michel Montreal