Lynda Hattin, Assistant Curriculum Leader for the Visual & Media Arts program at Wexford, was recognized on May 1, 2019 at the Textile Museum in Toronto by the Ontario Art Education Association (OAEA).
The criteria for the award included excellence in art education at the secondary school level as well as leadership and contributions to art education at the school and the larger community.
Lynda’s vision of art and education blending together can be seen in her dedication to creating displays remembering social injustice. Every year leading up to December 6, Lynda sets up an art piece at the school entrance foyer with the names of the fourteen female students murdered at L’Ecolé Polytechnique and an explanation about the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women. We have also had powerful and thought-provoking displays for the October 4th National Day of Action for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.
At our school, Lynda goes to considerable personal effort to ensure that the rich talent of artists are afforded ample space for recognition. She coordinated a makeover of the foyer of the Library Resource Centre in 2015 to create a permanent gallery space for staff and students within the school. The Peter Marsh Gallery was created and named in recognition of her former mentor and art leader at Wexford.
With the support of Lynda, students at Wexford are afforded opportunities to participate in art-related competitions and demonstrate the skills they are learning from the Special Series Visual & Media Arts program. Student artwork has been highlighted at the 2018 MARTK’D Sneaker Design National Tournament, selected for display at the 2015 Pan Am Games in the Athletes Village, hung in Toronto City Hall for Deputy Mayor Norm Kelly, and printed in the Toronto Star.