On September 30th, the Philippine Centre Canada (PCC), organized a Silkscreen Printing workshop in collaboration with POSSIBLE WORLDS (an art, music, and publishing platform) at the SAW Gallery in Ottawa as part of the “Promoting Mental Health and Well-being Among Filipino-Canadian Youth Through Art and Music” project, which is funded by the Public Health Agency of Canada through the Canadian Red Cross. Each participant had the opportunity to create their own screen-printed art on paper, T-shirts, and tote bags. The workshop was a huge success, and we would like to take this opportunity to highlight the facilitators who made this event possible – Melanie Yugo, artist, and Nicole Araneta-Sudiacal, counselor.
Melanie Yugo is a Filipina-Canadian artist, educator, and policy researcher. She has a multidisciplinary practice that explores cultural expression and identity, diasporic storytelling, community engagement and care, and institutional transformation through a decolonized lens. She co-founded and directs POSSIBLE WORLDS. Born in Toronto, she is based in Ottawa.

Nicole Araneta-Sudiacal is a Filipino community organizer with Migrante Ottawa, mother, and constant learner. She is a Conflict Studies & Human Rights graduate who is passionate about equity, migrant rights and patient rights, and overall collective community engagement to transform the societies in which we live in. Nicole has long experience working with youth as group facilitator and mentor.

Melanie started the workshop with a tour of her studio, POSSIBLE WORLDS, whose mission is to empower people without a platform or a voice to express themselves. She presented professionally made zines and screenprints to inspire the youth in making their own later in the workshop. Zines are small-circulation, self-published work of original or appropriated texts and images. Participants were given magazines, pencils, markers, and stickers to write and share whatever they wanted. Working in groups, some wrote about sports and others wrote about the natural environment.

The screen-printing activity started after lunch. After an thorough tutorial, the youth were divided into three teams and asked to draw a design on paper that reflected something they all enjoyed. One team created a “Nature’s Friends” design, one created a race car design, and the last created a fast-food design. The designs were then transferred to the silkscreens. The participants printed on paper, T-shirts, and tote bags.
We can’t wait to see these beautiful silkscreen printed pieces proudly displayed at our upcoming Youth Art Showcase, EKSPRESYON, on December 4, 5:00-8:00 pm at the Jackson Café, Ottawa Art Gallery!
See you there!!!