we are all

artists now

ABOUT THE CLUB

Otter Art Club is a youth art collective that was founded in 2018 by Acclaimed Ojibwe Artist & Filmmaker Travis Shilling and his partner Professional Photographer Naomi Woodman. 

In their small hometown of Orillia and the Chippewas of Rama First Nation they founded Otter Art Club as a way to give back to their communities. In their personal studio they offered youth the opportunity to explore their limitless creative side while giving them access to professional grade artist materials. Instead of telling their students what to do with their time, they gave them the freedom to pick their own subject matter which allowed them to develop their own style of working. At Otter Art Club we strongly believe that art is not a subject, but a way to understanding who we are.   

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Over the past two years Travis & Naomi built the club from small groups at the studio to a waiting list for classes, workshops at both elementary and high schools, collaborations with their local Youth Centre and also provided free workshops at the Men’s Shelter Building Hope. 

When COVID-19 caused them to close their studio and cancel all their classes and workshops this spring, they looked for new ways to connect.  Instead of focusing on all the things they couldn’t do anymore, they looked for new ways to create and began developing an interactive arts program called Bear Builds a Beaver Dam.

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This exciting and unique program will launch later this fall and covers everything from art, music, the land we live on, the animals that surround us and the ways to stay positive and creative during the most challenging times.  Bear Builds a Beaver Dam delivers a universal message of hope and for the first time ever Otter Art Club will be welcoming all ages to our online programs, because we are all artists now!

“All children are born artists, the problem is to

remain an artist as we grow up"

                   PABLO PICASSO   

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"We are all artists now" 

TRAVIS SHILLING