By Charlotte Mooder and Albert Lightstone

As we are now in our 110th season, it’s obvious that our current roster of volunteers is not the same as that of 1913. We are so fortunate that a new generation of youth is interested in the arts whether it be theatre or visual media and we are always thrilled when they approach us to volunteer with the OLT. It’s always extra special when they do so in collaboration with a parent or guardian enabling one generation to pass on the mantle to the next.

During the run of The Book of Will we have not one, but five, young people displaying their artistic skills. In this week’s blog we are highlighting the work of Charlotte Mooder whose mother is Carrie de Greef. Both Carrie and Charlotte, as a mother/daughter team, have recently worked as members of the properties crew in three of our productions.

Where do you go to school? What are you studying? What’s your goal for your degree, etc.?

I attend Canterbury High School in Ottawa. I’m currently a full-time student.

I’m studying in the Canterbury Visual Arts Programme. In this programme I am taught skills in a range of art mediums including drawing, painting, pottery, printmaking, photography and digital art. I have a goal of attending a post secondary programme that involves art.

How did you get into art?

I attribute my passion for art to my older cousin. She herself is an artist and from a young age I was fascinated by her work. I remember wanting to be able to draw “just like her”.

What type of art do you do?

I dabble in a variety of art styles and mediums, and I feel like my artistic identity aligns with “sty less”. I like feeling free to experiment, never restricting myself to a linear process of creating. In subject matter, I love making fan art for media I enjoy. I find it to be an outlet of self expression for my interests.

What is your favourite piece on display. Why? Is there a background story behind it?

My favourite piece on display is the one titled “Death Request Fake Movie Poster”. The artwork is fan art for a band called Tally Hall. During their active years which ran 2002 – 2011, the group created an online show titled The “Tally Hall Internet Show”. The episodes consisted of short comedic skits. This artwork is a fan-made movie poster for the second episode “Death Request”. I love this piece because I feel like I accomplished my goal of capturing the skit’s story through the composition.

How are you associated with the theatre? Have you ever done any work at the OLT?

I started my volunteer work at the OLT for my school community volunteer hours. Around the same time as I was expressing interest in helping here, my mother, Carrie de Greef, was also looking to volunteer. So we decided this was something we could do together. During our time here, we’ve volunteered helping with props, as dressers and even flyers on a few productions (Burn, Witness for the Prosecution and Holmes and Watson).

What do you think of the OLT?

I enjoy being involved with the OLT. I think it’s rare to find places with such passion for their projects.

Thank you, Charlotte. You are very talented. We appreciate all you have done for the OLT. We look forward to seeing you around the theatre in the near future and good luck with your studies.

Please visit the Young Talents Exhibit at the Spotlight Gallery in the Janigan Studio before the show and during the intermission.