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Samantha Walker has had a deep interest in art since childhood. “I’ve been an artist my whole life. My mom had a huge influence on me because she went to fashion school,” reflects Walker. “I studied early childhood education at Ryerson and then worked for the YMCA childcare program.” At the YMCA, she started creating art with the children and found joy in that aspect of her job. Through this experience, Walker decided to bridge her passions for art and working with children—The Art Lab was born.

The Art Lab is a process-based art studio, meaning that the focus is more on the process of creating art than on the end result. It’s about falling in love with the journey and not getting too caught up in where it leads. Walker was inspired by her time at the YMCA to incorporate aspects of the ‘play to learn’ strategy. It encourages children to actively explore ways to problem solve through play and creativity. It also helps children develop social and cognitive skills and gain self-confidence required to engage in new experiences.

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