It has been an incredible pleasure to watch Katarina work with our youth, some of which were the more difficult youth to manage… She has an amazing rapport with all the kids and staff alike. In all my years in corrections I have never witnessed an individual with such a powerful connection with the clients we work with.
– Katherine Solkowski, Volunteer and Program Coordinator, Burnaby Youth Custody Centre
I appreciated your honesty and openess about your own experiences. I had a lot of fun drawing, hadn’t drawn since I was little.
– Criminology Student (Restorative Justice), Simon Fraser University
Made me think about different learning styles… drawing is therapeutic!
– Criminology Student (Restorative Justice), Simon Fraser University
The thing I appreciated most about your work was that you remain open and non-judgmental with every student so that they are free to express their deepest, inner-most thoughts. Even in our classroom, where we all insisted we were NOT artists, you encouraged us and we all ended up creating our own little works of art that I think we were all quite proud of.
– Criminology Student (CRIM 417), Simon Fraser University
I’m very proud of the artwork I made during your visit.
– K., Criminology Student (Safe Schools & Community), Simon Fraser University
I feel like I really appreciate the use of art for restorative practices, especially by getting to experience it myself.
– C., Criminology Student (Safe Schools & Community), Simon Fraser University
One of the best classes I’ve had at SFU.
– L., Criminology Student (Safe Schools & Community), Simon Fraser University
I never knew I could draw so well.
– J., Criminology Student (Safe Schools & Community), Simon Fraser University
Katarina Thorsen showed me how I could change.
– C.M., Criminology Student (CRIM 417), Simon Fraser University
Since you use art or a creative approach to help these youths, I have decided to add my own creative approach to represent restorative justice and how I view it.
– Criminology Student (CRIM 417), Simon Fraser University
The two drawings you taught the class were very meaningful. I especially like the second drawing of the boy as my drawing is not that bad. My self-esteem on artwork has raised after I see the results of my drawings and I realized that I can actually draw a person with their eyes, ears, nose and mouth neatly located and structured. While we are drawing, I believe I have the sense of something you talked about in how art work open dialogue. When the class was drawing, unintentional laughs and jokes are created by students. The laughs and jokes are opportunities for students to interact in a comfortable way. You also inspire me that I can turn my passion, in your case art, into something I can do as a job.
– J.W., Criminology Student (CRIM 417), Simon Fraser University
Your work with teenagers should be the lead story of every newspaper! I am a Recreation Therapist on a Level IV prison located in Los Angeles County and a lot of these guys could have warded off the boredom and anger of being a teenager by making art. Thank you for changing lives- you are an inspiration!
– L. T.
