How did a piece of art change your life?

Originally aired October 25, 2014

Whether it's a world famous masterpiece or a crude crayon drawing lovingly made by your children, there's no doubt about it: the right piece of art can knock your socks off. 

Wanda Koop is one of Canada's most celebrated contemporary artists. She's had her work shown at the National Gallery in Ottawa and all over the world. Wanda can trace her desire to be an artist back to a specific moment when she was just nine years old, and later on in life, she kickstarted Art City, a groundbreaking art centre for inner-city kids in Winnipeg. (Image Courtesy: Winnipeg Art Gallery and Wanda Koop) 

Musician Kinnie Starr has been making art and music for a long time. But early on in her career, she hit a roadblock... and nearly gave up on art altogether. She'll explain how a painting from a man named Fritz Scholder helped her get back on track. (Image Courtesy: Ralph and Ricky Lauren) 

When Sook-Yin was a teenager, her parents never let her take art classes in high school. So when she moved out and started anew, she jumped at the chance to sign up for the first art class she could find. But it didn't turn out quite as she had expected... 

Petra Collins is a photographer and curator from Toronto. A lot of her work explores the reality of life as a teenage girl. Her art has been called 'unapologetically feminist' and at 22-years-old she already has a widely successful practice. But last year Petra posted a photo to her Instagram (the photo you see on the left) that caused her account to be deleted - throwing her into a whirlwind of controversy. Read Petra's response essay here. (Photo Courtesy: Petra Collins)

Felix Masemann-Gray, like many kids, is a prolific artist, but he's causing a conundrum for his parents: what to do with all his masterpieces? His mom Alison will be on the show to tell us what tips she got when she started to ask other art-attacked parents for advice.

Charles Bastien used to steal artwork from hotels and sell them for booze money. But when he landed in jail, Charles discovered he had a talent for drawing. Last year, his artwork was featured in an exhibit called "The Artist Inside: Removing Barriers Through Art" at the Nina Haggerty Galllery in Edmonton.

Tom Wilson is known for his music, but it was art that he turned to when he had to kick a destructive habit.

Sook-Yin visits Art City Toronto to find out why kids love making art. 8-year old Hzaifa says: 'I feel free and fun - like draw anything I want and it turns out it looks pretty cool.'

Plus, public art: tumbs up or thumbs down? Sook-Yin encounters an array of reactions to a public art installation and talks to a security guard whose job is to protect it... and what happens when drunk hooligans climb it at night.

When  Kal Barteski posted an image on her blog, she never imagined it would be shared millions of times -and be sold by major brands without her permission. (Photo Courtesy: Kal Barteski) 

For over two decades Winnipeg-based artist Aganetha Dyck has made extraordinary sculptures. She takes found objects like discarded hockey pads, Barbie dolls, shoes and porcelain figurines, then re-imagines them with the help of her unlikely collaborators -- honey bees! 

Gibril Bangura lived as a street boy in Sierra Leone until he was 12. During that time, he discovered art by drawing in the sand with a stick. Now living in Winnipeg he says that art saved his life.

This week's playlist:
Jonathan Richman - Vincent Van Gogh
Kinnie Starr - I'll Be Fine
Chromeo - Jealous (I Ain't With It)
Grimes - Oblivion
Lee Harvey Osmond - Oh Linda
Rah Rah - Art & A Wife
Katy Perry - Firework
Oh Susanna - Wait Until The Sun Comes Up
Jason Collett - When The War Came Home