Partners in art
The Art of Healing project at Ronald McDonald House opens a creative outlet for sick kids
For four days this spring, the sound of creativity wafted through the air from various corners of Ronald McDonald House in Toronto, a temporary home for children with medical conditions and their families who come from out of town.
You could hear it in the hiss of spray paint, the scrape of a palette knife, tape ripping, scissors snipping and brushes slapping canvas. And above it all, in the happy murmurs of 25 children as they smeared paint, smudged shaving cream and let their imaginations run wild.
A unique event was under way that brought kids ages 1 through 15 together with19 local artists to collaborate on original paintings, sculptures, drawings and collages. Their creations — bursting with colour, texture and personality — will be shown and sold at an exhibition for families and Ronald McDonald House donors called The Art of Healing on June 6.
“I’m a firm believer in the power of art in a therapeutic way, but also just to have fun,” says Toronto painter and sculptor Michael Vickers, 27, one of the brains behind the project.
“It was an exciting event at a difficult time for the kids.”
Among participants were a 5-year-old bone-marrow-transplant recipient and his older brother who was the donor, a liver transplant patient and siblings of children receiving cardiac and cancer treatment.
For the children, it was a chance to forget the daily hospital routine and immerse themselves in mixing burnt sienna with cerulean blue or cutting shapes to paste on canvas.
Dhvani Patel, 14, says collaborating on an acrylic landscape with illustrator and photographer Mike Pace taught her how to stretch her creative muscles.
“I’m going to try opening up more and doing new things now,” said Dhvani, who lives in Windsor and is awaiting a bone-marrow transplant.
“I might be scared, but I found out it’s actually really good to do that.”
Her framed “Mountain Sky” will be among the pieces on display, which blend the children’s own touches with the styles of their mentors.
The project itself was the result of collaboration, beginning with the vision of Vickers’ younger sister Laura Vickers, program co-ordinator at Ronald McDonald House. It took shape when the two siblings had dinner at her place a couple of months ago.
Michael is program manager at Akin Collective, which operates shared workspace for art- ists and brings art into the community. When he put the word out to the group’s 100 affiliates, response was overwhelming.
At “the House” when it was announced, kids couldn’t wait to sign up for the May sessions, says Laura. But the children weren’t the only ones to reap rewards.
“It’s just as exciting for all the artists,” says Vickers, who remembers what a big moment it was the first time he saw one of his own pieces framed and hanging in an exhibit.
“It’s been amazing to work with kids and be rejuvenated, seeing things through their excited lens.”
Akin founder Oliver Pauk says the project was a natural fit for the collective and he hopes it will inspire the young participants.
“From my experiences as a child, I know how much impact that can have and how it can stick with you forever,” says Pauk, 32.
Paul and Vickers hope Saturday’s The Art of Healing will be the first of many.