Art for Everyone
Artist in residence at Misericordia Health Centre
2018 - present
Misericordia Health Centre (MHC) offers Transitional/Restorative Care to a diverse population of adults, many who live with various forms of physical and cognitive disability. Each week, with the assistance of a team of local artists -myself, Natalie Baird and Toby Gillies and Recreation Professionals, the residents gather to make art.
Art For Everyone has given residents the opportunity to have meaningful engagement with each other around the art table, and the surrounding community through collaboration with youth and public art show events. For residents at MHC art making can be a powerful and affirming activity, that addresses their need to assert themselves as individuals, connect to community, and exercise their independece. It’s also just a wonderful way to spend a bit of time. The program, started by Toby Gillies, has been running from 2013 until the present with many different iterations.
2019-2020
How to Do What you Do to be You
During the few in-person art making gatherings, we shared and celebrated resident’s individual’s skills, desires, and life-long experiences. We collected advice, instructions and special tips through drawing and storytelling and then designed a printed collection that you can read here:
In lue of the restrictions around the Covid-19 pandemic, we could only hold few in-person workshops. In late 2020, we delivered the printed collection along with art supplies, so that the current residents can engage in art making with the help of the Recreation Staff.
With the generous support of the Manitoba Arts Council and in partnership with the MHC’s Recreation Department.
