St. Albert’s Andrea Daly doesn’t just teach art at Hillgrove School. She also empowers young artists to explore their creativity and build confidence by creating art for charity fundraisers.
Currently, her Grade 8 and Grade 9 art classes have two Christmas projects on the go. Sixteen Grade 8 students are working on Art from the Heart, a painted series of five-inch by seven-inch greeting cards sold in boxed sets.
Proceeds from the sale go directly to St. Albert Sturgeon Hospice Association to fund volunteer programs that support individuals living with a life-limiting illness.
Grade 9 students instead were tasked with developing a colouring book titled “Imagine,” a project where they could allow their imaginations to soar on a new adventure. Each student sketched an original piece of black-on-white art. The books have a glossy cover and are filled with 40 pieces of original art waiting to be coloured.
When Daly announced Art in the Heart, she also provided photographs from the St. Albert Photography Club as inspiration. Students could then take elements from the photos and add their own feelings about hospice and palliative care.
“Each piece reflects their unique perspective on compassion, support and the importance of quality life,” said Daly in an email.
After catching up with three of the Grade 8 students, it was obvious they’d poured their heart into this project working on different themes, drawing individual designs and using different materials.
Using paint pens, Téa Gagnon, 13, depicted a cluster of snowflakes falling on seven rainbow coloured spruce trees. Penny Blackburn, 13, chose to paint a pillowy bear stuffie lying on a table with plants growing behind it. And Olivia Sokol, 13, adapted acrylic and pencil crayons to depict two friends walking down a snowy hill holding a teddy bear between them.
“I wanted to show that people are not alone. I wanted to show there is hope for people in hospice,” said Olivia.
Téa added, “I have a grandma and she has a neurodegenerative disorder. She moved out of house two years ago. And this spoke to me. I know my grandma isn’t getting better. She taught me to paint and it was important to bring something light and cartoony to a world where it’s hard to talk about these things.”
Penny closed by saying, “ I hope this makes a difference and brings some sort of joy to people. This is really to say those things.”
Other images included a grandparent walking with a grandchild, two hands holding each other, SASHA’s Christmas tree light-up and people in a forest.
While Grade 8s were restricted to painting from photographic inspiration, the Grade 9 art project was free to incorporate its wildest dreams in the colouring book. However, participants kept it quite tame.
Isla Schellenberg, 14, popped out a mushroom house. Clara McMurchy, 14, depicted an aquatic dragon in a coral reef with little critters. And Sierra Kozun, 14, got creative with a unicorn riding a motorcycle.
“This project is unique. It’s such a big topic but it allows us to do what we want. It allows you to take your best art and put it in the book,” said Isla.
“It’s a little hard. There's so much to pick from. But I like the purpose of donating to Mustard Seed. I like encouraging people to buy it because it gets the money to people who need it the most,” Sierra said.
In 2023, the colouring book earned about $800. In one year, it peaked at $1,500.
Clara, who created her intricate art digitally, enjoys the fewer constraints of computers.
“It’s neat to make something people buy and colour and enjoy. It’s nice to make something real that is good too,” added Clara.
A pack of eight cards is $20 while a pack of $16 is $35. Orders are accepted online until Nov. 22. Call Heidi Evans at SASHA, 587-921-1345.
Colouring books are $8. The deadline to order is Monday, Nov. 11. Call Daly at École Hillgrove School, 780-459-4456.
