Bring healing art to kids in medical crisis

Put a little clay in front of a child and see what happens. That’s what CHAP art teachers Maxine and Carolyn do so frequently and they are dazzled every single time. Lucca (age 3) came to the Play Room at Doernbecher Children’s Hospital and choose to warmed up with some Model Magic clay. For the little ones like Lucca, the art experience becomes a touch-and-feel experiment of sorts. The clay is so satisfying in this way. Lucca pokes in a couple bright feathers. Maxine shapes a pipecleaner into a corkscrew for him. Lucca accepts the offer. CHAP savors these art exchanges. It doesn’t take long to see the interaction is bringing some glimmers of joy to a hard stay on the pediatric hematology / oncology floor. And who is right beside Lucca? His devoted mother, our next artist.

Children’s Healing Art Project (CHAP) is truly for children of all ages. When a child is sick, it affects the whole family. Our non-profit feels so strongly about inviting everyone to the table to make art. For 17 years now, CHAP has been inviting parents, siblings, friends and cousins to the art table. Each person needs their own kind of healing and CHAP wants them all to feel welcome, whether it’s at our joyful art studio in Portland or in one of our hospital programs. It is very common for CHAP to work with as many children as grown-ups. We very much want to keep the parents afloat during these difficult hospital stays. Lucca’s mom takes a shine to beading and creates many beautiful bracelets for her family members. Carolyn and Maxine see her shoulders relax a little bit as she builds her design and engages in conversation with them.

Lucca moves onto his next project: painting. This indicates a good day for this young man. What a relief for his mother to see him comfortable enough to paint. The founder of CHAP, Frank Etxaniz, really wanted to create a space where the children could shift out of their role as hospital patient and move into the role of child, if not for just a few minutes. Frank’s goal was to take people’s nervous energy and help them translate it into creative energy. Time and time again, CHAP witnesses the healing power of art.

Lucca gets a thumbprint of red tempera paint on his forehead. CHAP finds this very endearing. He’s hard at work, dipping his paintbrush (and truth be told, his fingertips) into the palette of colors before him. Carolyn hands him some interesting paint tools and he just drags them across the paint and onto the paper. CHAP just sits back and watches it all unfold. Our philosophy is more about facilitating art and less about teaching art. The children rarely need prompting.

“The object is not to make art, but to be in the wonderful state which makes art inevitable.”

           -        Robert Henri, The Art Spirit

CHAP is honored to work with families like Lucca’s. We hold dear all the laughter, tears, stories, and smiles. With one trusty art cart, CHAP art teachers Carolyn and Maxine can sprinkle so much positive energy at OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital. Know that your donation to CHAP on GlobalGiving will help us purchase more clay and paint for kids like Lucca. Help us build a wonderful state in which art is “inevitable”.

Links:

• CHAP Website