Bring healing art to kids in medical crisis

Have you heard?   The Children’s Healing Art Project has added a new monthly art club in partnership with the Down Syndrome Network Oregon (DSNO).   The DSNO was formed by two moms in 2002. The group started as a coffee meet-up to provide support to families who had recently become parents to a child with Down Syndrome and has grown to include many families with children having various special needs.  We were approached by the founder of the DSNO for ART MAKING opportunities for their organization. After much talk we decided to add another monthly art club to CHAP.

In May we met for the 1^st time at our CHAP ART STUDIO.  As the families arrived, there was paint of all colors, glitter, feathers, sequins, paint brushes on all the tables.  Also on the tables were empty pizza boxes!  Our 1^st meeting was to add some beautiful artwork to the inside of the pizza boxes to be sent out for a personal invite to a Pizza Party benefiting CHAP.   We finished nearly 50 boxes in only an hour and a half with some amazing artwork! We provided some good old art paper and created more and more and more art pieces. These ART pieces will later be shown in the DSNO CHAP ART club’s very own  art show!  The ART was beautiful, but it was the process of  art making that was significant. We created together and got to know one another at our 1^st DSNO CHAP ART CLUB meeting.   

In June, we met to make sculptures.   We provided all of the ART SUPPLIES for the DSNO to create whatever they wanted.  Besides the many colors of paint, glitter, and sequins, WE ALSO had old computer parts, large pieces of wood, many colors of glue, tape, fabric, pipe cleaners, molding clay, and stands. Taking the children’s lead, we also made jewelry. We made gorgeous necklaces and bracelets while again focusing on the process of making art.  

This July we have a wonderful ART MAKING activity planned to make bowls made from layers of papier mache and fabric.  CHAP will provide the basis for the bowl and let the children and their families be their own designer and choose from a huge selection of various fabrics to layer on the bowl using Elmer’s glue.   Of course, there will also be paint, glitter, glue and whatever ART supply the artist might want.  

Not only are we excited about this new partnership; everyone involved is excited.  Art Club is not just for the children, but the entire family.  We hear over and over that there are many activities for children who have Down Syndrome,  but hardly any ART MAKING.   We are so very happy to provide this service for the DSNO at the Children’s Healing Art Project.   As we plan for monthly meetings, we are often asked, “How much does the Art Class cost?”   The families are flabbergasted to be told the class if free!  As the class grows each month we vow to keep the class free for these families.  CHAP thrives on donations and we are sincerely grateful and humbled by your kind donation to help us continue to bring the healing power of art to children and their families.  THANK YOU FROM OUR HEARTS!