Celebrating Kootenay Kids 

Artist Statement

When I was first approached to be involved in this community based altar making project I was immediately interested when I discovered that there was a possibility of working with Kootenay Kids.  It seemed a perfect fit as my art practice has recently involved working with a number of child related themes and projects. 

My first intention was to try to avoid preconceived thoughts of how I envisioned the development of the altar.  I visited with Kootenay Kids staff, where it was agreed I would work with both the Family Place playgroups and with the 3-5year group at Care to Learn. While there, I noticed boxes of old books awaiting recycling which interested me as forming the potential structure of the altar.  Staff also requested that part of the Altar become a permanent art piece, that would cover an ugly chain link fence in their outside play area.  During further visits, I was able to establish a few important concepts: the altar should be interactive and the children should be involved in the creation of many of the elements.  From this point the ideas literally took flight to include stars, dancing children (inspired by their logo), a circular chalk board, a comment floor mat and interactive book block towers. 

The children at Care to Learn made the book blocks their own by adding various materials, and each child created a special space and experience.  The books had had a long history with Care to Learn and were transformed into unique, interactive and strongly symbolic towers.  A canvas banner was the next element (that would eventually cover their chain link fence); each child laid down on the canvas and I drew an outline of them in various fun, energetic positions. They enjoyed stamping coloured stars where ever they chose.  It was a fun and spontaneous.  I continued their work by filling each child’s shape completely with stars using the same stamping technique.

The floor mat documents what the children, parents and staff had to say about Kootenay Kids, and the mat was moved between the two locations for comments to be added.  The final elements for the altar were made by the playgroups at the Family Place: plastacine stars and figures that would be suspended above the altar along with t-shirt cushions to surround the chalk board. These provided exercises that were both age appropriate and fun for the children. With their parents' help, the children pressed sticks and stones and threads into the plastacine shapes, and stamped stars onto the t-shirt cushions obtained from the Kootenay Kids clothing exchange program.  The Chalk board seemed a good way to add another interactive central, unifying element; it references directly another age old learning tool, while encouraging children to sit in a circle, which is an important time at the playgroups when they sing songs together and tell stories.

 The creation of this altar has been a great experience.   My hope is that this altar communicates just a little of who and what this organization is about and celebrates their importance in our community.