SF Giants celebrate pediatric cancer awareness!

For the second season in a row, the SF Giants turned over the player portraits shown on the scoreboard to children battling pediatric cancer. This is a lovely tribute to the kids, but also some truly fantastic art. The drawings were provided by Kids & Art, Family House, Camp Okizu, and the Lucille Packard Children's Hospital.

Several Bay Area pediatric cancer patients got to see their artwork on the jumbotron at Oracle Park on the evening of September 8. The portraits of San Francisco Giants players had been made at an art workshop run by Kids & Art Foundation.

At the workshop back in June, professional artists and patients worked side-by-side to draw and paint colorful portraits of players like Casey Schmidt, Brandon Crawford and Mike Yastrzemski.

Other art options included designing temporary tattoos, creating home team pennants and experimenting with printmaking. Giants outfielder Mitch Haniger stopped by the workshop to meet the kids, sign autographs and admire their artwork.

It was a thrill for the participants to reunite with fellow pediatric cancer patients they had met at the workshop a few months ago, and to see their pieces up on the Jumbotron on Pediatric Cancer Awareness Night. ESPN picked up the story and showed several of the portraits at a Giants game later that weekend, and Sports Illustrated wrote a blog about it! (Thanks to Susan Slusser of The San Francisco Chronicle for capturing the amazing art in the article.)

Portraits of players

Good Morning America also picked up the story and shared the portraits of the players!

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*Kids & Art Foundation is a non-profit whose mission is to use creativity and the arts to relieve the stress and anxiety of children with cancer.*

the Kids & Art Foundation wins anthem award for special project for a health cause

Kids & Art Foundation is honored to receive a Silver Award recognition in the Health category>Special Projects: Individual projects produced by an organization or person created for a product or service to address a specific issue, provide a solution, boost awareness or engagement, or raise money for a Health Cause, in the 2nd Annual Anthem Awards. View our entry.

“We are very proud to receive this award. When COVID-19 forced us to rethink how we could serve our pediatric cancer families, we rolled our sleeves and asked ourselves, what do our pediatric patients and families need right now? We asked a lot of questions and did not take no for an answer. We worked very hard and this recognition propels us to never accept the status quo. Thank you to all the judges for supporting our work.”

— Purvi Shah, Founder and CEO

ABOUT THIS PROJECT

Summary

Kids & Art quickly pivoted from in-person to online with our ArtKit program. The ArtKits include creative projects designed to reduce anxiety while encouraging development, art supplies, and online support from our staff. After a successful launch at our local hospitals, we began serving several hospitals across the country that we identified as needing more art-focused programming. Feedback from parents and hospital staff has helped us improve the Artkits and expand our programming.

Goals & Objectives

Improve the quality of life of children with cancer by providing art experiences that promote typical development while reducing their stress and fear throughout treatment. Continue to provide services throughout the pandemic Help hospitals & facilities that have limited supportive resources

Results & Impact

We went from a local organization to a nationwide one. Kids & Art is now serving 20 treatment centers in 12 states and has distributed over 5000 Amaeyzing ArtKits in 2022. Stakeholder interviews provided feedback in support of the program and helped to identify the need for the addition of our @Home ArtKit service.

This video is part of Kids & Art's Amaeyzing ArtKits @Home program.

Each month a featured Guest Artist creates and shares their unique version of one of the projects the patient will receive, giving them a glimpse into their creative world. Each artist also shares their art studio and practice to inspire our kids.

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How are Anthem Winners selected?

Anthem Winners are selected by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences. Members include: Nicholas Thompson, CEO, The Atlantic, Christina Swarns, Executive Director, Innocence Project, Zarna Surti, Global Creative Director, Nike Purpose, Maurice Mitchell, National Director, Working Families Party, Lindsay Stein, Chief Purpose Office, Tombras, Jennifer Lotito, President & Chief Operating Officer, (RED), Lisa Sherman, President & CEO, The Ad Council, Emily Barfoot, Global Brand Director Dove, Unilever, Trovon Williams, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications, NAACP, Roma McCaig, Senior VP of Impact, Clif Bar, Michelle Egan, Chief Strategy Officer, NRDC, Dinah-Kareen Jean, Senior Manager, Social Innovation, Etsy, Sarah Kate Ellis, President & CEO, GLAAD, Jad Finck, Vice President of Innovation & Sustainability, Allbirds, Christopher Miller, Head of Global Activism Strategy, Ben & Jerry’s, Shayla Tait, Director of Philanthropy The Oprah Winfrey Charitable Foundation.

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Winners for the 2nd Annual Anthem Awards will be celebrated at the Winners Celebration on February 27 in NYC. Fans will be able to hear from social impact leaders and their hallmark speeches at www.anthemawards.com.

The Anthem Awards was launched in response to the prevalence social good has taken within the national conversation and cultural zeitgeist in recent years. The 2nd Annual competition received nearly 2,000 entries from 43 countries worldwide. By amplifying the voices that spark global change, the Anthem Awards are defining a new benchmark for impactful work that inspires others to take action in their communities. A portion of program revenue will fund a new grant program supporting emerging individuals and organizations working to advance the causes recognized in the 2nd Annual Anthem Awards.
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About The Anthem Awards: Launched in 2021 by The Webby Awards, The Anthem Awards honors the purpose & mission-driven work of people, companies and organizations worldwide. By amplifying the voices that spark global change, we’re defining a new benchmark for impactful work that inspires others to take action in their own communities. The Anthem Awards honors work across seven core causes: Diversity; Equity & Inclusion; Education; Art & Culture; Health; Human & Civil Rights; Humanitarian Action & Services; Responsible Technology; and Sustainability, Environment & Climate. Founded in partnership with the Ad Council, Born This Way Foundation, Feeding America, Glaad, Mozilla, NAACP, NRDC, WWF, and XQ. 

About The Webby Awards: Hailed as the “Internet’s highest honor” by The New York Times, The Webby Awards is the leading international awards organization honoring excellence on the Internet, including Websites; Video; Advertising, Media & PR; Apps, Mobile, and Voice; Social; Podcasts; and Games. Established in 1996, The Webby Awards received more than 13,500 entries from all 50 states and 70 countries worldwide this year. The Webby Awards are presented by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (IADAS). Sponsors and Partners of The Webby Awards include Verizon, WP Engine, YouGov, Brandlive, Canva, NAACP, KPMG,  Fast Company, Wall Street Journal, MediaPost, Podcast Movement, and AIGA.

Benefits of art in the oncology waiting room

We are excited to share that in January of this year we returned to our in-person workshops for kids and their families.

Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital-Stanford invited us back to the LPCH Bass Center Waiting Room to bring art to pediatric cancer patients. Our artist, Deborah (Deb) Hopkins, returned last fall with the program and has been providing weekly workshops every Thursday morning. It has been wonderful to be back!

The weekly sessions are based on the Amaeyzing ArtKits™ created for the hospital by the Kids & Art Foundation. They include all materials needed to complete the project. The ArtKits are imaginative, portable, and designed with patients in mind. Each ArtKit is also supported by an online step-by-step artist led video in case the patient cannot complete while in the waiting room.

Deb Hopkins shared with us, “my focus is always on the kids who in the waiting room and the stories that come from inviting them to make some art with me. The waiting area can be a high-anxiety place with kids and their families waiting to get lab work or see their doctor. However, when the kids take the ArtKit, and I begin to show them what they can do with the materials, you can see their attention shift. They start to look at the materials inside and the possibilities of what they can make. Now, they’re focused on what they want to create!

Here are some recent stories from the waiting area that Deb has shared with us:

Last fall, a family who had been making art with me walked by and waved. A few minutes later, the dad and his little daughter came back. He told me he asked her if she wanted to go to the pumpkin patch and play in the bouncy house or come and make art. She chose ART! They finished her appointment but chose to stay and paint.

A young teenager came to the art table. She told me she struggles to pick the right colors for her art, so I showed her a few artists’ work on Instagram who are really good with color. She enjoyed that and decided to try different combinations of warm and cool colors. We enjoyed continuing to chat about art as we painted together.

Another time there was a young patient in a wheelchair. He was interested in what we were making but worried he would have get a shot at his appointment. His mom and I distracted him by showing him a robot project, and he was happy to be able to take it back to the exam room with him.

These testimonials are not only heartwarming; they validate our vision to integrate arts in the treatment cycle someday. What our artist can achieve in the oncology waiting room has a ripple effect. First, you have a child who does not want to be there but has to. Then there’s a parent who is struggling to make sense of their cancer journey, the admin staff in the waiting room trying to calm families down as appointments get delayed, and finally, the healthcare staff, the pathologist, nurse, doctor, whoever will be seeing the patient after their wait in the waiting room.

What Deb does is distract the child, giving the parent a moment of respite and redirecting the stress level in the waiting room by introducing art in the most unlikely place and time.

Research from the NIH, National Library of Medicine on chemotherapy wait times in a network of pediatric oncology clinics, 2020 points out that a child has to spend much of their life in the hospital after a cancer diagnosis. A pediatric cancer patient waits ~2-3 hours from arrival at the facility to the start of chemotherapy every single visit. All that time in a hospital can negatively affect a child’s emotional wellbeing. In a waiting room setting, studies report that:
52% of children are nervous
42% of children are afraid
76% of children are bored Parents are looking for programs to occupy this time.

The Institute of Medicine quotes,

“Psychosocial concerns can affect adherence to [pediatric cancer] treatment regimens by impairing cognition, weakening motivation, and decreasing coping abilities.”

Based on our experience as cancer caregivers, artists, and nonprofit leaders in arts in the healthcare field, Kids & Art aims to support pediatric cancer patients' psychosocial and emotional needs. We know firsthand the pain and trauma a cancer diagnosis can bring to the family. Providing an artist to bring color and joy in the most unexpected way helps us focus on the whole child and their quality of life during their treatment.

A research report from Arts In Healthcare supports our mission “The arts benefit patients by aiding in their physical, mental, and emotional recovery, relieving anxiety, and decreasing pain perception. In an atmosphere where the patient often feels out of control, the arts can be a therapeutic and healing tool, reducing stress and loneliness and providing self-expression opportunities. Art also has the power to communicate and educate, giving it a growing role of significance in healthcare institutions. In addition, research shows that the arts can reduce patients' use of pain medication and length of stay in the hospital and improve compliance with recommended treatments—offering substantial savings in healthcare costs. healthcare environments”.

Reach out to us if you would like to learn more about our program at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital and/or if you would like to apply for our Artist in Residence grant for your hospital or care center. Email programs@kidsandart.org

Together we can do more. Join us in our effort and vision for an integrated care model where participation in the arts is part of a regular treatment plan for all critically ill pediatric patients.

KIDS & ART FOUNDATION 2022 GIFT OF ARTKITS GIVING PROGRAM

Learn just how amazing our Amaeyzing ArtKits™ are in an interview with Lisa Barron, pediatric office supervisor at Palm Beach Children’s Hospital

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Palm Beach Children’s Hospital is one of Kids & Art Foundation’s 19 children’s hospital partners for 2022 and has been receiving monthly Amaeyzing ArtKits free of charge since April. Lisa Barron, pediatric office supervisor at the hospital, agreed to answer some questions about the Amaeyzing ArtKits program, its impact on patients, and the importance of arts and creativity in the healing process.  

Q: How have the Amaeyzing ArtKits helped you?

A: The most wonderful part about the Amaeyzing ArtKits for us is the ready to go, everything included compact sized aspect of the kits. There have been many weeks since the start of the pandemic where I have been solo in the Child Life Department. To be able to grab an art kit from a variety of choices and get it quickly into the waiting creative hands of a patient makes my job easier and makes me an Art Ninja. Less time putting together art supplies, more time to visit with patients.

Q: How has creating art with an Amaeyzing ArtKit helped the patients at your hospital?

A: One of the fun parts about the unassuming brown paper kits are the surprises that are held within. When I introduce them to a patient their interest is piqued just looking at the small photo on the front and opening the package to find the tools for their creativity. These projects take thought and time. There is clearly a sense of accomplishment when the project is completed; witnessed by the phone calls to come and see! I love that kids can tap into their artistic side.

Q: How  are Amaeyzing ArtKits different from other activities that you give to your patients?

A: There is a difference between a craft kit and an Amaeyzing ArtKit. Craft kits provide directions and supplies where the end goal is going to look very much the same for everyone who participates. The fun is in creating what the project is supposed to look like. The Amaeyzing ArtKit provides more opportunity for creativity – there are directions, but each participant has the leeway to provide their own flair.  Both types of kits offer new opportunities for learning.

Q: Why is it important to include arts and creativity in hospitals?

A: Hospitalized children have so few choices for themselves. Their medical care, medications, where they sleep, time in bed, etc., are all out of their control. Providing art activities and the chance to create something all their own is empowering. 
Each year Kids & Art Foundation provides monthly deliveries of Amaeyzing ArtKits to a select number of Care Centers nationwide, free of charge, through our Gift of ArtKits giving program. This allows Care Center facilities to receive up to 40 ArtKits per month for pediatric patients in treatment for cancer and other critical medical conditions. In addition, up to 20 specially assembled Amaeyzing ArtKits can be provided for BMT patients.

The Kids & Art Foundation Gift of ArtKits program is full for 2022. Please check back in September for the Kids & Art Gift of ArtKits 2023 application. 

What has art to do in medicine?

In 2022, it is estimated 10,470 children (birth to 14 years) and 5,480 adolescents (aged 15-19 years) will be diagnosed with cancer.

The Kids & Art Foundation uses the power of the arts and creativity to mitigate stress, anxiety, and trauma induced by the diagnosis and treatment of pediatric cancer and other critical medical conditions. We seek to improve well-being during treatment, as survivors, and in bereavement. Together we use art for healing, to empower, encourage, and create memorable experiences.

While we spread awareness about childhood cancer throughout the year, September is a particularly special month. That's because it is National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. The idea was introduced in 1990 in a presidential proclamation by then-President George H.W. Bush.

September was declared National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month on September 26, 2019.

Weekly Drop-In ArtRoom with artist Deborah Hopkins

We've just wrapped up our first couple of months of our newest Kids & Art program for our families, the Drop-In ArtRoom!

We meet weekly every Wednesday at 12:00 noon PST/3:00 pm EST on Zoom. I host the hour designed to provide a fun, relaxed, happy time to focus on art. The kids/teens bring whatever art supplies they already have even if it’s just a pencil and a piece of paper. Each month we focus on a different aspect of art. In March we talked about shapes and how to use them to build drawing skills. For April, we focused on colors. We’ll also look at texture, different artists and their styles, tools and different mediums.

But the real focus is on the kids/teens and what they want to do. They can bring a drawing or project they've painted to show us or ask a question about how to make something. I typically open the time with a relaxing activity and warm up exercise to get us going and focused on doing some art. We also use the time to talk about any art work they’ve made or I'll ask them what art materials they have with them that day. I always have a plan for what I’ll demonstrate to them. For example, with shapes we looked at various shapes and then looked at how to use them to draw objects. There’s lots of flexibility, discovery and smiles as they achieve some success doing this. There have been a lot of questions on how to draw specific animals. So, I recently created a “grab bag” of photos of animals and I pull one out towards the end of the hour and we do a quick study on how to draw it.

Some of the comments I've heard from parents are: “He can't wait until Wednesday!” or “This is her happy place.” But I think the thing I’m most excited about and see developing is a little community where the kids have a chance to show their work, talk about it, and look at others' artwork too. They chat about their favorite colors, animals, food; and there is a little hum of happiness going on.

I invite you to have your child give it a try, or if you know of a family who would enjoy this type of experience, please let them know about our program. I’m happy to answer any questions or talk more about what we’re doing.

CREATE, SHARE, LAUGH, AND HAVE FUN — JUST SHOW UP, WE'LL BE THERE!

The Drop-In ArtRoom program is a casual, weekly online “drop in” art experience. Grab a pencil and piece of paper or whatever art supplies you have on hand. If you have a current art project you're working on, bring that too and join a Kids & Art artist for a relaxing, informal hour of art. Open to all pediatric patient families. No experience necessary!

To ensure a safe and secure environment for all attendees, please register below. We will send you an email with a secure Zoom link for the ArtRoom. * Please do not share this link with anyone so that we can maintain a secure environment.*

Every Wednesday, 12-1pm PST. Register for the weekly Drop-In ArtRoom, click here

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A sweet monster holding a turtle - Budsies partnership

Kids & Art held a fantastic workshop run by artist Toby Cochran to create a special Budsies project.

During this event, the kids drew designs for characters that Budsies will turn into their very own plush toy! Alexandra Nagie (Development and Program Associate) and Sejal Desai (Operations Manager) started the introductions, greeting everyone with much excitement for this incredible workshop, along with Carmen Ericson (Program Manager) and assistant artists Janae Dueck (Volunteer) and Amy Bainton (Intern).

Toby gave an inspiring presentation about his company Big Grin Productions, and about other job experiences he has had as an animator and artist. He explained how all the different projects he works on have in common imagination and creativity. This presentation helped the kids to develop ideas to draw for their own creature. He really encouraged the kids to dream big and to come up with unique and imaginative designs, showing how different shapes and colors in a character drawing can represent their personality. This helped us to make a list of our personality traits and things we liked to do as inspiration for what we could include in our drawings. From his list of words, Toby drew several examples to show the kids how starting with one base shape can lead to several design ideas. They really enjoyed this and were inspired by seeing his creativity bring to life all kinds of different characters, especially his rendering of a slice of pizza wearing sunglasses while riding a skateboard!

Our volunteer Janae created wonderful monster examples for the kids to see, such as a dragon, a fish dressed in business attire, an octopus-dog, a smiling avocado complete with a top hat and shoes, and more! We then had some time to draw our designs, which all turned out wonderfully silly and creative! The kids and assistant artists had so much fun drawing characters such as a heart monster, a rainbow cat-llama and crawfish, a skateboarding taco, a basketball with a cool hat, a blue fuzzy cat, a race car, a cat-woman, a rainbow cloud, a superhero muffin, and a sweet monster holding a turtle, plus even more designs!

The Kids & Art Team was so impressed by the kids’ creativity and enthusiasm. The kids will send pictures of their amazing drawings to Budsies, and in a few weeks, after production and mailing, we will hold a Zoom party for them to open their boxes, revealing their wonderful plush toys! In this amazing opportunity to partner with Budsies, we had a truly wonderful time learning from Toby and spending time together being silly as we created a fun and lasting memory!

Artist Toby shared this with us-

My intention was to give all the kiddos a tool that no one can ever take away, not even cancer. No matter where they are, what they're dealing with, or what's going on in life, we all have this resource. And that's our Imagination.

I believe that imagination is more important than knowledge, as many have heard that classic line, "knowledge is power" but that's not true, it's only power when we take action and what I witnessed during the workshop was kiddos taking ACTION turning their ideas into reality. I had an amazing time, I absolutely loved seeing the artwork come to life and the reveal party can't come soon enough!!

Lear more about Budsies Pals and Toby Cochran

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Artists come create with us and share your expertise with our pediatric patients. Support our mission to use the power of the arts and creativity to heal! - email: art@kidsandart.org

Art Party with Google

Kids & Art was so happy to give a warm welcome to a team from Google at our virtual Amaeyzing Team workshop

A team at Google reached out to us to host a workshop that would help bring remote team members together and feel supported through art. We felt that our portrait collage project was the best way to share our differences and similarities as human beings.

The collage project for the Amaeyzing Team workshop was inspired by portraits created at one of our Kids & Art online art workshops. The young artists/patients used cut and torn paper to create colorful portraits. The young artists had fun using bold, exaggerated shapes with the paper.

This background information gave the team from Google an opportunity to learn about our mission and the power of healing through art. The team from Google created these stunning collages that are sure to make you smile. The participants may have initially felt daunted by a blank canvas and a pile of colored and textured paper. However, with guidance and encouragement, they explored this project with a fresh approach and expressed themselves freely.

Each team member created unique collage portraits bringing their own style and imagination to the canvas. It developed into a wonderfully calm workshop where everyone enjoyed the creative process alongside their team members. Here are couple quotes that were shared with us -

"I really enjoyed the workshop and it was a lot of fun...immersing myself in creating visual art was a truly unique experience. Happy to have participated in this team activity and helped a child with cancer!"

"Making this collage made me think in a different way - going from vague ideas to putting something down on the canvas and seeing what comes out without a specific plan. In a way it was spontaneous, creative, and freeing!"

Here are some amaeyzing pieces that came out of the mindful art led team building project:

Would you like to have your team create with one of our artists?

People often choose to display art in their home for aesthetic reasons, but recent studies have shown that engaging with the visual arts can actually improve stress, memory, and empathy, whether by viewing art or creating it.

Individual Stress reduction Creating art releases dopamine, the neurotransmitter pathway that boosts drive, focus, and concentration.

Relaxed/ casual communication/ conversation The act of creating a work of art draws peoples attention to details and the environment, mimicking the experience of meditation.

Sharing techniques and problem solving Participating in complex activities creates new connections between brain cells, leading to an increase in psychological resilience.

Decrease team tension Art helps people forget about their problems and focus on positive emotions, while also lowering the stress hormone cortisol. Have fun, laugh, and share.

I am reminded in times of crisis we find ourselves

I am reminded in times of crisis we find ourselves. This is certainly true with me. In March, in the Pandemic, I decided to challenge myself and build my artist website. The existing website I had for many years required updates. My webmaster disappeared leaving me a choice, find another webmaster or create a new website myself. Now, for someone prior to creating a website, I was technically challenged out of fear for making mistakes and told myself, creating a website could be a disaster. I took a leap of faith and began.

In creating my website I found strength and patience I didn’t know I had. At times working with the Squarespace company tried both our patience because everything was new to me, and I required a lot of handholding.

I continued with a leap of faith that I could be vulnerable and strong at the same time by launching a project called “The Heart Series.” Creating one minute videos of each painting I’ve created over 20 years, some never before shown to the public, and some remaining in my private collection. Each day I’ve posted on social media - YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin and Tumbir one video painting. Today, I’m over 90. Also, I took another big leap by sharing my story in a video that was emotional for me. So, this silver lining in the middle of this Pandemic I have found the gift of vulnerability. For it is in my vulnerability I grow.

The first painting I created (in April I think) was “Blooming Trumpets.” Paint poured through me with every color I had before having to restock my supplies. I was compelled to create Asian characters that later upon completion, appeared to be flowers, or rather “Blooming Trumpets.”

Blooming Trumpets

“Phoenix Rising” is a painting created in 2008 when my life like most others was in turmoil because of the recession. When I finished painting, all of a sudden I saw the “Phoenix Rising,” understanding that I was the Phoenix rising from the ashes creating a new me.

Phoenix Rising

Breathing Green” speaks to me especially now in the middle of this Pandemic. I used my hands saturated in “life green” painting by candle light after coming home from an intense personal three day workshop in the Santa Cruz mountains. This “life force” green gives us hope in renewing our bodies connecting more with spirit.

Breathing Green

“Imagine” is another 2008 painting when I was like others in the middle of the recession and doing my best to image what steps I would take next. Because I never know what is going to appear on my canvas, when the painting named itself “Imagine,” it became my touchstone to keep creating no matter what the adversity is.

Imagine

“Come Together Now” is a type of painting I’ve never done before. I used petite letters from a kids project several years ago creating words, like Happy, or WFI. Whenever, I complete the work, I sit with it and allow what it would like to be called to come to me. This time, loud and clear “Come Together Now” shouted out. And, with the Pandemic, I realized “Come Together Now” is our theme.

Come Together Now

“Seafoam” reflects the every changing ocean that I love. The vibrant blues play against one another with a laughter of a soft greenish blue swirling into the mix. This painting gives one reflection and a soft place to land. In these trouble times with the Pandemic we could all use a soft safe place to land.

Seafoam

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When a collector purchases my art, the happiness in my soul multiples.

“I saw “Blueing“ and knew my sea loving daughter would love the vibrant brightness emanating from the canvas. It felt like one was in a wave, not just looking at it. The light dances, the painting is never the same.” - Liesl Moldow

“I purchased Tiffany Birch’s original “Eternity” acrylic painting on canvas because it evoked pure joy within me! - Anne Thull - Anne Thull Fine Art Designs

“I was attracted to “Playtime” because of the vibrant colors. I feel bringing color into one’s life is important and Tiffany’s art surely does this with a passion. This painting has introduced another dynamic of art to my children, and I am grateful for this. Color is JOY, Tiffany is JOY.” - Ken Arends

“Bringing one of Tiffany’s creations into your environment will positively affect the vibrational energy of your home or office.” -Linda Lenore, Feng Shui Master -Green Chi Designs

“Tiffany’s artworks is a passionate display of intense feelings and color, movement and delight. No two paintings of hers are alike.” -Sherry Joyce - Author - The Dordogne Deception, Dangerous Duplicity & Dangerous Justice

Follow me on facebook, instagram, twitter, youtube, linkedin

#art #paintings #acrylic paintings #interior design #home #office #feng shui #abstract art #abstract art paintings

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Tiffany Birch, Artist: I am an Abstract Expressionist. When I started to explore art through the Art League in Olde Town Alexandria, Virginia, I found myself driven to paint and left after four lessons to paint. I painted 60 paintings in 45 days, and shortly thereafter, received representation through Marin Price Gallery In Chevy Chase, Maryland.

In 2002 I relocated to Northern California. Next, came a new experience of being invited to teach kids with life threatening illnesses to paint, in my style of imaginative painting….”I want you to paint what an ice cream cone tastes like.” Read more on my website

Amaeyzing Teams - Art Party with Genentech

Circular Shapes and Colorful Patterns

We were thrilled to welcome a wonderful team from Genentech to an art session led by our artist Caroline Robins. They chose this art experience for their end of year celebration and to support our nonprofit organization. Their participation will provide funds for children with cancer to enjoy the same creative opportunity.

Everyone dived straight into painting circular shapes and colorful patterns on their canvas with art materials supplied by Kids & Art. Our aim was for everyone to feel inspired and grateful for time together while also learning about our mission.

The ten participants created a relaxing atmosphere and a sense of calm descended on the team. They were happy to be together and to have an opportunity to escape into their individual creative process. As one participant pointed out, they could put the rest of the world on mute.

To end, everyone shared their beautiful paintings on screen and ‘one word’ or ‘phrase’ to describe their experience; Soothing, calming, relaxing, meditative and fulfilling. It was awesome to hear how much the group enjoyed their painting experience. They also left with an understanding of how beneficial our art workshops can be for our pediatric cancer families.

Would you like to have your team create with one of our artists? Do fill this form and we will get back to your to start planning a fun morale boosting team building event.

GET ONE. GIVE ONE. MORALE BOOSTING TEAM BUILDING.

People often choose to display art in their home for aesthetic reasons, but recent studies have shown that engaging with the visual arts can actually improve stress, memory, and empathy, whether by viewing art or creating it.

Individual Stress reduction Creating art releases dopamine, the neurotransmitter pathway that boosts drive, focus, and concentration.

Relaxed/ casual communication/ conversation The act of creating a work of art draws peoples attention to details and the environment, mimicking the experience of meditation.

Sharing techniques and problem solving Participating in complex activities creates new connections between brain cells, leading to an increase in psychological resilience.

Decrease team tension Art helps people forget about their problems and focus on positive emotions, while also lowering the stress hormone cortisol. Have fun, laugh, and share.

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Cancer, eat that!

If ever there was a year in need of healing, 2020 is it. Healing pediatric cancer through the arts—that's what we do at the Kids & Art Foundation. We see the healing impact of the arts on pediatric cancer patients and their families every day. Kids and families heal when, for a moment, that "something" that is taken away from them when they or their child or sibling is sick is restored. They heal when they fully engage in a "normal" activity that alleviates physical discomfort and supports emotional integrity and mental wellbeing.

We at the Kids & Art Foundation have been focused on healing since Purvi Shah founded the organization in 2008. Purvi experienced first-hand the healing impact of creative expression on all members of her family while her young son, Amaey, was in treatment for cancer.

*My son Amaey was a decisive child. He would walk into a toy store with millions of things vying for his attention, and he would walk straight to that one thing he wanted, pick it up, and walk out with me. He also loved food— loved food. His decisiveness became bothersome, because we could not get him to eat anything other than what he wanted. But, all of that changed when his chemo brain was fogged up.

One such post-chemo week when Amaey was five years old, our nonprofit hosted our monthly Healing Through Art workshop. Amaey was paired with an artist. I had privately forewarned the artist of the tug-of-war this little child had between his decisive personality and the tingling and numbness in his hands and haziness in his brain.

What came from that workshop hangs proudly (lovingly) in my kitchen. It is a canvas that captured the child, the moment, and nothing but pure joy—a big giant waffle, a fork, two strawberries, a glass of orange juice and a bottle of syrup.

Minimalist and decisive just as the child he was without a shadow of the moment he was going through.

When I look at this painting, I see the child.

When I look at this painting, I hear the laughter, the joy, the mischievousness of a four-year-old. I do not see the cancer. I’m transported to that day, to that moment, when he forgot his pain and his frustrations. . . . He just became one with his art. *

The healing that begins in treatment, continues in survival, and even into bereavement. The healing Purvi experiences when she connects with Amaey's enduring spirit in her kitchen, propels her to support healing in others touched by pediatric cancer. Healing is contagious. Cancer sucks. Art heals. Trust our word for it. And, read the science behind it here.

As this year in such need of healing comes to a close, you have many organizations vying for your financial support. When you support the Kids & Art Foundation, you support our efforts to heal pediatric cancer through the arts. And when one begins to heal, we all begin to heal. Please, give as generously as you are able so that we may continue this important work, now more than ever. As 2020 comes to a close, may you and your family experience the healing powers of art, and of giving, and be well.

For more information on the Kids & Art Foundation, click here for our 2019 Impact Report.

CANCER, EAT THAT!

Big Giant Waffle, by Amaey Shah

Text2Give - KA2020 to 243725

The Kids & Art Foundation is a California nonprofit organization 501(c)3. All donations are tax deductible. You can mail checks to 1443 Howard Avenue, Suite 218, Burlingame, CA 94010. All donations will help towards our generous matching challenge of $50,000 from Sheri Sobrato Brisson.

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Patricia McBrayer, a mother and retired architect turned writer and editor, advocates for housing, education, and wellness.