“I want to show you my art!” 

This collaborative project, led by artsPlace and Right from the Start teams, paired a mental wellness coach Eileen McCabe with a local artist Lucie Bause to guide students through a community-driven art activity, using creativity as a tool for self-expression and emotional well-being.

Over four weeks, Alpenglow students worked together to create a garden-themed mosaic art installation, now displayed in the school hallway. The program encouraged students to explore their thoughts, emotions, and connections through creativity by pairing mental wellness themes with artistic expression.

Each week, students explored different artistic themes that reflected mental wellness values.

In week one, they created artwork inspired by plants, flowers, and trees, representing their individuality, personal values, and unique expression within the community. In week two, they explored the relationship between plants and insects, symbolizing the connections between students and teachers and the values of teamwork and social interaction. In week three, students created art inspired by animals that might visit the garden, emphasizing respect for nature, humans, and the broader Bow Valley ecosystem. Finally, in week four, over 300+ small artworks were arranged and mounted onto eight large panels, with four classrooms contributing to the display and kindergarten students painting the "Alpenglow" lettering.

We are honoured to have been part of this meaningful project and to witness the incredible work of Alpenglow’s young artists, allowing them the opportunity to share and celebrate their collaboration with their peers and families.

We’re working with students at other Bow Valley schools in the coming months and can’t wait to share more of this journey.

We thank Wim and Nancy Pauw Foundation for the generous support of this project.