Regina General Hospital Pediatrics Unit to receive mural from the MacKenzie Art Gallery’s Enbridge Young Artists Project

June 27, 2016

REGINA, SK (June 24, 2016)—On Friday, June 24, the MacKenzie Art Gallery’s Enbridge Young Artists Project unveiled a mural of artwork by students from Mother Teresa Middle School in the Pediatrics Unit at the Regina General Hospital.

“The MacKenzie is pleased to be exploring ideas of art and health in many ways and this is just one example,” said Anthony Kiendl, the MacKenzie Art Gallery’s Executive Director and CEO. “This is a glimpse of the work that we’re doing with schools to better the lives of students and to foster creativity and opportunities in the arts. The fact that this is helping young people — especially those in need in the hospital — is all the more fitting.”

The mural project is a collaboration between the MacKenzie Art Gallery, Mother Teresa Middle School, and the Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region to create works of art for young patients and their families to enjoy while at the Regina General Hospital’s Pediatric Unit 4F. To make the large-scale works, students from grades six through eight participating in the Enbridge Young Artists Project adapted a technique used by renowned Saskatchewan artist David Thauberger, using projected images in order to develop the large-scale compositions.

“It is an honour and privilege for our students at Mother Teresa Middle School to give back to the Regina General Hospital’s children’s unit through a collaborative visual arts experience,” said Terri Cote, Mother Teresa Middle School’s Principal. “The panels will help to brighten up the walls in the children’s unit for many years to come and we know for certain the love poured into this project will continue to brighten the lives of our students at Mother Teresa Middle School.”

“We thank everyone involved in the MacKenzie Art Gallery’s Enbridge Young Artists Project, especially the students of Mother Teresa Middle School, for providing such beautiful art for our children and families to view during their hospital stay,” said Tegan Webber, Child Life Specialist, Unit 4F Pediatrics, Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region. “Child friendly art and colour provides great normalcy and distraction, while providing a feeling of warmth and comfort.”

The Enbridge Young Artists Project is a long-standing program that creates greater respect and understanding between culturally diverse students, engaging youth with current exhibitions through in-school workshops, Gallery tours, programs and special events. The program is designed to inspire and support students as they explore issues of contemporary identity, culture, and creativity. To meet the needs of each community partner, the MacKenzie’s Art Instructors provide weekly workshops in the partnering elementary schools and bi-monthly workshops in the high schools.

“Enbridge is proud to support the MacKenzie Art Gallery, and we’re excited for the opportunity to showcase the work from the Young Artists Project,” said Gina Jordan, Enbridge’s Senior Manager, Stakeholder & Aboriginal Engagement. “It’s inspiring to see how Regina’s young artists are sharing their artwork with other children while also bringing colour and warmth to the pediatric unit. Thanks to the Gallery’s visual arts, interactive workshops and mentors, positive, long-lasting impacts are being made within the community.”

Over the course of the school year the Enbridge Young Artists Project has touched the lives of more than 5,000 students from seven partner schools in Regina, including Albert Community School, Kitchener School, Mother Teresa School, Sacred Heart, Martin Collegiate, Scott Collegiate, and Seven Stones Community School. Coordinated by Ken Duczek, MacKenzie Art Gallery Coordinator of Learning Initiatives, the MacKenzie Enbridge Young Artists Project has been delivering innovative programming in Regina since 1997.

About the Mackenzie Art Gallery

The MacKenzie Art Gallery is Saskatchewan’s oldest and largest public art gallery: an immersive centre for engaging with the world through art, with an ongoing focus on Indigenous culture and diversity. Located in Regina’s Wascana Park, the MacKenzie’s permanent collection contains over 4,500 works by such internationally renowned artists as Mary Kelly, Agnes Martin, Anthony McCall, Pablo Picasso, Auguste Rodin, and Frank Stella, as well as an impressive Canadian collection with pieces by Shuvinai Ashoona, Bob Boyer, Victor Cicansky, Greg Curnoe, Joe Fafard, the Group of Seven, Dorothy Knowles, William Perehudoff, Edward Poitras, the Regina Five, David Thauberger, Jeff Wall, Joyce Wieland, and many others. For more information about the MacKenzie, please visit: mackenzieartgallery.ca

Twitter: @atTheMAG

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Media Contact

Olivia Brennan, Communications Assistant

3475 Albert Street, Regina, S

T (306) 584 4250 ext. 4272

C (306) 209 6958

olivia.brennan@mackenzieartgallery.ca