By Brenna Connors, LEAD Assistant
SSND Waterdown has begun a collaboration with a community-based art initiative that uses large-scale colouring pages to spark dialogue around mental health, connection, and creativity.
Hamilton artist Vu Ngo, the founder of StoryPOP, came to speak to us about his vision to transform everyday spaces into living stories of resilience and hope. While listening, the Sisters realized Vu's vision fit perfectly into their charism.
An instant decision was made to assist with this project, which has us working on the colouring pages to intensify and darken colours already added by community members.
In other words, we add colour - using crayons only - atop the existing work already coloured by local citizens at several community events. During those events, volunteers chatted with citizens about community involvement and mental health.
Conversation comes easily while colouring! The Sisters have had many conversations about community and the poor and those who need our prayers. Colouring seems to make it easier to have serious conversations without even realizing it.
We are proud to play a part in advancing StoryPOP’s mission to bring beauty, accessibility, and compassion to the forefront of community mental-health awareness.
By joining forces with StoryPOP, we’re helping amplify a message of hope through art that can be seen and felt. It is one that speaks to the transformative power of creativity in promoting mental health and community care.
Looking ahead, the SSNDs in Waterdown and StoryPOP will continue the collaboration by making new, easy-to-hold crayons from broken and used pieces. We will donate them to community centers for individuals with dexterity issues. We want to help ensure that creative expression remains within reach for people of all ages and abilities.
