About the Arts and Creative Writing Program
Since 2001,
the Periwinkle Foundation has collaborated with the Arts in Medicine Program
at Texas Children's Cancer Center to bring fun and unique opportunities for
self expression, empowerment and development of coping skills to patients
and their families utilizing professional artists and writers.
Periwinkle's Arts and Creative Writing Program culminates each year in Texas
Children's Cancer Center's Making A Mark®
,
an
exhibition of art and creative writing by children touched by cancer and
blood disorders.
The Arts and Creative Writing Program provides a wide variety of opportunities for expression through the arts:
- Monthly Periwinkle Days at the Cancer Center with special performances (dance, music, theater, visual arts) by professional artists from Young Audiences and/or arts & crafts activities facilitated by Periwinkle volunteers.
- Weekly writing workshops with a professional writer from Writers in Schools resulting in the publication twice a year of the children's work in an anthology produced by The Periwinkle Foundation - The Splendid Review. Copies of The Splendid Review are mailed to all the children who have submitted pieces for publication. Additional copies are kept in the waiting room areas of the Cancer Center and are sent with the Making A Mark traveling exhibit enabling the young writers the opportunity to share their creative writing with other families.
- Annual Making A Mark traveling exhibition of art and creative writing featuring a professional guest artist each year who works, with the help of Periwinkle volunteers, with children at the Cancer Center to create a collaborative piece to be included in the traveling exhibit. The exhibit opens for a month in September of each year in recognition of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, then part of the exhibit travels to various locations throughout the state, country and, on occasion, internationally.
- "Post Cards from the Road" program that allows visitors of the exhibit to send postcards to the young artists. The postcards, mailed through The Periwinkle Foundation, allow the children to see how their art and creative writing touches others. Some inspiring comments sent to the young artists in postcards from the road:
"Thank you. My cousin spent the first six years of her life in a hospital. When asked what it was like, she could never fully make me understand. Looking at your work, I understand it now."
"You are beautiful. I am a stage 4 cancer survivor of over 11 years. You will definitely survive and thrive and be stronger inside and out and help to change the world."
"I was walking through Hobby Airport and stopped to look at the art work. Your picture of the bare tree is beautiful - but not nearly as beautiful as your heart. Thank you for sharing. My life is better today than yesterday."
Quick Facts
About the Making A Mark®
Traveling Art Exhibit
Goal:
To share the young artists'
feelings and expressions of how cancer or blood disorders touched his or her
life.
Participants:
Entries must be from children
who have been treated for cancer or blood disorders, or from their brothers
or sisters. Parents may enter works of children who have died of
cancer or related blood disorders. Making A Mark is open to children
from treatment centers around the world.
Submissions:
Participants may
submit one of the following: art (drawing, painting,
computer-generated collage); writing (poetry, stories, composition);
sculpture (safely boxed for moving); crafts and photography
Submissions due:
August 15, 2010
Children's Party at the Cancer Center
| When: | September 10, 2010 from 10:00 a.m. - noon |
| Where: | Texas Children's Cancer Center Waiting Room |
| Who: | Patients from Texas Children's Cancer Center and their family members are invited to see a preview of the 2010-2011 Blue Ribbon Recipients Artwork |
Opening Exhibit Reception
| When: | September 12, 2010 from 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. |
| Where: | Auxiliary Bridge between Texas Children's Clinical Care Center and West Tower |
| Who: | The Opening Reception is open to the public and is held in honor of the young artist whose work is exhibited. The exhibit and reception are open to the public. |
|
For More Information Contact: |
Tahra Peterson at 713.807.0191 |
