The Community Blanket

During summer of 2023, I taught free art workshops at Andy Livingstone Park to all members of the community, from surrounding neighborhood residents to kids' play groups to houseless people who live in the park and more. I taught a set of workshops that were designed around outdoor enjoyment and accessibility.

One of my recurring workshops has been teaching people how to design repeating patterns, such as for textiles and wallpapers. The repeating patterns became a metaphor for what's possible when we design a simple, accessible system through which anyone can contribute their unique, creative expression to a collective design.

We collected over 100 drawings over the course of summer. I turned a selection of those drawings into a community blanket design. We gave away over 80+ blankets at the conclusion of the residency. This was my way of redirecting funds from the program's supply budget back into the community.

A big thank you to the city staff team, Jonelle, Jess, Bernie, Liam, Naomi, and Marie for keeping this program running smoothly. Thank you to Elders Marr Dorvault and Les Nelson for providing cultural support for the residency, and to Nicole for supporting our elders. Thank you to lexwst’í:lem Drum Group for performing at both our opening and closing receptions. And thank you to all of Art in the Park's advocates, regular attendees, and community for keeping us going!