Snow City Arts reaches out to hospitalized children
By Kay McKinlay Ford
Young students cannot escape the rigors of academia even during an extended stay in the hospital. Tutors and parents drag in piles of math, language arts, and science textbooks along with reams of worksheets in an effort to keep their young students from "missing out." Such work is very “left brain,” but what happens to the right side of the brain, the intuitive, creative part, during a hospital stay? How does it stay engaged?
For many of Chicago
children, bridging the left brain/right brain gap is much easier thanks
to Snow City Arts Foundation (SCA). Thousands of youngsters miss an
extended amount of school due to illness each year. At Cook County's
John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital, Rush University Medical Center, and
Children’s Memorial Hospital, almost 2,000 kids per year have enjoyed
exploring the arts through the SCA.
Chicago’s talented artists take time to share their passion with hospitalized children in creative writing, music, painting, photography, and filmmaking.
“So many children get isolated during a long stay," said Paul Sznewajs, poet-in-residence and SCA executive director. "Schooling suffers, friends drift away, everyone else is focusing on what’s wrong. We focus on what’s right—their minds, intellects, and imagination.”
The program provides one-on-one education during the patient’s stay. Sixteen artists-in-residence with widely varied backgrounds open up a rich experience for the young students. For students who can walk or move in around with assistance, the program offers a medical-free zone known as Idea Lab, which comes with everything from computers and a piano to reference books. This special spot encourages creative expression in poetry, film, music, and visual art. For children who must remain in bed, artists teach lessons at the bedside.
SCA documents student work completed in the program using a computer program that tracks each child’s lessons. Staff evaluate students using state and national learning standards, and students receive credit through the Chicago Public Schools. While SCA stresses an academic concentration, the program also works closely with other support services such as art and music therapy and with activity coordinators.
“It gives our kids a better opportunity to be kids and learn something new," said Victoria Storm, child life program manager for Children's Memorial Hospital. "Here they can take their time and enjoy themselves, which makes them feel better in their heart, mind, and body. I like to think that helps in the healing process.”
Super heroes offered an especially memorable theme at Children’s Memorial. “Lara Golan, one of our artists-in-residence, asked the kids to identify what super hero they most admired, and they wrote theme songs," Storm said. "They were asked about their dreams and wishes.”
Some outpatients, such as
children on kidney dialysis, come back on a regular basis. Such patients
may miss two out of five days of school each week for years. SCA artists
get to know these returning students quite well, and in the
organization’s ten years of existence they have seen many of their
students grow up.
"That’s the gratifying part,” acknowledged Sznewajs. “You go into a room and the blinds are closed, lights off, TV on, and you walk in with a project. Blinds are opened, lights go on, TV’s turned off—that’s where we start to engage.”
The artists-in-residence at the SCA have done such a good job with young people that the program was awarded the prestigious 2006 Coming Up Taller Award, presented by the President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities at the White House. The award honors the 15 best youth arts programs in the country annually.
Alfedena Gallery at 434 W. Ontario St. recently showed a collaborative effort by students from the three hospitals SCA works, bringing participants greater recognition within the art community.
“I would like the kids to think of themselves as artists and students first and patients second,” concluded Sznewajs. “Children can take time to heal and time to learn."
Snow City Arts Foundation is located at 1653 W. Congress Pkwy., Office 599. Call (312) 942-6991 or visit www.snowcityarts.com.
ART
Allrise Gallery, 1370 W. Grand Ave., this month presents Grand Matter, a group show featuring contemporary mid-career artists whose work plays on the metaphors and symbolism surrounding certain objects relevant to our current time. Artists are Joachim Lapotre, photography; Lee Piechocki, painting; David Van Ness, digital sculpture; Shelby Donnelly, textile sculpture; and Michael David Rose, collage. Hours are Tuesday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Call (773) 292-9255 or visit lisaflores@allrisegallery.com.
Around the Coyote, 1425 N. Damen Ave., presents Mutability at the ATC Gallery, 1935½ W. North Ave. The exhibition focuses on muted subject matter and subdued palettes in contemporary painting. Exhibiting artists are Servando Garcia, James Kao, and Ann Toebb. Call (773) 342-6777.
Architrouve, 1433 W. Chicago Ave., presents Allegoric, a show of mixed media drawings and photographs through Friday, Sept. 26. Call (312) 563-1033 or visit www.thearchitrouve.com.
Art Institute of Chicago, 111 S. Michigan Ave., features new work by Vincent Fecteau in a show opening Thursday, Sept. 11. The San Francisco-based Fecteau is known for transforming ordinary materials such as foamcore, seashells, string, rubber bands, paper clips, walnut shells, and popsicle sticks into meticulously handcrafted sculptures. Also, Benin: Kings and Rituals, Court Arts from Nigeria runs through Sunday, Sept. 21. For information on these and other shows visit www.artic.edu/aic or call (312) 443-3600 for details.
Caro d’Offay Gallery, 2204 W. North Ave., presents Lumetype: Prints and Plates featuring works by George C. Clark through Friday, Oct. 3. Call (773) 235-7400 or visit www.carodoffaygallery.com for details.
Chicago Architecture Foundation, 224 S. Michigan Ave., opens Boom Towns! Chicago Architects Design New Worlds with a reception on Tuesday, Sept. 23, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. The exhibit explores similarities and differences in architectural responses to boom conditions in two centuries and cities. For more information visit www.architecture.org or call (312) 922-3432.
Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington St., presents Martin Koenig’s Voices and Images from Bulgaria 1966 to 1979, a series of historic black and white photographs portraying villagers—especially musicians and dancers—and documenting a traditional way of life that has since been transformed by modernization. The exhibit shows through Sunday, Sept. 28. Also visit Ellis Island by photographer Stephen Wilkes to view photos of the hospital complex that occupied the south side of Ellis Island. Call (312) 744-6630 or visit www.egov.cityofchicago.org for details.
City Gallery, 806 N. Michigan Ave., presents themed shows featuring work by Chicago photographers, curated by representatives of Columbia College Chicago’s photography department and the Chicago Cultural Center. Call (312) 742-0808 or visit www.colum.edu/academics/phhotography/city_gallery.php.
Framing Mode and Gallery, 1526 S. Wabash Ave., has extended its Macro exhibit featuring bird’s eye-view paintings of Chicago by Nick Bridge and will host a closing reception of Bridge’s show on Friday, Sept. 12, from 6 to 9 p.m. Call (312) 566-0027.
Hyde Park Art Center, 5020 S. Cornell Ave., is showing the photography exhibition Glow through Sunday, Oct. 11. Admission is free. Call (773) 324-5520 or visit www.hydeparkart.org for details.
Illinois State Museum Chicago Gallery, State of Illinois Building, 100 W. Randolph St., Ste. 2-100. Eleven Illinois artists explore plants as conduits between humanity and the natural world in a show that opens with a reception on Friday, Sept. 12. at 5:30 p.m. Call (312) 814-6322 or visit www.museum.state.il.us/ismsites/chicago.com for details.
Intuit: The Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art, 756 N. Milwaukee Ave., this month presents Sunday Painters: Discarded Paintings by Gifted Amateurs, a show of 25 thrift store paintings by unknown amateur artists donated by Ricco/Maresca Gallery and Richard Rubenstein. Call (312) 243-9088 for hours or visit www.art.org/.
National Museum of Mexican Art, 1852 W. 19th St., invites all to help bring the painting Virgen de Guadalupe to her new home in the museum’s permanent collection. For more information, visit www.nationalmuseumofmexicanart.org or call (312) 738-1503.
National Vietnam Veterans Museum, 1801 S. Indiana Ave, exhibits Ancient Lands, Modern Battles, featuring photos by soldiers in Iraq. Call (312) 326-0270 or visit www.nvvam.org for details.
Newberry Library, 60 W. Walton St. Artifacts of Childhood: 700 Years of Children’s Books shows how childhood is fluid and changing by exploring seven centuries of children’s books and games. The show opens Saturday, Sept. 27. For hours call (312) 255-3700 or visit www.newberry.org.
Spertus Institute of Jewish Studies, 618 S. Michigan Ave., presents Twisted Into Recognition: Cliches of Jews and Others opening Friday, Sept. 26. A free public exhibition preview will be held Thursday, Sept. 25, 5:30 to 8 p.m. The exhibit questions stereotypes and the ways images and objects communicate them. For more information regarding Spertus's many events visit www.spertus.edu or call (312) 322-1700.
Linda Warren Gallery, 1052 W. Fulton Market, presents the work of Conrad Freiburg in a show titled A Great Daydream. Opening reception Friday, Sept. 5, 6 to 9 p.m. Call (312) 432-9500 or visit www.lindawarrengallery.com for details.
Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art, 2320 W. Chicago Ave, presents New Print Politik: Post-Soviet Art and Politics on Friday, Sept. 12. This multi-country exhibit highlights intersections of art and politics in post-Soviet nations since 1991. Call (630) 240-7112 or visit www.uima-art.org for details.
Woman Made Gallery, 685 N. Milwaukee Ave., presents the One Planet, One Experiment group exhibition opening Friday, Sept. 5. Call (312) 738-0400 for gallery hours and details or visit www.womanmade.org.
MUSEUMS
Chinese-American Museum, 238 W, 23rd St., presents Great Wall to the Great Lakes: Chinese Immigration to the Midwest. Call (312) 949-1000 or visit www.ccamuseum.org.
Field Museum, 1400 S. Lake Shore Dr., presents Nature Unleashed: Inside Natural Disasters through September. The exhibit features displays, state-of-the-art animations, and poignant large-scale images of vanished species. For information call (866) Field-03 or visit www.fieldmuseum.org.
Museum of Contemporary Photography, 600 S. Michigan Ave., offers a curators’ tour with Rod Slemmons and Corinne Rose of the exhibitions On the Road and Rough Beauty on Friday, Sept. 19, at noon. Call (312) 663-5554 or visit www.mocp.org for details.
Museum of Science and Industry, 57th Street and Lake Shore Drive, presents Smart Home to showcase the greenest house in Chicago—a real, three-story modular and sustainable “green” house in the museum's own backyard—and help visitors learn how to make eco-friendly living a part of their lives. For more information call (773) 753-6230 or visit www.msichicago.org.
MUSIC
Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington St, invites all to Classical Mondays at 12:15 p.m. in the G.A.R. Hall. On Wednesdays at 12:15 p.m. enjoy the Dame Myra Hess Concert Series, which presents ensemble classical music performed by young musicians. Music Without Borders in September offers a Lunch Break Friday series with music by Charu Swaminathan on Sept. 5, the Celtic music of Errigal Sept 12, and the World Music Festival Chicago 2008 on Sept. 19. For more information call (312) 404-7180 or log on to www.chicagoculturalcenter.org.
Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO), 220 S. Michigan Ave., has a full calendar in for September with something for everyone. The orchestra offers Tchaikovsky 5 on Friday, Sept. 19, and Thursday, Sept. 25, at 8 p.m. and on Friday, Sept. 26, at 1:30 p.m. For a complete calendar and ticket information visit www.cso.org. or call (312) 294-3000.
Sherwood Conservatory of Music, 1312 S. Michigan Ave. continues its Sundays at Sherwood on Sunday, Sept. 14, 3 to 4 p.m., with a performance by faculty members Lisa Goethe-McGinn, flute, and Erica Lessie, cello. Admission is free and open to the public. For details visit www.colum.edu/Sherwood_conservatory/index.php.
THEATER
Chicago Shakespeare Theater, 800 E. Grand Ave., presents Amadeus by Peter Shaffer and directed by Gary Griffin in the Courtyard Theater through September. This award winning drama is based on the music and intertwining lives of the brilliant Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and his jealous rival, court composer Antonio Salieri. For times and ticket information call (312) 595-5600 or visit www.chicagoshakes.com for details.
DCA Theaters, 77 E. Randolph St., presents Incubator Showcase: Infusion presented by Infusion Theatre Company on Monday, Sept. 22, 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. in the Studio Theater. The show is free; reservations are encouraged. For show times of this and other events call (312) 742-8497 or visit www.dcatheater.org.
Goodman Theater, 170 N. Dearborn St, presents Turn of the Century by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice and directed by Tommy Tune, featuring Jeff Daniels and Rachel York. The story is a romantic romp through time. For times and ticket prices visit www.goodmantheatre.org or call the box office (312) 443-3800.
