Media Release: Sandhill Nursery art collaboration to support Community Living Huntsville
Community member Blake Hayden adds a splash of colour to a canvas during a paint session led by artist-in-residence Kristyn Watterworth at Sandhill Nursery in July 8. Photo by Community Living Huntsville.
NORTH MUSKOKA – A creative collaboration aims to turn art into action on housing for people with developmental disabilities in North Muskoka.
Community Living Huntsville has partnered with Sandhill Nursery, its artist-in-residence Kristyn Watterworth of KryArt Studio, and community members to create Wesley, a 3’ x 4’ painting on canvas, to be auctioned online in support of Community Living Huntsville’s Transitional Housing Initiative.
Wesley, a 3’ x 4’ acrylic and spray paint on canvas artwork created by artist Kristyn Watterworth with community members supported by Community Living Huntsville at Sandhill Nursery, will be auctioned off online to raised funds for the not-for-profit organization’s Transitional Housing Initiative. Photo by Sandhill Nursery/KryArt Studio.
“We are so excited that Sandhill Nursery owners Tim and Melissa Cantelon came up with such a creative way to support inclusion in their community, and that they welcomed people we support to collaborate in an exciting and meaningful way,” says Jennifer Jerrett, Community Engagement Specialist, Community Living Huntsville. “We are also grateful to Kristyn Watterworth for leading such a fun and engaging paint session, so everyone could explore different painting techniques, and then work together to create the piece. Everyone really enjoyed the experience!”
Community members supported by the not-for-profit organization collaborated to prepare the canvas for Wesley with a colourful background layer before Watterworth completed the foreground.
“Thank you to Blake Hayden, David Mooney, Keith North-Peigan, and Brenda Wood for choosing to volunteer their time and talent to this wonderful piece,” says Jerrett. “There is community in every brushstroke on that canvas, and, in a way, it represents what a community can accomplish when it works together.”
Wesley will be on display as part of Lost in the Woods, an open-air art tour at Sandhill Nursery, 1686 Aspdin Road, Huntsville, that kicked off in July 2022 and runs through Labour Day. Sandhill Nursery will also accept donations to Community Living Huntsville both on-site and through its website during the tour.
“Funds raised through this collaboration will support our new Transitional Housing Initiative to provide apartments and housing-related skills-building programs and services to people we support, who have experienced periodic or chronic homelessness, so they can successfully transition into permanent housing,” says Jerrett. “This is crucial, as the housing crisis and systemic barriers continue to unduly and disproportionately affect marginalized community members, including people with developmental disabilities and their families.”
People can bid on Wesley by visiting GalaBid.com/LostInTheWoods. The piece will be available to view in person at Sandhill Nursery. The online-only auction opened Friday, July 15, 2022 at 8:00 AM and closes Monday, September 5, at 8:00 PM.
Community Living Huntsville is a not-for-profit, registered charity that supports and advocates alongside more than 300 people with developmental disabilities, and their families, to live, work, and play in unique and purposeful ways in North Muskoka. The organization celebrates its 60th anniversary in 2022. Learn more at clhuntsville.ca. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Linkedin, and TikTok.
Community member Keith North-Peigan brushes a stroke of vibrant colour across a large canvas as part of a paint session led by artist-in-residence Kristyn Watterworth at Sandhill Nursery in July 8. Photo by Community Living Huntsville.
Community member David Mooney enjoys the creative process while adding swathes of colour to a canvas during a paint session led by artist-in-residence Kristyn Watterworth at Sandhill Nursery on July 8. Photo by Community Living Huntsville.
Community member Brenda Wood tries her hand at some large canvas painting techniques during a paint session led by artist-in-residence Kristyn Watterworth at Sandhill Nursery in July 8. Photo by Community Living Huntsville.