Students adding holiday colour for patients in Surrey Memorial

Written by Colleen Kidd

The students, mainly from Queen Elizabeth Secondary, painted Christmas-theme scenes on hospital windows in a bid to brighten up the lives of those in hospital over the holidays.

A group of Surrey students are bringing a splash of colour into the lives of those in hospital this holiday season.

The students, mainly from Queen Elizabeth Secondary School, spent all day Thursday at Surrey Memorial Hospital painting bright holiday-theme scenes on hospital windows under the direction of art teacher Marc Pelech.

Pelech said 40 students participated in the project.

He said they were all talented artists and their motivation was simple - to brighten the lives of patients during the holiday season.

"There are quite a few patients around the hospital who will be residents during the Christmas season," Pelech said.

"We want to show them we are thinking of them."

The young artists volunteered from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and the hospital administration donated the paint.

The finished images will glow as the light shines through them and last into the new year.

Pelech said the students chose images that won't offend non-Christians but will brighten everyone's stay.

"We're trying to stay with images that have wide spread popularity like Victorian Christmas Carollers."

He said windows also have pictures of teddy bears, candy canes, bells and Santa Claus.

Students had little trouble finding appropriate images and most were non-Christians themselves.

"They are a very multi-racial group," said Pelech.

Contributing Queen Elizabeth artists are: Jocelyne Anderson, Gavin Begg, Vivienne Bessette, John Brunn, Byung-Sook Cha, Alexander Chau, Jennie Cline, Rayna Collins, Craig Cross, Amber Dalrymple, Michelle Dobrosavljevic, Melissa Doyle, Johnny Faria, Taryn Gillard, Jeff Green, Carla Griffin, David Ham, Zakia Hamid, Nadia Hosein, Angela Johannes, Allison Johnstone, Eun-Hee (Grace) Kim, Craig Kirchner, Michelle Kole, Rodney Lindberg, Jean Lung, Sundeep Mann, Andrea McLean, Ashneil Nandan, David Phaysith, Alex Ruiz Ramirez, Olivia Regan, Jose Rivera, Andrea Rossi, Shannon Schaefer, Tricia Shermeto, Dustin Thompson, Erin Topp and Jennifer Van Der Eyken.

Christmas window art project (1999) related coverage:

Title: Not Applicable
Publication: The Now Community, December 4, 1999; Cover
Photographer: Leah S. Beddow
Artists: Angela Johannes, Andrea McLean and Jose Rivera

Title: Art for a song
Publication: Surrey/North Delta Leader, December 15, 1999; Pg. A29
Photographer: Evan Seal
Artist: John Brunn

Title:With bells on
Publication: The Surrey/North Delta Leader, December 1999
Photographer: Evan Seal
Artists: Alexander Chau and David Ham

Title: Painting holiday joy for hospital
Publication: The Province Newspaper, December 3, 1999; Pg. A8
Photographer: Colleen Kidd
Artist: Allison Johnstone

Publication: The Vancouver Sun Newspaper, December 3, 1999; Pg. B5
Author/Reporter: Colleen Kidd
Photographer: Colleen Kidd
Theme: Christmas Window Art [Commercial Art]
Featured Artist(s): Eun-Hee (Grace) Kim, Shannon Schaefer, Allison Johnstone, David Ham, John Brunn, Alexander Chau, Andrea McLean, Jose Rivera, Angela Johannes
Artwork Links(s):
Christmas Window Art: Bells
Christmas Window Art: Christmas Carollers
Christmas Window Art: Frosty The Snowman
Christmas Window Art: Reindeer
Christmas Window Art: Santa and Child
Christmas Window Art: Santa with Children