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“I thought ‘Let’s do this for real.'”

Photo by TROY FLEECE / Regina Leader-Post

The following spring she put out a call to kids in the neighbourhood she knew enjoyed art and asked them to create pieces with the theme “feather and bone.” After collecting the finished pieces and spray painting some thrift store frames gold, the gallery’s first exhibition was hung.

Now in its third year of themed exhibits, it seemed clear to Cameron that this year’s theme should help people in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“When I sent the theme out to all the participants … I said like, ‘What do you think that the world needs to see right now, that people maybe need a remedy or a cure? What can we do?'” she said.

“This is what they thought would maybe be the best thing for the public to see.”

The exhibition opened on April 22, and the artists this year range in age from two to 15 years old, with the exception of one “secret artist” whose artwork description reads “age infinity.”

Cameron’s eight-year-old son Oliver Dunn enjoys having people stop by to admire the sculpture he has on display as it gives him the chance to visit with people in person again.

“I don’t get to see a bunch of people lately. I only get to see them on FaceTime,” he said.

Thirteen-year-old Lazlo Paradis also contributed a sculpture he made of several objects he cut apart and glued together.

He likes knowing his artwork is helping give people a place to connect, especially during the pandemic.

“It gives you something to look at, something to do (and) visit,” he said.