A free Community art making open house at Skyline Health

White Salmon, Wash. – Skyline Health is partnering with local artist and breast cancer survivor Dawn Nielson to help patients, families, community members and Skyline employees find “inspiration and hope” through art. Nielson will host “Elevate” a free community art making open house on October 9 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., in the hospital’s meeting space.  People can attend at their leisure and art experience is not required. Supplies will be provided.

“Elevate” will be comprised of paper feathers attendees will draw, paint, collage and/or write on to express how breast cancer has affected their lives. Individual feathers will be assembled to form a pair of large-scale wings, which will be on display in Skyline Health’s Radiology Department. People are encouraged to take a photo in front of “Elevate” in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month – taking place in October – and #skylinehospital.

“The creative process of art making helped me through my 2006 breast cancer diagnosis and recovery,” Nielson said. “When words were not able to express what I was feeling, art became a vehicle for my voice. I found the process of art making to be a powerful form of nonverbal communication, one that helped me release the tensions of the unfamiliar situation I was facing.

“I look forward to sharing this art making opportunity. It’s a process where I find serenity and believe others may as well,” she continued. “Creating artwork that exemplifies human thought and behavior is my attempt in connecting with others – in that we are not alone in our life circumstances.”

To learn more about the Art Making Open House, call 509-637-2603. To learn more about the artist, visit www.dawnnielson.com.