Kids will 'Paint 4 Peace'
<p>Donna Ralls, right, helps give advice to Skye Wise during the Girls EmPOWERment art workshop kicking off the Paints 4 Peace program at the Human Rights Education Institute on Wednesday in Coeur d'Alene.</p>
COEUR d'ALENE - What is the color of home? A group of young girls, holding brushes before canvas, pondered that question Wednesday during a "Girls Empowerment" art workshop hosted by the Human Rights Education Institute in Coeur d'Alene.
COEUR d'ALENE - What is the color of home?
A group of young girls, holding brushes before canvas, pondered that question Wednesday during a "Girls Empowerment" art workshop hosted by the Human Rights Education Institute in Coeur d'Alene.
"One of them said, 'The color of home is your favorite color.' I thought that was really profound and opened the door to the idea of accepting individual differences," said Rachel Dolezal, the institute's director of education.
The workshop kicked off "Paints 4 Peace," a new institute project aimed at getting area K-12 children to creatively explore the concept of peace.
The downtown institute will distribute art supplies - high quality watercolor, acrylic and tempera paints and brushes - to the first 25 schools whose art teachers call in and ask to participate.
The schools will receive their paints and brushes in August, and then hang peace-themed works in their halls on National Children's Day in mid-October.
Dolezal said the institute is supplying the paint to schools as a way to support the United Nations' efforts to protect the rights of children, including freedom of expression.
"I'm excited to see the works that emerge and watch the process the teachers go through, and at the end of the day, just be thrilled that we've been able to maintain the arts in the schools in a quality way," Dolezal said.
The project is also a way for the human rights institute to help schools struggling with budget cuts.
The schools will have enough supplies, Dolezal said, to use for other projects throughout the year.
"I'm excited about it, and I think the teachers are excited about it," Dolezal said."Bottom line, there is a need in the community, and we want to support the community."
Art teachers from throughout North Idaho, the Spokane Valley and Eastern Washington are encouraged to call the institute if they are interested in having their schools participate.
Information: 292-2359