Self-expression and empowerment at Spiral Garden
In the Daphne Cockwell Spiral Garden, kids and youth are inspired by nature, and by each other, to create works of art that stretch the imagination, leaving lasting feelings of self-empowerment.
A life-size puppet known as “The Zucchini Queen,” and the miniature city “Bogtown,” made of sticks, rocks and plants are just some of the creative projects to come out of Spiral Garden’s integrated, outdoor summer camp in the last 40 years. And Lynn Simmons, artist in the Music & Arts program at Holland Bloorview, has been here for all of them.
“Spiral Garden is run like a little village, and there's all kinds of artists throughout the village,” explains Lynn. “You’ll see painters, storytellers, puppet-builders and musicians. And the village informs each other of our art, so that’s why you’ll see lots of bigger projects coming together.”
This summer marks Spiral Garden’s 40th anniversary. That’s 40 years of both kids with and without disabilities coming together to express themselves through art and play. Using clay, paint, woodworking, gardening, and the environment around them, campers have long spent their summers making their own artwork and co-creating larger, group art projects.
“An openness to explore is very much a part of working with the kids at Spiral Garden,” says Lynn. “I always say, 'We hold the ideas lightly,' because we are the ones who adapt while the kids explore and find their own way through the different art forms.”
Part of finding their own way includes choosing how they want to spend their time, a freedom that is especially valuable to kids with disabilities who may not always have that choice in more medical contexts. Rather than follow a set schedule, campers are free to move through the different activities at their own pace. Sometimes, this looks like using “to-go” kits, or trays with various arts supplies, that allow for creativity while on the move.
Spiral Garden has a long history of fostering this kind of self-directed artistic exploration, not just during the summer months, but all year long!
“Field trips” to Spiral Garden with the Bloorview School Authority
Throughout the school term, Lynn and her colleagues lead Music & Arts programming in Spiral Garden for students at the Bloorview School Authority (BSA). This includes kids and youth who are attending the school during their stay at Holland Bloorview.
“We often think of it as a field trip,” says Kathryn Marcus, Vice Principal at the BSA. “While they are inpatients, many of our students don't have opportunities outside of the hospital setting so the idea that they can go to Spiral Garden and have a different experience is positive for all of our students.”
Lynn and her colleagues are always thinking up new ways to help those students experience everything that Spiral Garden has to offer. Some popular adaptations include attaching long sticks to roller paintbrushes, to make them easier to handle, and working at picnic tables that have been adapted for students who use wheelchairs.
“We’re always thinking about taking inspiration from the kids, as well as adapting our practise to make it accessible,” says Lynn.
Recently, students in Cecilia Cheung’s class have been working with pottery, shaping clay into different forms and pressing flowers and leaves onto it to leave an imprint.
“The first thing that everyone got to do was throw the clay wherever they wanted—on their lap tray, on the ground, wherever—just to soften it up. It was accessible for everyone, and it was just a lot of fun,” says Cecilia.
The kind of accessible self-expression and empowerment found at Spiral Garden would not be possible without the support of the Foundation’s donors.
