Stories from the Hives: The Wellness Quilt

At the Concordia Downtown Campus Art Hive we have a diverse population of participants. While some join us from outside of the university we also have many students who come in to take a break from the stressors of school life, experiment and explore art making, and join the creative community in order to break isolation and enjoy some social time. Students come in and often express their struggle to  find balance admidst all of the pressure and responsibility they feel while studying. They describe complex challenges including cultural adaptation as an international student, financial difficulties, personal and familial pressures, and stress over their future career opportunities.  I’ve witnessed a real appreciation of the art hive as a space for students to rejuvenate and take care. However, I’ve also listened to many students seeking extra resources in order to support their mental health and the challenge in navigating a large institution to find what is available.  In order to respond to this need I created a community quilt that hangs in the art hive as a Wellness on Campus bulletin board, directing students to all the on-campus mental health services including help-lines, counselling, zen dens etc. The quilt is a hand-made offering of comfort, normalizing self/community care, and a reminder that the art hive is a supportive refuge and a warm home space.