SMALL TOWN HOPE's
BACKPACK DESIGN PROJECT
Funding is provided by the Pennsylvania Rural Arts Alliance from the 1889 Foundation Creative Health Impact Grant.
So, what's it all about?
Young artists in Cambria & Somerset Counties came to The Treehouse to learn about design. Through fun methods like viewing unconventional backpacks and deconstructing backpacks to see how they are made, they came up with a design for their own unique backpack. Children turned a new backpack into their own one-of-a-kind art creation! Their artworks are celebrated here in an online Art Exhibition for family, friends and community to view.
Why is it awesome?
Small Town Hope is a proud second year recipient of the Creative Health Impact Grant. This grant supports health and wellness initiatives through projects in the arts. It also make it possible for Small Town Hope to offer the artistic experience at no cost for participants. Through the Backpack Design Project, children encountered an educational, liberating art experience while contributing to their wellness by building confidence in their skills and forming friendships. Kids even left with school supplies in their backpacks to get them started for the new school year!
ONLINE EXHIBITION
We hope you enjoy our online Backpack Design Project Exhibition!
Since COVID-19 remained a risk during the time of our Backpack Design Project, we chose safety and avoided large groups. The children worked so hard on their backpacks and they deserve to be recognized. This is their chance to shine. You can view additional photos of the design process on the "Additional Photo Galleries" page.
To leave a compliment for an artist...
Please help keep these children's artistic light burning with your kind words. Email a compliment to elizabeth@smalltownhope.org. Reference the artist's number in your email. Our teacher will pass on your compliment to the young artist(s). Encouraging young artists with kind words about their artwork helps to grow their love for creating and build confidence in our youth. Thank you!
1MY DESIGN...
"I started with a black backpack and I wanted to add stars. But then it turned into a shooting star. So I added a moon and millions of little stars. I used chenilles, a keychain, and glitter hot glue for the stars and moon. I spread the hot glue around with a towel to make the million stars."
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ABOUT THE ARTIST...
"I'm 9. My idea for my backpack design just popped into my head. The other kinds of art I like are clay, sketching and watercolors."
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2 MY DESIGN...
"I made a snake, a frog, and a toad backpack. I used chenilles for the snake. I twisted it and curled it around and the extra orange part made a tail. I also used fabric and beads."
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ABOUT THE ARTIST...
"I'm 7. I thought of this idea for my backpack design because my Dad caught a water snake yesterday. I also like to make art out of clay."
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3MY DESIGN...
"My backpack shows my personality. I used markers, ribbon, and puffy paint."
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ABOUT THE ARTIST...
"I'm 9 years old. I wanted to make this backpack because I thought it would be beautiful. Other kinds of art I like to do are drawing and making new things."
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4MY DESIGN...
"I like that my backpack has pom-poms on it because on the bus, you can touch it. The pockets are really cute. I used pom-poms, chenilles and bling bling ribbon."
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ABOUT THE ARTIST...
"I'm 5. The bright colors and the supplies made me want to make this backpack. Other kinds of art I like to do are crafts, painting and drawing pictures."
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5MY DESIGN...
"The yellow backpack inspired me to do bees and reminds me of summer. I play basketball and softball so that inspired me to do the back side of the bag. I used beads, chenilles, fabric, marker and hot glue."
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ABOUT THE ARTIST...
"I'm 10 years old. The color of the backpack led me to my design. My favorite kinds of art are painting and making crafts."
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6MY DESIGN...
"My backpack is very colorful. I used puffy paint, pom-poms, beads, and ribbon to make it."
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ABOUT THE ARTIST...
"I'm 8. I wanted to make this backpack because I really like rainbows and I wanted a backpack with rainbows on it. Other kinds of art I like to do are drawing and painting."
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7MY DESIGN...
"I made a monster backpack. The feathers are for chest hair and I used fuzzy balls for food in his belly. I put a big googly eye on the top. I used chenilles and stickers."​
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ABOUT THE ARTIST...
"I wanted to make a backpack to use my imagination to make it something else. I like to do paintings, drawings, and make popsicle stick guys."
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8MY DESIGN...
"I wanted a black backpack. I put on pom-poms and hearts because I really like hearts and I like all the colors."
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ABOUT THE ARTIST...
"I'm 4. I wanted to put all of these things on my backpack. I like to draw and paint."
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9MY DESIGN...
"My favorite animal is a chicken, so I had the idea to make a chicken backpack. I used feathers, hot glue, fabric markers, fabric glue, and a backpack."
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ABOUT THE ARTIST...
"I'm 8. I really like chickens. Other kind of art that I like to do are tie-dye and marble painting."
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10MY DESIGN...
"My backpack has lots of blue on it and it has supplies inside to make more things. I used beads, letter beads, buttons, googly eyes, Q-tips, glitter glue, hot glue, white material, keychains, patches, sequins and a colored pencil box."
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ABOUT THE ARTIST...
"I'm 7. My idea for my backpack design came from the weird blue backpack I saw in the slide show. My favorite kind of art is making crafts."
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11 MY DESIGN...
"I made a food backpack. I used beads, patches, keychains, glitter glue, and gems."​
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ABOUT THE ARTIST...
"I'm 7 years old. I thought of this idea for my backpack design because I am hungry. My favorite kind of art is painting."
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12MY DESIGN...
"My backpack is Godzilla themed - "Atomic Blast Godzilla." In the picture, he's attacking the Earth and his name is on like caution tape. I used white fabric and colored it in with fabric markers to write "Godzilla." I also used a patch for the Earth."
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ABOUT THE ARTIST...
"I'm 9 years old. I like Godzilla a lot and I thought about it when my Mom told me we were coming [to this class]. My idea changed when I saw the materials. Other kinds of art I like to do are crafts, art made out of cardboard, drawing, and sometimes painting."
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