Student blends art with social impact

“Unhampered” is a Print Exchange and Food Drive planned for Wednesday November 7 at Red Deer Polytechnic. The event will be hosted in “The Forum” between 10 am and 3 pm.

RDP Visual Arts student, Bailey Horton, came up with the idea to demonstrate the positive influence art can have on social issues.

“Through the exchange of prints to the public, I want to create a way for members of our community to support the food bank even if they are unable to donate,” said Horton. “With Unhampered, I hope to use my artistic practice to open up curiosity around our local food bank and the services they provide.”

This event comes the week after Food Banks Canada released its 2024 Hunger Count report, indicating that food bank use has skyrocketed 90% in just 5 years.

“Red Deer College has a food bank for their students as well,” says Mitch Thomson, Executive Director of Red Deer Food Bank. “However, they can only access the service three times during the duration of their program. If they can no longer access the service at the school, they come to us. Naturally, that means students in need are indeed some of those who are among the 2 million Canadians visiting food banks across the country every month.”

The ”Unhampered” event actually began on October 21 with a small printmaking workshop hosted by Horton. “While I provided instruction on the print process itself, it was helpful to have staff from the Food Bank there to share some of the information, statistics and stories about their work,” Horton shared.

“It was a great conversation,” she continued. “We discussed some of the possible causes of food scarcity, how it affects a person’s lifestyle, work, and school, where we source food, the quality of our food, and what is needed to shift the stigma and lift one another up into a healthier life and brighter outlook. It was a great experience, and we all learned from one another.”

To participate in the Print Exchange & Food Drive, visit RDP on Wednesday and donate food or funds, after which you can request a complementary art print of your choice from the students in attendance.

Bailey Horton, RDP Visual Arts student & creator of the “Unhampered” experience.

Artist statement

Unhampered is a body of work I am developing to support the Red Deer Food Bank. Growing up, I would donate a can through primary school, but I didn’t know much about what the food bank does for the community as a whole.

Now, as a young adult, I know I can be doing more. When developing this project, I wanted to find a way to support the Red Deer Food Bank through my artistic practice. Art can be a way to connect with others, and bridge a gap of communication. During my workshop, I hope to foster a conversation with members of my local polytechnic community about how we can each support the foodbank in our programs. Through the creation of a communal hamper, both physically and artistically, we each contribute to create a bigger impact.

In my own body of work, I created a series of paper bag drawings. The ink drawings are inspired by the Red Deer Food Bank’s hampers and the pantry staples they include inside. I looked to my own pantry to see what I considered staples when choosing references for my drawings. Through paper bags, I explored parallels to grocery shopping, in-store donations, and what makes a meal. The surfaces I chose for this workshop were primarily found objects, donated by members of my own community.

I will host a live printing event with the printmaking matrixes created during my workshop. Prints will be made live in exchange for hearing information about our local food bank, or donations to support the cause. Through the exchange of prints to the public, I want to create a way for members of our community to support the food bank even if they are unable to donate. With Unhampered, I hope to use my artistic practice to open up curiosity around our local food bank and the services they provide.