Creator of Standing Oaks’ unique art program retires

There has been a changing of the guard in a long-running art program at Standing Oaksa 10-bed home in Sarnia for individuals with complex care needs.

Sue Bendall, who created the art program a decade ago, has retired.

“It was time to pass the torch,” she said.

Standing Oaks opened in 2004 after years of work by a group of parents who formed Community Concerns for the Medically Fragile.

“Not only were they going to provide a very safe and medically supportive environment for their kids, they really wanted there to be focus on quality of life,” said group administrator Chris Steeves.

“They brainstormed ideas and decided to hire an art director. . . to figure out how they could initiate a program involving medically fragile individuals who have either no mobility or very, very limited mobility.”

Bendall, who had worked with the blind and deaf, “and was an extremely gifted artist herself, created just a fantastic and unique – like, one-of-a-kind – art program,” Steeves said.

The program was called Hands on Art and Bendall adapted art projects to Standing Oaks residents.

“She ran that program for 10 years and every single week, with a few exceptions,” Steeves said.

“To come up with new ideas for that many art sessions – if you do the math, that’s 500ish – to work with an incredibly restricted population, is pretty extraordinary,” Steeves said.

Bendall’s final art session at the home was in June.

“The residents have come to just love the program,” Steeves said.

“It puts them in a really good mood, really enhancing their day. It tuckers them out, somewhat, which is a good thing. . . because we need to have mentally challenging parts of our day,” Steeves added. “To have accomplished all that, we think is extraordinary.”

Tracy Tobin, who was recommended by Bendall, has been hired to continue the program, Steeves said,

And the Catherine Wilson Foundation recently granted the program $1,000 for art supplies.

“It was very rewarding,” Bendall said of her time working with Standing Oaks residents.

“They definitely had their favorite types of art,” she said, including painting notecards using marbles and “swipe art” using shower squeegees, in which “they pick out their colors . . . we put dots on a page and they swish it all down.”

bendall said previously she was always on the lookout for bubble wrap that they would put on the floor so residents could roll over it in their wheelchairs, creating a sound like fireworks.

“We’ll have a dance party all over the bubble wrap,” Bendall said in 2016.

The wrap would then be collected and used for other art projects.

“There’s so many smiles,” she said. “During class, if we can get the music going and dance and be silly. . . that’s all a bonus.”

The program also has been part of several exhibitions and community art events.

Bendall said it was hard during the COCID-19 pandemic, when residents couldn’t have their regular weekly art sessions, though staff at the home did what they could.

“Some of the staff would call me for ideas to try,” Bendall said.

Recently, Bendall started her own business, SCQ Memories, making “memory” stuffies and pillows from clothing of loved ones who have died.

“So I’m helping people in another way,” she said.

“I’m very grateful to Community Concerts for the Medically Fragile for giving me the opportunity,” Bendall said.

“I’m very excited that Tracy is taking over because she will do fantastic.”