Student art installation honours Red Dress Day

Visual Art 30 students at the Swift Current Comprehensive High School have used their skills to share an important message throughout the school.  

This year’s theme for Red Dress Day is Stories, not Statistics, bringing awareness to the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two Spirit People (MMIWG2S).  

Teacher Mandy Herrick was proud of how her class absorbed and responded to her idea when she brought it forward and has since been watching them take the initiative and run with it.  

“They were so attentive to it and really receptive to the information,” she said. “And I was surprised by how much they knew about certain areas, and how much they were just willing to learn.  

“We brainstormed a bunch of ideas ... and the next day they brought ideas way better than mine. They just blew me away. I was so excited for them to be passionate about it.” 

Hailey Dyck and Ma Ayisha Ron Plazo with their collaborative piece.

Students Hailey Dyck and Ma Ayisha Ron Plazo collaborated on a portrait of a woman, constructed of the names of MMIWG2S. 

"[We] didn't want to do statistics, because it dehumanizes them," said Ron Plazo. "So if we did names, it shows that there's an actual life behind all those numbers."

The youngest name the pair found belonged to a nine-month-old girl who had been kidnapped and remains missing.

Cassie Jewitt and Ryen Bauman stand on either side of their painting.

After three days of work, Cassie Jewitt and Ryen Bauman's painting was finished and hung on the walls of the SCCHS hallways.

"We wanted to do a piece that showed what was missing ... there's a handprint over her mouth to show the silence," explained Bauman. "I do feel like there's not enough like being spoken about what's going on."

Shae Wentworth proudly stands with her window art.

Three women are portrayed staring ahead into darkness to show the feeling of being lost, in Shae Wentworth's window art. The high schooler used pops of red to stir feelings of sorrow, while also representing blood.

"I'm Indigenous ... it was a little hard for me," Wentworth shared about creating art on the topic of MMIWG2S. "I've heard stories, and it's scary for me. It leaves me vulnerable." 

Sharing the same window as Wentworth's piece is the vibrant red handprint done by Kiera Manjo (pictured on the cover of the article). 

Manjo found inspiration for her piece from another artist's similar work. She chose to paint it for it's simplicity and power. 

"People notice the handprint, obviously, but then it takes a moment to find the face in it, and I think that goes to show how when you actually do take the time to learn about it and look at it, you see how it impacts people," Manjo said. "I think it's really important to show this representation and help people become more aware of it so we can all be doing what we can."