Jazmin Sasky interviewed 50 single mothers for her exhibition “Home is Love”, which will help raise money for the YWCA Cause We Care House.
Photo by Dan Toulgoet/The Vancouver Courier
Artist paints family stories
Adapted from The Vancouver Courier by Nancy Carson
Level 3
Jazmin Sasky is an artist.
And she loves stories.
Recently she listened
to the stories of single mothers.
Then she painted one large picture
about each family.
The paintings show each family story
with beautiful, bright colours.
Asking four questions
Sasky thought of simple questions.
What does “home” mean to you?
Why is home important to you?
What are your favourite things
to do at home?
Finally, Sasky asked the women to share
their family values.
Home is Love
“Home is Love” is the name
of Sasky’s new painting project.
The artist listened to about 50 women
talk about their homes.
Some women talked about hardship.
Others talked about being safe.
Many women talked about love and hope.
One family’s story: My Mom is fun.
Photo by Adele Lewin
The storytellers
The mothers were ages 14 to 35.
They were all connected with the YWCA.
Most were immigrants
or aborginal women.
All were low-income.
Jazmin’s story
Helping women is Jazmin’s passion.
She came to Vancouver
from Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Her mother was a single parent.
Sasky studied graphic design
and illustration.
Many children’s books
contain her drawings.
Painting stories
In 2013, Sasky told women’s stories
with her art for the first time.
She had a show of her paintings
at the Jewish Community Center.
She invited people from the Vancouver YWCA
to come to see her art.
Sasky’s contribution
The YWCA wanted Sasky
to help raise money for
a new housing project
for low-income women.
So, Sasky started her Home is Love project.
One-quarter of the sale of each painting
will help support the new housing.
The name Cause We Care
Cause We Care Foundation is a Vancouver charity.
In 2007 a group of women decided to help
single mothers and their children in need.
The foundation gives a ‘hand up‘
to these women and their children.
These families face everyday problems of poverty.
The Cause We Care group is also raising money
to help build the new housing project.
Their name will be on the new building.
YWCA “Cause We Care House”
The Vancouver YWCA,
The Vancouver Public Library
and the City of Vancouver are
supporting the new project
in the Downtown Eastside.
Apartments for 21 low-income families
will sit on top of a new library.
In the building there will be
medical and job finding services.
There will be a mom-and-tot program.
The building will open in 2016.
Your story
What would you tell Jazmin Sasky about your family?
What do you think your family picture would look like?
Vocabulary:
- values: family rules about behaviour, about what is important in life.
- passion: a strong feeling or enthusiasm for an object, idea, etc:
a passion for poetry, a passion for cooking. - tot: a very young child.
- to give a ‘hand up’: to help someone get what she needs.
Jazmin Sasky illustrated the book What Grandma Built by author Michelle Gilman.
Photograph of the book’s front cover by Steve Bosch, The Vancouver Sun
More family stories artwork by Jazmin (and links below):
All photos Courtesy of Jazmin Sasky
Our home is safe.
Me, my son and the blanket
I say no more.
Love you to the moon and back.
Cupcakes from my favourite chef
Links: