Exhibition Overview
My Hero explores the artist's relationships to their own hero. This hero iconography includes non-traditional ideas of heroes such as quiet heroes, everyday heroes, community heroes, or heroes that inspire change on a big or small scale. Given the subjective nature of art, these heroes can be abstract ideas or notions that instill a feeling of safety or protection in the souls of the participants.
This exhibition showcases works from young artists ages 8-17. These artists are enrolled in art classes at Colour Inspired Academy, as well as other Art Schools in Simcoe County. Participants were encouraged to explore the mediums and sizes of their artwork to correctly portray their heroes.
My Hero is an amazing opportunity for the public to experience the remarkable talent of young artists, as well as witness the positive impact that Art has on the youth in our county. This exhibition allows viewers and artists to reflect on the person or idea that makes them feel safe in this world, and give a chance to say thank you.
Presented By
This exhibition is presented by I Can Change The World, a non-profit organization that provides opportunities through fundraising to empower children and teenagers in the arts. The board members of ICCTW (as well as the curators of this exhibition) wrote statements about their own personal heroes.
Artist & Curator Statements
My hero doesn't rescue people in one big moment. My hero keeps building, holding and creating even when life is heavy. My hero creates beauty and safe spaces when the world feels overwhelming, no matter that they feel financial pressure, responsibility and emotional weight. They keep up showing for family, friends and the community despite exhaustion. They put others first even when they feel unseen or stretched thin. They turn art into healing confidence and belonging and create something meaningful not for applause, but because it matters to someone. They lead without shouting, by caring, teaching and staying. My hero feels doubt and fear but doesn't let them win. They feel they are not perfect. They are tired. They are human.
My hero is the love and interconnection between people. My hero is the resilience and strength that is felt in the air when many people stand together to defend peace and justice. My hero is the glow of togetherness; the connection between human nature that allows individuals to become part of a “whole.” My hero is an abstract concept, yet is visually imagined as a ribbon of love binding people together. My hero is collective effervescence.
My hero lives in memory, tradition, and feeling. My hero is shaped by where we come from - by stories passed down, by the weight and warmth of nostalgia, and by the quiet resilience. It is the strength of people who endured, adapted, and continued to create meaning even when life felt uncertain. My hero reminds me that preserving memory is a way of changing the world - by honoring the past, creating connection, and allowing others to recognize their own nostalgia.
My hero is my mom. She is an honest person, and she taught me what honesty really means not with lectures, but with her actions.
I remember one moment very clearly. I was ten years old. We went grocery shopping, and the total came to 150 rubles. My mom handed the cashier a 500-ruble bill. The cashier gave back 350 in change and placed it on top of the 500 bill. My mom grabbed the money, and we left the store.
We were almost home when my mom opened her wallet and suddenly stopped. She realized the mistake, the cashier had given back all the cash. Without hesitation, my mom said we had to go back and return the money.
I was completely against it. I tried to convince her to keep it. To me, it felt like luck, like a gift. But my mom looked at me seriously and said something that changed me forever:
“Imagine the cashier has a daughter your age. If the store finds out there’s money missing from the register, she could get fined. And then she might not be able to buy sweets for her daughter.” That was it. I understood.
We went back to the store. The cashier looked exhausted and sad. When my mom returned the money, the cashier started crying. She thanked us over and over. That moment stayed with me for life.
This was not the only time my mom acted this way. I can remember so many situations where she helped people quietly, honestly, without expecting anything in return. She shaped my values. She showed me that doing the right thing matters, even when no one is watching, even when it costs you something.
Because of her, when I grew up, I became a blood and breast milk donor. I volunteer at a pregnancy care center here in Canada. I truly love helping people.
For me, anyone who has good intentions toward others and helps selflessly is a hero.
And my first hero will always be my mom.
Submission Requirements
- Any medium
- Any size
- Artist statement (written or on video)
- Artwork must include Name (of artist), Date, Medium, Size
Extra Information
Your hero can be a real person (family member, friend, teacher, community helper, yourself), or an imagined or symbolic figure. Show a clear connection between your hero and why they matter to you. Your artwork should show how your hero makes a difference. Do not plagiarize other artists' artwork.