“Sometimes, the weight of being a teenager or facing the challenges of adulting feels overwhelming. In those moments, I find myself yearning for the carefree days of childhood, when responsibilities were few and worries were light. This artwork is inspired by Helen McNicoll’s tender depictions of childhood. Some of McNicoll’s fabulous art pieces demonstrate the simple goodness of childhood—a time when the world seems full of endless possibility. In honouring McNicoll’s legacy, I wanted to create a scene of my childhood based on my vague memory while also establishing my personal art style to show my longing to go back to that time of innocence and pure joy.”

–Muying Deng (Grade 9, Regina Christian School, Regina, Saskatchewan)

One of the nation’s most prolific artists, Helen McNicoll (1879–1915) garnered acclaim for her bright and sunny representations of rural landscapes, child subjects, and modern female figures—works that helped popularize Impressionism in Canada.