Meet Kris
January 18, 2024
Kara’s Canvas: Finding Healing and Connection Through Art
“Here, I feel safe. I feel like I can finally breathe.”
– Kara, Cornerstone resident.
June marks both Indigenous Awareness Month and Pride Month — a time to honour identity, resilience, and the power of community. At Cornerstone Housing for Women, these themes are not just celebrated in words but lived out in the real and powerful journeys of our residents — including women like Kara.
Kara is an Indigenous woman, a proud member of the LGBTQ2S+ community, and a survivor of both the Sixties Scoop and the residential school system — two systems that deeply disrupted her early life and sense of belonging.
Removed from her family at a young age, Kara spent much of her childhood in foster care before being placed in a residential school. These early experiences left lasting marks on her spirit and identity. Her journey since then has been shaped by trauma, displacement, and an ongoing search for safety, selfhood, and connection.
But at Cornerstone, Kara found something she hadn’t known in a very long time — stability.
“It’s the first place I’ve been able to just be myself,” she says. “Here, I feel safe.”
With that safety came healing and with healing came art.
Rediscovery and Reconnection
In the past few months, Kara has reconnected with a creative part of herself that had long been buried. She has recently completed two stunning, symbolic paintings — works that feature polar bears, the northern lights, and deep, spiritual themes of belonging and survival.
“The polar bears are about survival. They’re strong, and they look after each other. The northern lights are hope.
And the connection… that’s everything. To the land, to each other, to who I am.” Kara explains.
For Kara, painting isn’t just a pastime, it’s a lifeline. Her art gives her a voice, a way to process what she’s lived through, and a powerful tool to reclaim her identity and honour her culture.
A Tribute in Painting.
Each brushstroke is both a memory and a prayer a tribute to the children who were taken, the communities that were fractured, and the generations still healing. She dedicates her paintings to all the families impacted by the Sixties Scoop and residential schools and to the little ones who never came home.
“This is for them. And for all of us who are still here.”
We are proud to share that Kara’s artwork will be permanently displayed at Cornerstone’s Eccles residence, where residents and visitors can reflect on her journey and find strength in her resilience.
A Commitment to Truth, Reconciliation, and Healing.
At Cornerstone, we remain deeply committed to truth and reconciliation, walking alongside Indigenous residents, amplifying their voices, and supporting healing through culturally grounded and trauma-informed care. Kara’s story is a powerful reminder that healing takes time but it also takes safety, community, and the freedom to express who we truly are.
This Indigenous History and Pride Month, we honour Kara and the countless others whose stories are still unfolding. Her art reflects not only where she’s been but where she’s going.
And we are honoured to walk beside her.