Regina woman draws portraits for neighbourhood children

Sandi Whitford has spent the past two and a half months practicing her portrait skills by drawing the kids in her neighborhood.

“I thought there’s about six, seven, maybe eight kids in the neighborhood so I’ll do one for each of them, turns out there’s 16,” Whitford said with a laugh.

Whitford found her passion for drawing after her husband suffered a stroke five years ago, and she spent her time alongside him in the hospital drawing the nurses on his floor.

She continued to improve her skills over the pandemic by taking an online course specializing in portraiture. Whitford practiced her craft by drawing as often as possible, eventually deciding to draw the children in her community.

After she finished her project, the kids wanted to see all the drawings she made, so Whitford created a display outside her home featuring the art.

“All of a sudden, three kids were there, and then the parents were there, and then they were all out there. It’s been very rewarding and it's helped bring everybody in the neighborhood together,” said Whitford.

Once she takes down the display, Whitford plans to gift each portrait to the children.

The outpour of support Whitford has received has encouraged her to continue pursuing her passion. She is currently working on a larger watercolor project which will document her husband’s journey in the healthcare system.