Statues Adorned With Dresses Made By Children's Hospital Patients

By Tori Mason

DENVER (CBS4) - Over the last four years, different departments at Children's Hospital Colorado have come together to make dresses for the ballerina statues outside the Sheraton Denver Downtown.

The ballerinas were dressed in this year's creations Friday morning, in advance of the start of Denver Arts Week.

The dresses are made of large, white sheets decorated with colorful splashes of paint and messages from the patients. Hospital staff, patients and their families were able to create them together.

The hospital arts therapist says the children had a blast throwing around paint and making a mess to create the dresses. The patients have so much fun, they don't even realize their artwork is actually a part of their healing process.

"Creative arts helps the children in the unit find a way to express themselves and say things in art that they can't say in words. They can relax not think about their treatment. It's a break from the hard stuff they're going through," said Pat Mowry, Creative Arts Therapist at the hospital.

The little artists who painted the dresses were supposed to be there Friday and see the creations on display, but many of them weren't feeling well. If you're passing by the statues and have some time, snap a picture and tag Children's Hospital Colorado on Facebook or Twitter. That way the children can see how much their art is appreciated.

Tori Mason is an award-winning reporter for CBS4 This Morning. Follow her on Twitter @ToriMasonTV.