Childhood Cancer Community: Valentine’s Day 2026

This year’s event was no short of magical. I was more than blessed to be invited back to CCC for February’s Community Night.

If you know anything about me, rules are no fun, especially when it comes to Art. Because this year’s outing was hosted just a day after Valentine’s Day, I had provided the class with an abstract-style heart painting, but encouraged the individuals to freely create or collaborate with their neighbors to make something together.

This is when the sparks flew—each child, each interaction, everything in the room came to life. Some requested conversation, while others simply needed MORE PAINT. A few even used the internet to inspire or sharpen their ideas.

My entire life, I’ve sought out the places where creative freedom feels like the air we breathe and the people who love others with their entirety, and the Childhood Cancer Community in Rochester, MN is exactly this:

“A huge thank you to Ally Barr for spending the evening with us this month at our February Community Night. Ally is a very talented artist with a BIG heart! This is the second time she has joined us, in working with our teens and young adults. She brings great ideas to the table and certainly arouses the talents in each participant.

Ally is a breath of fresh air and her art is beautiful. Click here to see some of her remarkable work. (https://theartbarr.com/) And if you are looking for someone who also offers private or family art therapy sessions, give Ally a call. She comes highly recommended!

We have also posted a few photos of everyone in action under the guidance of Ally. Thank you, Ally, for spending the evening with us! We LOVE having you.”

-Childhood Cancer Community, Facebook Page

A collection of photos can be seen below, with a special thank you to Brendan Bush.