SALISBURY — Hey, that tickles.
Much of this week, children in the Mother’s Morning Out and pre-school classes at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church have been having their feet and hands painted, so they could delicately leave their imprints on sheets of paper.
Artist Molly Shelton and parents Cybil Jones and Brittney Wagner will be taking those hand-, foot- and fingerprints and creating pieces of art, which will be displayed and put up for sale at a show.
It’s highly likely the artwork will fetch handsome prices from families wanting to raise some money for Odin Dougherty.
Odin, the 2-year-old son of Erin and Colin Dougherty of Salisbury, was diagnosed in October with an inoperable brain tumor. He attended the Mother’s Morning Out class at St. Luke’s twice a week.
Odin and his family are living in Durham at the Ronald McDonald House while Odin undergoes some experimental treatment.
The parents back at St. Luke’s are continually asking about Odin, and the kids keep him in their thoughts, too.
With every crafts or art project the children tackle, they do an additional one for Odin, so it can be sent to him in Durham.
“I don’t think there’s a day goes by that a parent doesn’t ask, ‘What can we do,’ ” teacher Lisa Trainor says.
Trainor and fellow teachers Teresa Williams and Laura Koontz look after children 6 months to 4 years, and they were thrilled that Cybil Jones came up with the idea for the art show fundraiser.
“He’s just the sweetest child,” Williams said.
Macy Jones, Cybil’s 2-year-old daughter, was a classmate of Odin’s.
Cybil enlisted the help of Shelton, whose training is in art education.
The artwork will have a Christmas theme. The green hands will become Christmas trees, the red footprints will spell “love” and the multi-colored fingerprints will be Christmas lights on a string.
Jones expects the show probably will take place the week of Thanksgiving.
“They’re going to be really cute when we finish them off,” Shelton said.
About 24 children left behind their many prints this week — a tickling sensation for all.
Contact Mark Wineka at 704-797-4263.