The Appleton Compassion Project is a community art project involving 10,436 Appleton Area School District K-12 art students. In Fall 2010, participating students received a 6-inch-by-6-inch art panel to draw or paint their idea of compassion.

The inspiration behind the project came from Richard Davidson, PhD — a University of Wisconsin-Madison brain researcher who has found that those who practice compassion have measurably healthier brains. What’s more, Davidson’s research shows that compassion can be learned, and should be practiced, as a skill. “A little more joy might be within everyone’s reach,” says Davidson.

The project can be viewed online at www.appletoncompassion.org. Available on the website is a virtual exhibit which allows visitors to view each piece of art along with the corresponding artist statement. It will also help visitors to the museum locate a specific piece of art in the display. Mobile applications – available for Android, iPhone, and Windows Phone 7 – will allow visitors to easily access artist statements while viewing the art in the museum.

The students’ panels will be on view in The Trout Museum of Art galleries, Appleton, Wisconsin, from May 1–June 30, 2011.