Mosaics for mental health

By Amy Romer

When Eileen Clabburn established donor advised funds with Vancouver Foundation, it wasn’t just about giving back, but about honouring the memory and lives of her loved ones.

A huge advocate for the public library, Clabburn’s mother was big on community and giving wherever she could. “Mom was a great philanthropist,” said Clabburn. When she and Clabburn’s sister passed away two years apart, she wanted their spirit of generosity to live on. “Whenever someone asks for support, I discuss it in my mind with my mom and sister as my philanthropic partners. It keeps them alive.”

Clabburn’s donor advised funds allow her to recommend grants to charities. She directs them to support the Community Impact Fund at Vancouver Foundation, which ensures money flows to the most pressing needs in the province, from economic recovery to climate resilience and mental health outreach. “I stay at arm’s length,” she said. “I trust Vancouver Foundation’s best judgment. I appreciate their professionalism and expertise.”

A former grant recipient

Clabburn’s passion for giving is deeply intertwined with her journey as an artist. After 25 years as a finance professional, she started over — this time, as a full-time artist living in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside (DTES). It was there, on the noticeboard at the Carnegie Library, that she discovered the DTES Small Arts Grants program , coincidentally also funded by Vancouver Foundation.

She received four grants in a row, each one nudging her further along the path of creative pursuit. Along the way, she was introduced to opportunities available to artists at the municipal, provincial, and federal levels, eventually receiving funding through Canada Council for the Arts. She knew this was the start of her artistic career. “It felt like being on the red carpet,” she said. “I felt like I was somebody.”

Clabburn’s pieces are akin to stained glass. Two-sided and designed to hang in windows, they can brighten up a gloomy day.

Clabburn creates what she lovingly calls “antidepressant art”: kaleidoscopic mosaics made from gems and acrylics that shimmer with colour and light. It’s especially powerful during Vancouver’s long, grey winters. Her pieces offer a boost of colour to those who, like her, live with seasonal affective disorder. “I want people to see beauty in whatever mental health challenge they’re dealing with,” she said. “Not to be ashamed of it.”

Making mental health visible, and beautiful

Each piece is hand-framed and features a vibrant mosaic, accompanied by a small engraved metal label identifying the mental health disorder it’s named after. “I want someone to see their disorder and say, ‘Hey, my disorder sure is pretty!’” She laughed, offering a playful, powerful way of helping to destigmatize what others are told to hide. “Having a mental health disorder can feel lonely,” she added. “But if someone sees a disorder name in my work and says, ‘Hey, that’s my condition’ — and smiles — then for a moment, they don’t hate it as much.”

Through her art and charitable giving, Clabburn keeps finding ways to stay connected, whether it’s to her loved ones, the DTES, or to the idea that beauty can come from difficult places. The funds she’s set up aren’t just about making donations. They’re about turning grief into something lasting. Something bright. Something wonderful.  

This story is featured in our 2025 Vancouver Foundation magazine. Read the magazine to explore other stories of courage, resilience, and generosity.