October 2019

A Tree of Life Blooms in East Baltimore

During the month of October, the fourth cohort of Art with a Heart's Art of Leadership program completed this meaningful, mixed media Tree of Life mural for the Rose Street Community Center. Thank you to Edward Williams, Alex Long Jr., Clayton Guyton, Walker Gladden, and the community youth and volunteers who helped to make this project a reality. The painted mural is embellished with over 100 mirrored accents and mosaic mandalas. 

Line Monsters, Inc.

Second grade students in Art with a Heart classes at Thomas Johnson Elementary/Middle School explored different types of lines, shapes and colors to create these fun and friendly monster collages. Students learned that mixed media monsters can be just as diverse as people with the help of paint, glue, paper and the elements of art!    

The Thrill of Printmaking 

Second grade students in Art with a Heart classes at Harford Heights Elementary School l earned about the proportions of the face and created line drawing self portraits. Students then explored the difference between positive and negative space through carving their line drawings into foam to create a stamp for printmaking. The students were so excited as they developed and printed their portraits!

A Desert of Smiles as Art with a Heart Kicks Off a New Partnership!

Art with a Heart is thrilled to be partnering with Child First Authority in 12 new after-school programs. Art with a Heart programs run four days a week for students in kindergarten through 5th grade. Over the course of 10 weeks, students will create artwork using a variety of mediums including painting, drawing, ceramics, sculpture, and printmaking. After the 10 weeks, Art with a Heart classes will rotate to a new group of students at each school. Art with a Heart is projected to work with over 1,000 children through this exciting partnership.

Pumpkin Patches in Different Dimensions

Students in Art with a Heart classes in Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary/Middle School are ready to celebrate Halloween! First and third graders made two dimensional pumpkins inspired by the artist Romero Britto. These students practiced making patterns and painting inside the lines with warm colors. Seventh graders made three dimensional pinch pot pumpkins. These artists explored the elements of clay, practiced carving techniques and learned to slip & score in order to make a lid with a stem for their pumpkins. Fall has officially arrived in art class! 

Capturing the Season with Paper and Paint

Art with a Heart staff and volunteers facilitated two watercolor workshops for 65 talented patrons at the newly renovated Enoch Pratt Library. Participants truly enjoyed the camaraderie of new friends while learning watercolor techniques. The smiles were bright and the paintings were truly special.  

Art with a Heart is grateful for the time and talent of the following volunteer groups during the month of October: Baltimore City Bar Association Young Lawyers Division, BGE, Ellin & Tucker, imre,  Jemicy School,  Nelson Coleman Jewelers, and Travelers.    

Learning the Facts with Factuality!

This month, Art of Leadership students were joined by 25 parents, members of the Art of Leadership Advisory Board, members of the Art with a Heart Board of Directors, and friends to participate in FACTUALITY, a crash course on structural inequality in America. Natalie Gillard, the game's creator and facilitator, engaged participants in a discussion exploring a multitude of topics that included but were not limited to, racial, ethnic, gender, faith, and sexual orientation discrimination, redlining and gentrification, (mental) health disparities, prison and bail disparities, education inequity, and intersectionality. It was an interesting, eye-opening and incredible educational experience for everyone who participated.  

How Do I See Me? 

Art with a Heart hosted The Autism Society of Baltimore-Chesapeake's monthly member social with artist and educator, Jennifer White Johnson. Ms. Johnson engaged members in a Zine making workshop which encourages participants to write personal stories based on themes of autism acceptance and self advocacy. The workshop was a celebration of the participants, their families and new found friends.  

JDRF Youth Ambassadors are BACK...for Their Seventh Year!

Art with a Heart was delighted to welcome back the Type 1 Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) Youth Ambassadors to create auction items for their Annual Gala. With the event's theme, "Who is your ROCK?" Ambassadors had a great time making mosaic garden stones with beautiful colored glass. 

Pasta with a Purpose is Back!