September 2025

Happenings

Save the Date!!!

From paintings and ceramics to photography and sculptures, the Annual Art Show will feature a diverse range of mediums, all showcasing Art with a Heart's talented community of artists. Not only will attendees have a chance to support these individual artists, but their contributions will also help Art with a Heart continue its important work in the Baltimore community.

Thanks to All of You - The Avenue Mosaic is Installed!

For those of you who attended Art with a Heart's 25th Anniversary event or if you were among the many service groups and/or volunteers who helped create the colorful flower mosaics for Art with a Heart's storefront on The Avenue - well, these beautiful panels have been installed and look AMAZING! We could not have done this project without your help and support!! Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!

Community Art and Service

September was a busy month for the Community Art and Service team with four large-scale project installations - hundreds of mixed media butterflies for TurnAround's new Jacobi Center (a video of the installation is below); a mosaic welcome sign for the Johnston Square community; The Factory's mixed media mural, and another mixed media mural for The Baltimore Ravens Boys and Girls Club at Hilton Recreation Center. Also, during September, The Third Space welcomed the Shapiro family for a reveal of the mosaic bench commissioned by her children in honor of Barbara's 90th birthday. Art with a Heart is grateful for these impactful collaborations and for these meaningful opportunities to beautify community spaces throughout Baltimore.

The first month back to school has been filled with lots of fun, creativity, and silliness! Art with a Heart's classrooms have been busy with projects that spark connection, build community, and celebrate self-expression. Elementary-aged students at Calvin Rodwell Elementary/Middle School jumped into the fall season by creating watercolor resist leaf paintings and explored different types of lines and patterns to create cheerful sunshine collages! Adding to the energy of the new school year,

the Programming team joined students and their families at Augusta Fells Savage Institute of Visual Arts, Woodhome Elementary/Middle School, and Green Street Academy's Back to School celebrations!

During September, HeARTwares completed a custom order of canvas tote bags along with affirmation coloring books for our friends at Smart Set! Personalized gifts like these are a wonderful way to celebrate any group or occasion. From custom bags to unique, handcrafted gifts, HeARTwares can help bring your vision to life. Reach out to Kristina at Kristina@artwithaheart.net to start your personalized order!

September also brought fresh energy to our space with the return of interns and volunteers, including college and high school students from Stevenson University, Morgan State University, Cristo Rey Jesuit High School, Bloomberg Arts Internship and ACCE Academy. We also launched our first Store Associate Apprenticeship program with graduates of Project SEARCH, giving young adults hands-on experience in inventory, merchandising, and customer service at HeARTwares. We’re so excited to have them with us this fall.

Cohort 11’s overnight retreat at NorthBay was filled with games, team challenges, and meaningful conversations. Students stepped outside their comfort zones on the ropes course, in thoughtful debates, and in forming new friendships. The retreat set a strong tone for future sessions, emphasizing teamwork, encouragement, and trust.

Special Projects

This month, the Special Projects team unveiled two vibrant projects - mosaic stepping stones lining the walking path through HopeWell’s nature preserve and a colorful painted hubcap display on the community resource shed at Empower 4 Life. Designed and painted by students in the Empower 4 Life summer camp, the installation transforms this everyday object into a work of art that brightens the space!

Thank you Volunteers!

Thank you to the community members and service groups who shared their time and talents with Art with a Heart during the month of September - Richcroft, Strawbridge School, Connected through Christ, Constellation Energy, Bryn Mawr School, Notre Dame University of Maryland, Smart Set, Towson University Field Hockey, Upper Chesapeake Medical Center, and Impact Live Health Services.