January 2024

2023 By The Numbers!

Students from both Project SEARCH and Baltimore Transition Connection, who are currently participating in Art with a Heart's workforce development program, HeARTworks, assisted by our wonderful volunteers, created these charming and whimsical Valentine's Day flower pots. Priced at $20.00 a piece, this adorable gift includes handmade felt flowers, candy and a reusable flower pot. Supplies are limited so purchase yours today!

Impressionists!

The Impressionists, Art with a Heart's young professionals group, had a fun, productive and PACKED first meetup of 2024 – our biggest group yet! Thank you to those who attended!

The Impressionists meet at Art with a Heart on the fourth Thursday of each month (5:30pm – 7:30pm) to work on art projects in support of our visual art programs and community art projects. The next meetup is February 22nd. Drinks and light fare will be served and it's a fun, casual, social setting, where you will meet many people who care about art and Baltimore! For more information or to receive Impressionists emails, contact Amy Langrehr, Director of Development at amylangrehr@artwithaheart.net.  

Students in Art with a Heart classes welcomed the new year with excitement around learning new art skills. In every Art with a Heart class, students learn a multitude of skills - fine motor skills working with clay, math skills with shape identification, literacy skills by incorporating written words into an art piece, interpreting the world using images as symbols, and self/emotional expression. As we enter this new year, we extend our sincere gratitude to our committed, collaborative partners who value creativity and prioritize their students' access to the arts.

HeARTworks started the year by welcoming participants from Baltimore Transition Connection to work alongside students from Project SEARCH. We now have 23 students working daily and creating products for HeARTwares. The group has enjoyed learning many different mediums including paper quilling, felting, and painting with different texture tools.

Find the perfect Valentine's Day gift here: Valentine's Day Product Page And for something unique, why not gift your loved one and their friends an interactive art party? Contact Kristina Harlee at kristina@artwithaheart.net to learn more!

Special Projects

Art with a Heart's Special Projects staff and volunteers engaged with students at Talbott Springs Elementary School to begin work on an outdoor ceramic mural. Students in 3rd, 4th and 5th grades created ceramic flowers that will adorn the wall of their school garden. By the end of the project, every student in the school will have molded and glazed flowers to beautify their building!

The Special Projects staff and Art with a Heart volunteers also spent time in January grouting and polishing mosaic fish created by the students at Lois T Murray School. The fish will be installed in the hallways of the school in the coming weeks as a colorful shimmering reminder of the cherished community of students and the adults who care for them.

Art of Leadership

In January, Art of Leadership students had an impactful session on disability and ableism. The session began with a crucial discussion on disability and an understanding of ableism. Following the discussion, the students had the privilege of visiting the National Federation of the Blind ("NFB"). Volunteers from NFB guided the Leadership students through experiences including cane use with learning shades, reading and typing in braille, using computers with text-to-speech functionality, and even cooking while wearing learning shades.The session not only broadened our students' perspectives but also fostered empathy and appreciation for the diverse abilities within our community.

Community Art and Service

Art with a Heart, in collaboration with the Annie E. Casey Foundation, created this one-of-a-kind tapestry capturing the spirit and mission of the Foundation as it celebrates 75 years of service. The tapestry was woven by over 100 volunteers from the Foundation and the Art with a Heart community and includes a variety of materials such as painted fabrics, handmade ceramic beads, yarn, and other natural fibers. The intricate weaving and interplay of colors and patterns in the weaving mirrors the diverse yet interconnected relationships found within the Foundation and the communities it serves.

Art with a Heart is thrilled to be launching a new community art project with the stakeholders of the Baltimore Washington Medical Center. When completed, the installation will be a lasting tribute to the Medical Center’s healthcare workers and support staff who tirelessly gave their care, love, and attention to the Baltimore/Washington community during the COVID-19 pandemic.The design includes mandalas (signifying the transformation of a universe of suffering into one of joy), trees (symbols of strength, individuality and expression, calmness, growth and the interconnectedness of everything), and leaves (representing diversity and interconnectedness, as each leaf is unique yet connected to the branches and tree as a whole). Stay tuned for progress photos!

Thank You Volunteers!

Art with a Heart is grateful for the service groups who shared their time and talent with the organization during the month of January: Friends School of Baltimore, Boys' Latin School of Maryland and The Park School of Baltimore