HeartWorks

Hearts already created by the Room by Room team

This past Saturday, the 18^th, brought me my second day-in-the-life experience of the ArtWorks summer—though perhaps it would more accurately be described as an hour-in-the-life. Saturday was Room by Room’s heart-making workshop, and I attended in order make a small heart for the Ronald McDonald House, as well as experience the wonder that is Room by Room first hand.

As soon as I entered Room by Room’s studio, an atmosphere of excitement and inspiration was immediately apparent. Apprentices roamed from table to table offering friendly advice and helping those attending the workshop execute some of the more difficult techniques used to make the hearts. A table overflowing with picture books, stamps, stencils, patterned paper, and textiles provided material for heart-makers to work with, and apprentices helped everyone get started by offering one of two heart stencils to for heart-makers to choose to work with.

After I’d finished making my heart, I viewed the shelf where finished hearts made that day were drying, which was a gift in itself. Each heart was different from the next, and all were beautiful, complex with layered papers, colors, and healing thoughts sent towards the families who will eventually view them. When I left the room, smelling of paint and glue, I was inspired by the thought of the work that Room by Room does every day and happy that I’d had the chance to contribute myself.