Room By Room Gallery Opening!

Last Final Friday's gallery opening at ArtWorks was almost overwhelming. Each piece of artwork was so full of detail, warmth, and love that the idea of needing to take in each of the works featured in the gallery that night filled me with urgency-- and I'd even seen most of the pieces in progress throughout the summer! The 103 works created by the Room by Room project were getting their first and only gallery showing before they're installed in their permanent home, Cincinnati's Ronald McDonald House, giving everyone and anyone an opportunity to see the glowing collection of work.

With large pieces crafted around themes from the seasons to favorite foods, or triptychs featuring fanciful versions of the apprentices who worked on the project with maps from various countries serving as a motif, every piece was absolutely unique and immaculately crafted. With such a glorious abundance of beauty it was near impossible for me to choose a favorite piece, and I contented myself with simply rotating around the gallery in awed wonder again and again.

Other highlights of the gallery included the delicious pink-frosted heart cookies that I've come to connect with all things wonderful (such as ArtWorks and Room by Room); the stimulating conversation, native to a gallery full of such fascinating people; and the thrill of seeing my own artwork, created at the Room by Room workshop day, on display among the others!

So, even if you weren't able to attend the opening, I hope this gave you a glimpse into what a warm and heartfelt event it was and will encourage you to come to ArtWorks soon to see the gallery for yourself!

Room by Room Gallery: Friday, August 28th!

Before the art created by the Room by Room project this summer is moved to its permanent home in the Ronald McDonald House, the 103 works of art will be stopping by the ArtWorks Gallery for everyone and anyone to come take a look! Join us this Friday, August 28th for the gallery opening, from 6-8 pm at ArtWorks (811 Race St, Cincinnati, OH, 45202). See you there!

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.

Presentations, Continued, Continued

Even as the ArtWorks summer program reaches and quickly surpasses its halfway point, a few last presentations make their mark. The Room by Room presentation, which took place on June 30^th, was of particular note. The beautifully choreographed presentation, which included a slideshow as well as well-rehearsed speeches prepared by each apprentice, brought many members of the audience to tears. Just as inspiring was the artwork presented to the Ronald McDonald House—gorgeous mixed media installation pieces which will bring new life to many of the rooms in the Ronald McDonald House. To see the inspiring nature of this presentation for yourself, watch the video below!

I Heart Ronald McDonald House

Room by Room apprentices set to work in their studio

Uninhibited by the preliminary activities such as priming and power washing that keep murals busy their first few days, Room by Room has already been getting to work. A favorite place for the documentary team to retreat on days with less-than-pleasant weather, Room by Room’s studio at the Essex is always cheery, with upbeat music playing and happily sketching apprentices included. When not in their studio brainstorming, sharing inspiring song lyrics, or learning about stencils and mandalas last week, the apprentices were out on a field trip touring the Ronald McDonald House, the site for their completed artwork.

Ronald McDonald Houses are truly a godsend for hundreds of families whose critically ill children must remain either in or near a hospital for extended periods of time. With a brand new addition to the house recently added, the facility is able to serve more families than ever, and is now the fourth largest Ronald McDonald House in the world. Because of the many services it must provide on a very limited budget, though, Ronald McDonald House is unable to make each room personal in the way they’d like to, so, at the moment, most of the rooms are like hotel rooms: warm and pleasant, but sort of impersonal.

Room by Room is partnering with Ronald McDonald House in order to change that. The plan is to create heart-themed artwork to hang in the different rooms, bringing art and joy into the rooms of the families who are facing such challenging times. The Room by Room apprentices, led by project manager Tina Westerkamp, gathered information and inspiration from their tour of the houses, noting architectural motifs and other such details to incorporate in their work. A place that truly affirms belief in the goodness of humanity, I could see clearly by the earnest concentration of each Room by Room apprentice as they walked through the rooms on their tour that they were going to, just as truly and earnestly, pour their hearts into these hearts.