Arts for Hearts seeks painters

Dr. Magda Peck with the hand-painted ceramic plate she created for last year’s Arts for Hearts show.

The UNMC Munroe-Meyer Institute’s Recreation Therapy Program provides some of Nebraska’s most creative, educational and fun-filled opportunities for children, youth and adults with developmental disabilities.

One of the projects to help support those opportunities is the annual Arts for Hearts Art Show and Silent Auction, sponsored by the C. Louis Meyer Foundation.

The Fifth Annual Arts for Hearts Show and Silent Auction will take place at the East Atrium (second floor of Durham Outpatient Center by the gift shop) on Wednesday, May 10 from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Thursday, May 11 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Participants in the Recreational Therapy Program create a number of pieces of art and crafts for sale, and other items are donated by local area artists. In addition, last year, there were a dozen hand-painted ceramic dinner plates contributed by UNMC, MMI and The Nebraska Medical Center faculty and staff members. Those volunteer painters turned out to be a big hit.

“We received a great response to the hand-painted ceramic plates by campus members,” said Nicole Giron, adaptive therapy specialist, in the MMI Recreational Therapy Program.

This year, organizers are seeking up to 30 people to hand-paint plates and mugs.

Some of last year’s volunteer painters during a hand-painting session.

“The focus is always going to be on the children and young people we serve,” Giron said. “Their artwork is the true heart of the “Arts for Hearts” event. But we added the additional artwork last year because campus people had asked if they could contribute to the art work, as well as purchase items. The hand-painted plates got a lot of attention and drew a lot more people to attend the show and auction because of the expanded relationships.

“Now, we’re looking for 30 more people to release their inner artist and join in the fun this year. We’ll supply the plates and paint, all they have to supply is the creativity.”

For more information contributing to Arts for Hearts, contact Kelly Coutts at 559-5777 or Giron at 559-3018.