Artists throughout Hopewell Valley are displaying their artwork on creative cards supporting those most in need of human connection.
With home isolation continuing during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic individuals and families are receiving the “Thinking of You” cards through the Hopewell Valley Arts Council.
This project has produced 650 cards that consist of artwork images from 48 artists. As of May 5, the initiative was in its seventh week.
“I realized what a difference a card can make and if you add to them it can really make someone’s day better,” said Carol Lipson, executive director of the Hopewell Valley Arts Council. “This is something that can bring a smile to so many. I am pretty good with the computer and have the artists submit their artwork and I print them out.”
According to the arts council, the cards have cheerful art by the local artists that are printed by Lipson, who cuts them from the printed on cardstock.
“We have the artists submit their artwork electronically. We have them fill out forms with their contact information. They attach their files with titles. I can see the artwork through our system. I pick the one that we are going to use that week. If we use a quote I will also put that with the picture of the artwork,” Lipson said. “I then print them four to a page and then cut them.”
She added that artists submitting artwork are not all members of the Hopewell Valley Arts Council and not all residents of Hopewell Valley.
According to Lipson, cards are included in food packages distributed by the new Hopewell Valley Mobile Food Pantry, Meals on Wheels to home-bound individuals in Hopewell Valley, and to senior residents in Brandywine Living at Pennington.
“The biggest group I send the cards is Brandywine, who gets 80 cards each week, then the Hopewell Valley Mobile Food Pantry receives 50, and Meals on Wheels gets 25. I found out that individuals in Brandywine were hanging the cards on the doors of their apartments and use them as bookmarkers,” Lipson said.
The Thinking of You project by the arts council is just the latest in initiatives during the pandemic for the arts council, one of the first being the council’s Daily Dose of Art.
“Here we were able to put into action the healing power of art. I think the hard part is people want to help, but not exactly knowing how they can be there for others from their homes,” Lipson said. “People I think just like having a way to help, even if they think it is small.”
For more information about the Hopewell Valley Arts Council, visit www.hvartscouncil.org.
