HeART for Art spreads awareness, educates

A previous Have a HeART for Art display. - File photo by The Sentinel-Record
A previous Have a HeART for Art display. - File photo by The Sentinel-Record

Michelle Bartlett, a Hot Springs native, died at the age of 23 in 2003 due to an undetected heart condition while in her second year of law school at the University of Arkansas.

In an effort to spread awareness of heart disease prevention in both local schools and within the community, the Junior Auxiliary of Hot Springs will host the 12th annual "Have a HeART for Art" Feb. 28 and March 6.

"(The Bartlett) family started this as kind of a way to help area students within Garland County learn about these preventions, and just be aware of some heart-healthy ideas," JAHS co-chair Korie Trice said. "(Michelle) was really a lover of art, so the idea is to make an art project in class and learn about heart health."

Trice said studies show people attain more information about a subject they are learning about while working on a project involving that subject.

"The Bartletts have since moved to Little Rock and were unable to continue the event, so Junior Auxiliary likes to give back, especially to the students in the community, so we just wanted to take this over as one of our service projects since it fits our motto," Trice said.

According to its website, the auxiliary assumes leadership roles in meeting community needs and provides members with the opportunity to be a vital part of the community through service.

Trice said all schools in Garland County are welcome to participate in "Have a HeART for Art."

"They're all invited and the art teachers choose if they would like to participate or not and they get to select two students' artwork from each grade of their school to participate just due to limited space," she said. "We have our event at Emergent Arts, so we're only able to take two students from each grade. We typically have at least 200 participants, and that's K-12."

Trice said since JAHS took over the project from the Bartlett family, they have seen most schools in the county participate, noting it is also extended to home-schooled students through the Garland County Library.

Although they moved to Little Rock, Trice said the Bartlett family is still "very much involved" in the project, helping to judge at the exhibitions.

The winners in each category will be awarded $1,500 in craft-store gift cards.

All students are encouraged to participate, she said, even though not all are chosen to be showcased in the exhibitions.

"My daughter is a second-grader at Lakeside, and she brings home her HeART for Art artwork and tells me about it," Trice said. "So that's kind of the hope as well; while they're learning about it they'll take their artwork home and spread that information."

Both receptions will be held at Emergent Arts, 341-A Whittington Ave. The participants' reception is invitation only Feb. 28 from 5:30-7 p.m. The public exhibition will be during Gallery Walk on March 6 from 5-8 p.m.

Local on 02/21/2020

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