Heart Art
Camp Kindle campers created the original artwork and the minnow PROJECT enhanced their pictures to create Heart Art.
Each of the heartART pieces reflects the interpretation of how children affected by HIV and AIDS see the disease. The children completed the art projects during our summer camping programs. We asked the groups of children to answer a variety of questions when beginning their art project such as “If HIV was a person, what would it look like?”, “If HIV was a animal, what would it look like?”
The result is art, which is truly creative, insightful, and honest.
To request the heartART exhibit or other questions in regard to Heart Art should be directed to:
A.J. Bohac
SPEAK OUT Director, Project KindleHeart Art History
Camp Kindle and the minnow PROJECT are quite familiar with one another. The minnow PROJECT has donated its time and resources to produce a variety of materials for Camp Kindle over the years. Camp Kindle held a weekend benefit and wanted to display the campers’ artwork as a way to educate others about the struggles of an HIV-impacted life and help raise funds for the camping program.
With memories of seeing heartART hanging on the walls in the minnow PROJECT’s studio, Camp Kindle inquired about the possibility of transforming the campers’ art into heartART. Camp Kindle and the minnow PROJECT created six pieces that were used for the fundraiser on Friday July 28, 2006. The pictures were overwhelmingly successful. People were awestruck by the stories that the pictures told and the six-piece collection raised over $1,000.
The heartART was reproduced and used for a second event the following night and experienced the same remarkable success. Given the popularity of these prints, Camp Kindle and the minnow PROJECT decided to select more prints and build a heartART gallery celebrating both the work of Camp Kindle campers and the unique nature of heartART. Camp Kindle has incorporated the heartART prints into community health education approaches to raise awareness, create compassion, reduce stigma, and reduce stereotypes about the disease.
Each picture shows HIV/AIDS through the eyes and artistic expression of a child at Camp Kindle. The minnow PROJECT enhances the child’s original artwork with digitally enhanced colors, a professional matte and by adding an unforgettable title. Brief biographies about the campers and their personal stories allow the viewer to gain knowledge about HIV/AIDS and the impact it has on one’s life. The synergy allows Camp Kindle and the heartART program by the minnow PROJECT to celebrate children’s self-expression through their artwork.
Camp Kindle's heartART program is a collaboration with the minnow PROJECT.
The minnow PROJECT
At the minnow PROJECT we love art. It’s the passion that fuels our work, it’s why we do what we do and it’s the reason we started the “HeartArt” program. HeartArt celebrates and encourages our children’s involvement with the arts. It’s an amazing program that captures a child’s imagination and frames it forever. Every time a young child begins to draw, from a crude penciled stick figure up to a glorious watercolor rainbow arcing over a blazing crayon sunset, something magic is created.
The HeartArt program will take that extra special piece of your child’s artwork and make it even more memorable. First, we scan your child’s artwork to create a permanent digital file, adjusting the color to ensure a high quality rendering.
A realistic image of a professional matte will be added and a creative title of your choice will be inserted to complete a studio quality rendition of your child’s work. The drawing that once appeared to be the most basic of scribbles has suddenly been transformed into a photograph of a moment in time.
The first law of marketing is to make it memorable. The minnow PROJECT is proud to be part of an effort to frame memories that will last a lifetime. www.minnowproject.com
You will notice that there are many different circles on the shirt of the little girl. Each color represents the different things going on inside of her body.
Red is the blood cells
Brown is the bad cells
Green is the medicine-Anonymous
I’m Dylan. When I was 8, cleaning my brothers wounds with gloves on, I felt really awkward because I didn’t understand what was happening. Now, I’m more comfortable, educated and I’ve become very close to him. I’ve learned to have more empathy for people and the things that they go through. If not for this virus I don’t think I would be the accepting person I am today. I drew HIV as a tree. It’s a dead depressed tree. AIDS is in the knot of the tree meaning it’s harder to catch since we have great medicine now to help us live. HIV is on the noose because that is what gets ya. That is the killer. One of the branches forms the AIDS ribbon, which signifies hope. And lastly, we have to remember that hope is in the stars….
Hi, I’m Reggie. I play football, I am like any other kid, just like you are. I think I am nice and kind. I like to stay on track of my school work because school comes first. When I am not in school I just chill and be on my space. HIV first came into my life when I was born. A couple hours later my mom died. HIV/AIDS has impacted my life cause if my real mom had takin her medicine I might not have HIV. Since then my life has been different, sometimes it seems like it’s a disaster. I was 6 years old when I learned that I had HIV. I think that people on the street should learn about HIV before they talk a bout the people behind their backs. I want people to know that HIV isn’t contagious by sweat, saliva, or hugs. Camp Kindle makes me feel normal, because I know that I am not the only one who has it…
