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IWF PEN PALS PROGRAM:
The IWF Pen Pals Program is where we mail a special drawing to a child who is dealing with a particularly challenging illness and is not physically able to come to our events. Children are chosen by hospital staff, or if you know a child who you believe would be appropriate for this program, please write to info@inkwellfoundation.org.
WHO WE ARE
Our artists have worked on such projects as Ice Age, Robots, The Rugrats, Speed Racer, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles; comic books such as Batman, Archie and Mad Magazine; as well as illustrations for New York Magazine, The New Yorker, Random House, Simon and Schuster, and many more.
We regularly visit New York Methodist Hospital, Bellevue Hospital, The Ronald McDonald House, Gilda’s Club, St. Mary’s Hospital and more.
DIRECTORS
Ray Alma, IWF Director: St. Mary’s Hospital
Ray is a cartoonist, caricaturist and illustrator. He has done illustrations, caricatures, comics, storyboards and animation for Mad magazine, DC comics, NY Daily News, NY Newsday and various animated shows for Nick Toons. He is a graduate of the School of Visual Arts where he majored in Cartooning. Ray has also taught cartooning over the years at institutions such as Jamaica Arts Center, Queens College and Nassau Community College.
Jane Archer, IWF Director: Bellevue Hospital
Jane is a Brooklyn-based illustrator and graphic designer. Her work includes illustrations for “The Bap Handbook” and Clinton Kelly’s “Freakin Fabulous,” character design for sites like gurlthang.com and her own worldwide stationary line for Clarkson Potter/Random House called p.s. bella by jane archer. Jane is currently illustrating a CD for children called, “Jumping Through Hoops, Songs of Bravery and Courage” as well as teaching children at an afterschool arts and design program at the Brooklyn Design Lab.
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Franz Palomares, IWF Director: NY Methodist
Franz is an animator and cartoon illustrator. He works both in traditional cel animation and 3D animation on such projects as Curious George, Clifford the Big Red Dog, Dr. Suess’ Sneetches, Dora the Explorer, X-Men and more. His animated short, ‘Zombies Vs. Vampires’, won the audience award at the 2010 Miami International Film Festival.
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Rami Efal, Board Member
Rami studied graphic design and illustration in Bezalel, Academy of Arts and Design in Jerusalem and the School of Visual Arts in New York. His artwork has been featured in galleries in New York, Europe and in TV shows such as Kappa Mikey and Ellen’s Acres. He is the author of the graphic novel “Never Forget, Never Forgive” and a member of Act-i-vate Webcomics collective as well as The Dialogue Project, a coming together of Israelis and Palestinians in Brooklyn.
Message from Ink Well Founder, Elizabeth Winter:
“I was diagnosed with cancer when I was a teenager, but post-surgery, I am grateful to be cancer free. I still remember the long days in the hospital and how having visitors to talk to and make me laugh made all the difference. I’ve gone on to a career in animation and live action where I’ve gotten to meet some of the greatest artists in the field, and together we have created The Ink Well with the hopes of bringing laughter and creativity to the brave kids who are facing illness today.”
Elizabeth is a video editor who has worked on animated shows such as “Beavis & Butthead,” “Rugrats,” “The Wild Thornberrys,” and currently “The Venture Brothers.”
Thank you to our wonderful artist volunteers:
Ray Alma, IWF Director at St. Mary’s Hospital
Amber Alvarez
Sal Amendola
Elana Amity, Event Leader at Mount Sinai Hospital
Phillip Andrews
Sergey Aniskov
Jeremy Arambulo
Jane Archer, IWF Director at Bellevue Hospital
Sy Barry
Howard Beckerman
Justin Bilicki
Charles Boyce
Anthony Brandenburg
Natalie Butler
John Jay Cabuay
Joan Chiverton
Alex Cohn
Nina Crittenden
Dan Danglo
Nola Denett
Mike de Seve
Pedro Delgado
Brian Diskin
Bil Donovan
Julia Durgee
Rami Efal, Board Member
Roberta Fabiano
Ann Farrell
Nina Frenkel
Joseph Gallagher
Barbara Garrison
Stan Goldberg
Tim Hamilton
Jeanine Henderson
Henry Hilaire
Brett Jackson
Tim Jackson
Leyah Jensen
T. Brian Kelly
Tricia Kleinot
Maasa Kuwana-Muelhaupt
Yunmee Kyong
Marty Macaluso
Heather MacDonald, Board Member
Lewis Matheney
Patrick Merrell
Anelle Miller
Mark Mitchell
Oded Naaman
Lemwell Naverra
Samantha Olschan
Don Orehek
Eun-Ha Paek
Franz Palomares, IWF Director at New York Methodist Hospital
Jason Patterson
Joyce Pedretti
Debbie Peiser
Adam Pierce
Dan Pinto
Dan Piraro
Valerie Reupert
Tim Savage
Nathan Schreiber
Tom Schroeder
Joseph Scott
Dan Shefelman
Erin Shigaki
Adrian Sinnott
Art Siriamonthep
Ed Steckley
Sarah Takenaga
Monica Tomova
Joe Vissichelli
Voltaire
Michael Wetterhahn
Elizabeth Winter, Founder, Board Member
Karrie Witkin
Sarah Worden
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Meet some of the hospitals we work with:
Bellevue Hospital: the oldest public hospital in the United States.
CancerCare: a national nonprofit that provides free, professional support services for anyone affected by cancer.
Children’s Hospital of Minnesota: an independent, non-profit system with more than 12,000 inpatient visits and 200,000 emergency room and other outpatient visits each year.
Children’s Memorial of Chicago: the pediatric teaching facility of Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.
Gilda’s Club: a network of clubhouses supporting people whose lives have been affected by cancer.
Memorial Sloan Kettering: one of the world’s premier cancer centers.
Mount Sinai Hospital: one of the oldest and largest teaching hospitals in the United States.
New Alternatives for Children: a center for children with disabilities and chronic illness with a focus on foster and adoptive families.
New York Methodist Hospital: an acute-care teaching hospital affiliated with the Weill Cornell Medical College.
Ronald McDonald House: a charity designed to create, find and support programs that directly improve the health and well being of children.
St. Mary’s Healthcare System for Children: a non-profit healthcare center for children with special needs and life-limiting conditions.
Sunrise Day Camp: the only dedicated day camp in the nation for children with cancer.
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***Please Note: there has been some confusion associating our foundation with Henry Louis Gates, Jr.. Although Mr. Gates once ran a foundation by a similar name, we have no association or connection to Mr. Gates or any of his endeavors whatsoever.***
