Bellevue Hospital 08/13/18

Tonight we conjured characters out of inanimate objects! The kids made bats and baseballs into brothers; tacos into tap dancers; letters and numbers and candy became a carnival of personality.

These children have faced severe, isolating challenges and are separated from their families as they receive counseling and treatment. It is deeply moving to sense them slowly shift from hesitance and wariness to laughing and playing and creating as we draw together. By the end of the night, one girl who had been very withdrawn in the beginning, ran back into her room to fetch her own artwork and put on her own little exhibit for us. She has definite talent and a signature style we’re calling “manga pointillism.” We hope that she and all these beautiful children keep drawing, keep dreaming and healing and feeling the nurturing connection between us all.

Thank you, wonderful children and staff of Bellevue, for always welcoming us with such warmth and energy, and to our beloved Ink Well volunteers for sharing your time and talent: Ray Alma, Todd Broder, Willy Hartland and Elizabeth Winter.