 Reflections of the Heart is a collection of artwork and essays from children experiencing foster care. Through words and pictures, foster children have an opportunity to share their experiences as well as express the hope and plans they have for their futures. Reflections of the Heart brings to life the stories of our community's children.
FFNC first introduced the Reflections of the Heart Art & Essay Exhbiit in September 2007 for youth experiencing foster care in Guilford County. This year FFNC is expanding the exhibit to include all children in care, ages 5 -21 in all the Piedmont Counties of NC. Every child has the opportunity to enter one art piece and one creative writing piece.
"Our goal at Foster Friends is to provide a creative outlet for foster children to share and express their stories, as well as to raise community awareness of the special needs of these vulnerable youth," said Melissa Fourrier, FFNC's Executive Director. "This program provides a window into the lives of children who feel they have no voice in the decisions being made about their lives and the circumstances under which they left their homes and families. Through words and pictures, foster children share what it feels like to experience the brokenness and heartache of severe loss. Their pictures and stories share what no amount of statistical reporting can possibly convey."
The 2012 Art & Eassy Exhibit was entitled "Peanut Butter & Jelly Abstract" and "Celebrate Me". The children created vibrant abstracts,
insightful poems, and colorful birthday cakes. Peanut Butter & Jelly Abstract features the artwork of local children in foster care. At each workshop, the children divided
their lives into three sections, much like a PBJ sandwich, and then selected 4-5 memories from each "section" of their lives. Colors were then chosen for each of the
memories and painted onto their canvas. From the multitude of colors used, you can see that these children have faced many joyful yet painful memories in their
young lives. Once combined however, the colors create a beautiful, vibrant masterpiece...what we believe each of these childern to be, beautiful Masterpieces!
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