Portraits of Hope Foundation with children at the Braille Institute
Huge civic art project comes to Braille Institute as part of major floating artwork and visual transformation of urban lake. 17 middle school students to assist 17 visually impaired youngsters through a unique Portraits of Hope painting session.
Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) June 06, 2015
WHO: Braille Institute kids to participate in Portraits of Hope visual makeover of Historic MacArthur Park.
WHAT: Huge civic art project comes to Braille Institute as part of major floating artwork and visual transformation of urban lake. 17 middle school students to assist 17 visually impaired youngsters through a unique Portraits of Hope painting session.
WHEN: Monday, June 8, 2015; 3:30 – 5PM
WHERE: Braille Institute; 741 N. Vermont Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90029
Media Contact- Kelley Weaver at Melrose PR- Kelley(at)melrosepr(dot)com, 310-260-7901.
More about The Spheres at MacArthur Park-
This latest Portraits of Hope public art and civic initiative is a continuation of the program’s large-scale, national projects which have visually transformed public settings and symbols ranging from the NYC taxi fleet, blimps, planes, boats, and buildings to LA’s coastal lifeguard towers, NASCAR race cars, laundromats/lavanderias, and frontline fire and rescue vehicles.
Iconic MacArthur Park sits in the heart of Los Angeles and is home to a large urban lake that comprises 7 football fields in total surface area. For 4 weeks this summer, MacArthur Park will experience a visual transformation as floating spheres, some as large as 4, 5, and 6 ft, spread throughout the lake as part of a major public art, revitalization, and civic project.
Children and youth in Los Angeles and Southern California, among others, are participating in Portraits of Hope art, creative therapy, and civic leadership sessions in schools and hospitals in which much of the art is being created.
Much of the vibrantly-hued art is floral themed -- as the flower is the universal symbol of beauty, joy, life, inspiration, and renewal. The flower is a theme integral to Portraits of Hope. Spheres with aquatic designs are also being created for the exhibition.
POH anticipates that 8 -10,000 persons in Southern CA will participate in the initiative. Up to 7,000 spheres may be created for the project and exhibited on a rotating basis – continually changing the look of the park and the lake.
This project helped made possible through the generosity and civic spirit of corporate, foundation and individual partners led by: Niagara Cares, Vista Paint, Helen and Peter Bing, Laird Plastic and Recycling, Arup, Federal Realty Investment Trust, Hal and Debby Jacobs Family Fund, The Home Depot Foundation, Plaza El Segundo, Wooster, The Davidow Charitable Fund, Shop.Vac.
More about Portraits of Hope-
Portraits of Hope conceives and develops high-profile motivational art projects that merge the production of dynamic public art works with creative therapy for hospitalized children and civic education for people of all ages.
Special Portraits of Hope brushes and methodologies have been developed for children and adults with illnesses and physical disabilities, including telescope brushes for those in wheel chairs or attached to IVs, shoe brushes for people unable to manipulate a brush with their hands, and fruit-flavored mouth brushes for kids and adults with limited or no movement in their limbs. For persons who are blind or visually impaired, Portraits of Hope utilizes special textured paints.
In schools, Portraits of Hope participants engage in interdisciplinary education sessions in which students assess, discuss and communicate their thoughts on social issues affecting their communities and the world, including: civic leadership, education, health care, the environment, foreign aid, pluralism, national security, and senior care. The larger art collaboration is a group effort to demonstrate tangibly the power of community teamwork and civic engagement.
Founded by brothers Ed Massey and Bernie Massey, Portraits of Hope has engaged tens of thousands of children and adults in huge civic collaborations - in the U.S. and abroad – and involved nearly 1,000 hospitals, schools, and social service programs in its projects.
