art2love's viewbook

art2love booklet

A Tribute to Ava

Ava Ballerina was lovingly drawn by her siblings in memory of their sweet sister. I was captivated by the details they drew on her special socks, her exuberant smile and her expressive eyes. When children draw, every detail is meaningful – but for this project, even more so. Ava Ballerina exhibits every little snippet of detail so thoughtfully included in the drawing by her three siblings.  I was so touched to receive an e-mail from Ava’s mom describing her children’s pride and joy when they opened the package and saw their drawing brought to life.  I never met Ava in person, but I feel like she somehow guided me through the creation of her artling, leading me to the appropriate fabrics, ribbon, yarn for the perfect hair…Dance sweetly, little Ava…

Karen Lefebvre-Christou of Melrose Park brings children’s artwork to life with her dolls called Artlings, in the oncology clinic at The Children’™s Hospital of Philadelphia. Video by SHARON GEKOSKI-KIMMEL/ Inquirer Staff Photographer

To read the full article (.pdf), click here

This year’s juror was Virgil Marti, one of Philadelphia’s most nationally known artists. A graduate of Washington University (BFA, 1984) and the Tyler School of Art (MFA, 1990), Marti exhibits regularly with Elizabeth Dee Gallery, New York City, NY. He has had solo exhibitions at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington, D.C.; The Design Center at Philadelphia University; Santa Monica Museum of Art; and Philadelphia’s Institute of Contemporary Art, among others.

Calfayan Construction Award for Creativity was given to: Karen Lefebvre-Christou of Melrose Park, PA

http://abingtonartcenter.org/ajs08/

The Leeway funding will allow art2love to move forward with artlings workshops at CHOP! Eighteen more children in the outpatient oncology clinic will create and receive their own artlings. Thank you Leeway Foundation! 

“Karen’s workshop will be a continuation of an earlier project she organized at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Karen will ask children in the outpatient oncology department to draw pictures of something or someone they would like to keep them company during their time in the hospital. She will then re-create the drawings in fabric as custom, plush, soft sculptures and give these “artlings” to the children. The goal of the workshop is to empower, encourage, and heal children in crisis through art–their own art.”

http://leeway.org/grantees.php?s1=1&s2=29&ID=638