Bibb County students were given more than just a paintbrush and chalk at the Heart & Sole Workshop, they were given the encouragement to be successful in life. That’s the goal for the c
reators of this camp.
Randy Heart, Dsto Moore, and Tray Shelley wanted to give kids an opportunity to not only express themselves through art, but a safe place for them to learn more about their community and opportunities as they grow up.
“When you step back and look at it, it’s so important to see three black educated men come together from different sides of town,” said Heart. “There are so many kids that don’t know they’re artists and there are so many kids that don’t know art can save their lives. Art saved my life.”
This was offered during the Heart & Sole’s Spring Break Camp at the Mill Hill Community Arts Center. The camp was free and open to all Bibb County students. About 20 students showed up to the camp and got to paint, learn about photography, play games, and learn how to do shoe restoration. They also heard from entrepreneurs and artists in the community.
“Being able to take these kids and show them different art forms, they learn more about themselves through art. That’s the power of art. You learn so much about yourself as well as your community,” said Heart.
The Heart and Soul Workshop is funded with $25,000 from the Macon Violence Prevention (MVP) program through the Community Foundation of Central Georgia (CFCG). It’s an alternate school break program providing mentorship for children ages 6 through 12 with interactive projects that teach them how to be a citizen-artist by master teaching artists.
In previous camps, students have created positive murals along a block of Main Street on a retaining wall that encompasses two blighted properties and cleared the block of trash and debris – this is a traffic calming measure and allows for better pedestrian access. Students “upcycled” 16 pairs of used shoes, learning about sneaker art and shoe restoration techniques, and donated them to Brookdale Resource Center.
The team is working on creating a one-week camp in the Summer. The dates have not been set just yet.