Drawn Together by Kindness
Community Art Project Installation: Aug. 9-15, 2020
Let’s Fly…
A birds-eye view of the Drawn Together by Kindness 2020 Community Art Project, which embraces the themes of kindness, gratitude, and empathy.
Waupaca community members created tear-drop-shaped flags between October 2019 and March 2020, by responding to the prompt, "“What comes to mind when you think of kindness, gratitude, and empathy?” On the morning of the art project installation, those beautiful teardrop-shaped kindness flags met each and became hearts in Library/City Square.
Additionally, colorful streetlight banners, created by local families, lined Main Street, along with blue and green hearts blowing in the wind, representing kindness and empathy.
Kind, Together
Come walk through Waupaca’s 2020 Drawn Together by Kindness community art project Aug. 9-15, in Downtown Waupaca. The large, colorful, installation will run down Main Street into the City/Library Square.
Strung in the City/Library Square for residents to touch, read, and enjoy, the art project is announced up and down Main Street by vibrant streetlight banners, made by 16 area families, and solid-color green and blue hearts -- representing kindness and gratitude.
You’ll be surrounded by magical beauty and the project’s special Kindness Hearts — each heart half made by individual Waupaca community members of every age — now coming together to create hundreds of inspirational hearts. Find the one you made!
This uniquely personal, colorful, & weatherproof art installation demonstrates that Waupaca is full of hope, love, gratitude, empathy, & kindness. Drawn Together By Kindness is sure to lift you up after these last few hard months.
Come to Downtown Waupaca -- socially distance -- and experience how Waupaca is Drawn Together by Kindness!
Waupaca, You Made it Happen!
The creation of Waupaca’s 2020 Community Art Project began in October 2019, when WCAB asked residents to artistically respond to the prompt, “What comes to mind when you think of kindness, gratitude, and empathy?”
The community response to the art project -- prior to the pandemic closing us down in March -- was overwhelming.
Between October and March, Waupaca families checked out Kindness Packets from the Waupaca Library. Schools organized classroom kindness days. Businesses, churches, and veterans’ organizations gathered groups together to make flags, while many community groups and organizations added the project to their regular meetings and public events. Local restaurants and bars even involved their patrons during live musical and poetry events. It was truly a community wide effort.
The Arts Board wanted Waupaca residents to have the opportunity to be part of something big and wonderful. Walking beneath and around nearly 1000 Kindness Flags, now turned into hearts, is accomplishing that Aug. 9-15.
WCAB is grateful for the financial support from Office Outfitters, and the hands-on, art packet-distribution help of the Waupaca Area Library and Waupaca Bookcellar.
DTBK Helpers!
Thank you to our fearless DTBK project creator and coordinator, Laura Reynolds, who worked tirelessly with our WCAB Board & Associates members to bring this art project to Waupaca — despite a pandemic interruption. Read how shepherding this project touched her personally.
And a huge thanks to all the following community groups and individuals below, who added extra time, creativity, and banners to the project:
Waupaca Learning Center Fourth Grade Classes
Waupaca Humane Society
Bethany of Waupaca
Waupaca High School Art Club
Wisconsin Veterans Home at King
Waupaca Historical Society
Waupaca Rotary Club
Community First Credit Union
Women’s/Mom’s Night Out Please group
Waupaca Cardiac and Pulmonary Rehab
Lions Club
Waupaca Area Arts and Culture Network
Waupaca Silkscreen Guild
Aquamos (hosted by Rachel Hart)
The Yuletide Trail Event
Waupaca Story Project
Waupaca Rec Center Winterfest
Waupaca Home Expo Event
Book Cellar (hosted by Cheryl Sletten)
Waupaca Rec Center After-School Kids Program
Library Patrons
B Olson Family
Ruffalo Family
Hart Family
Sletten Family
Kneer Family
Halverson Family
Martin Family
Wood Family
Pucillo Family
Fries Family
Peterson Family
Rademacher/Reynolds Family
Janssen Family
S. Olson Family
Lockwood Family
… and all those who checked out flag packets from the Library
Coming Together…
Take a quick look back at this wonderful project, and some of the Waupaca faces that added warmth and love to its creation and existence.
A Place of Peace
Near the end of 2019, and throughout 2020, the Drawn Together By Kindness Facebook Page has evolved into a place where Waupaca heads for local feel-good stories, and messages of kindness, peace, and gratitude.
If you need a little light in your life, check it out.
Pouring our hearts out :)
