Arts for Hearts Show, silent auction May 20-21 to benefit MMI

The Munroe-Meyer Institute’s Recreation Therapy Program provides some of Nebraska’s most creative, educational and fun-filled opportunities for children, youths and adults with developmental disabilities. Although a number of fund-raising events benefit MMI programs, the annual Arts for Hearts Show and Silent Auction is the only event where the items for sale are hand-crafted by MMI clients.

The Third Annual Arts for Hearts Show and Silent Auction will take place at the Durham Outpatient Center East Atrium (outside the second-floor gift shop) on Thursday, May 20, from noon to 8 p.m., and Friday, May 21, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. There is no admission charge.

An MMI client works on an Arts for Hearts project.

There will be many pieces of art and crafts on display for sale. Each year clients of the Recreational Therapy Program create items for sale that include mosaic flower pots, handmade soap, greeting cards, one of a kind pastels and paintings, as well as ceramic sculptures. Some of the larger paintings were created by groups of artists working together. The C. Louis Meyer Foundation sponsors the auction.

In addition to the artworks created by the MMI Recreation Therapy clients, there will be a special drawing held for a 15-piece set of handmade painted glassware donated by Kay Young, one of Nebraska’s most famous and commercially successful artists. Tickets for this drawing will be $10 per ticket or three for $20. Young will be present for the drawing of the winning ticket on Friday afternoon.

Glassware by Nebraska artist Kay Young.

Young, who lives in Blair, Neb., is nationally known for her motto, “Just don’t set the table. Set it on fire! With joyful spirals, squiggles and big bright polka dots you can turn a simple dinner into a celebration of line and color.” She began her career in the 1970s as an artist working with rope and fiber. She earned a bachelor of fine arts degree in textiles from the California College of Arts and Crafts in Oakland in 1981, then had a business creating textiles for offices and architectural commissions.

In 1988 she gave birth to twin boys and opened her own day care center from 1990 to 1994. She continued to develop crafts ideas while raising her four children and in 1992 began showing her extensive range of handmade art pieces — jewelry, candle holders, frames, birdhouses, ornaments and painted glassware — at local seasonal crafts boutiques.

“I was a constant dabbler,” Young said. “I’d make a dozen of this and a couple dozen of that. It was crazy, but I became known as a person with unusual twists of materials for artistic applications.”

Eventually Young focused on painted wood items and hand painted glassware. In 1994 she was invited to the prestigious American Crafts Council Show in Baltimore, Md. Many of her artist friends openly asked if she felt “she was ready for Baltimore?” as only 5 percent of American craftspeople are invited. Participants are selected each year by a special jury that reviews their works.

One Young’s first day, the buyers’ response to her glassware was so intense; she never had a moment’s rest from 10 minutes after she opened her booth until the show closed for the night. “I almost passed out from exhaustion, but later that night, I totaled up my orders and soon readjusted my attitude. I had over $35,000 worth of orders and it was only the first day of a five-day show.”

After the Baltimore event, Young closed her day care and began the highly successful art career she is sharing with Arts for Hearts. Her glassware is distributed in more than 400 retail stores in the United States and Canada. Her personal appearances with her glassware include such prestigious venues as the White House for Christmas table settings, and the Neiman-Marcus Inner Circle in Beverly Hills.

Young will be on campus Thursday, May 20, from noon to 2 p.m. and Friday, May 21, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The winner of Young’s glassware will be able to chose from one of two sets that include a 15-piece set of Essential Elements silver, gold, copper and slate design or a set of red and orange from the Picnic line. She will hand sign several of the pieces in the set.