06/09/201206/10/2012Ink Well Kids Foundation

Gilda’s Club 17th Birthday Party! 06/08/12

We had a fantabulous time, drawing the kids and families at Gilda’s Club’s 17th party last night. Thank you to Ray Alma, Bil Donovan and Ed Steckley for capturing the faces of so many happy revelers!

05/28/201208/14/2012Ink Well Kids Foundation

Ronald McDonald House, L.A. 05/17/12

Hooray for Hollywood and our first-ever event there! Fabulous characters strolled across our paper as we and the kids drew SpongeBob, the Hulk, Bender, Sleeping Beauty, Penguins of Madagascar, Bugs Bunny, lots of Perry the Platypus, Kung Fu Panda and many more. Thank you to our new volunteers and the RMDH L.A. kids for making this such a spectacular night!

Our volunteers:

Adam Henry: Dora the Explorer, Kung Fu Panda, Rugrats, The Iron Giant

Joseph Scott: Futurama, Rugrats, Zhu Zhu Pets

Derek Thompson: Phineas and Ferb, Futurama, The Simpsons, The Iron Giant

04/20/201208/14/2012Ink Well Kids Foundation

Bellevue Hospital, 04/03/2012

We dished up a fantastic night with the Bellevue kids, making “face plates!” We took cardboard plates, drew characters on them and then decorated them with healthy, delicious treats like dried fruits and veggies and of course a little something from the chocolate food group. Thank you so much to the amazing kids and to our dear volunteers, Elana Amity, Sangjun Chon, Dayna Gonzales (first timer!), Elizabeth Winter, and the woman behind the plan, our IWF Bellevue Event Leader, Jane Archer.

03/29/201203/29/2012Ink Well Kids Foundation

Encouraging Learning

We were honored to draw with this young man named, Kevin, at our Valentine’s event for families being served by the Ronald McDonald House. He brought some of his own work and talked with us about his desire to follow a career in the arts. Long-time Ink Well volunteer, Long Island Chairperson of the National Cartoonists Society and Society of Illustrators member, Adrian Sinnott, got to draw with Kevin and recognized his promising gift. So Adrian contacted us and made up a “starter” kit for Kevin, consisting of an art pad, pencils, and this great book on drawing the head and hands. Thank you, Adrian, for your generosity, and good luck to you, Kevin. Your skill, energy and enthusiasm will take you far.

03/26/201203/26/2012Ink Well Kids Foundation

Sunrise Day Camp, 03/25/12

There was an art tornado at Sunrise Day Camp this weekend! We had tons of fun drawing with about 100 kids who all had great ideas of their own and taught us a lot about coloring mermaids, drawing new anime characters and how to sit perfectly still for a caricature too. It was a good day. Thanks volunteers, Ray Alma, Roberta Fabiano, Marty Macaluso, Joyce Pedretti, Tim Savage, Joe Vissichelli, Elizabeth Winter, and a great big welcome to two extremely talented new artists who’ve just joined the group, Marvel artist, Paolo Rivera and illustrator/designer/cartoonist, Katherine Roy! (Pics awaiting approval.)

03/17/201208/12/2012Ink Well Kids Foundation

New Alternatives for Children, 03/15/12

In honor of the early arrival of spring, we drew the many creatures coming out of hibernation and the lovely plants and flowers blooming. One girl made this storybook with a little help from Nina Frenkel, about a firehouse dog and a police dog who meet, fall in love, and decide to celebrate with a day at the spa. Thank you very much to the kids of NAC and to our volunteers John Jay Cabuay, Pedro Delgado, Nina Frenkel, Barbara Garrison, Erin Shigaki, Elizabeth Winter and a very big welcome to new member and Superjail artist, Joseph Jurewicz!

Sunrise Day Camp, 12/19/10

We had the best day ever with the brilliant Sunrise Day Camp kids! It was a pajama party blow out where we all decorated pillow cases, such as Joe Vissichelli‘s inspired Justin Bieber portrait for Katie, who said she couldn’t wait to wake up to Justin’s face every morning; Adrian Sinnott‘s Cat in the Hat that was as tall as the kids; Joyce Pedretti‘s Sponge Bob factory and Botticelli-like Little Mermaid, Marty Macaluso‘s portrait parade; Ray Alma‘s Iron Man and Bat Man that made one boy say, “this is the bestest day ever!”, Tim Savage‘s space ship pilot portrait of Hector, Elizabeth Winter’s doggies and ducks and flowers for Heebin, and Amber Alvarez‘s portrait of a girl who was so excited to put it up in her locker, “once I get a locker,” she said.

We kept the party going at a nearby diner before we had to go our separate ways. It was kinda hard to say goodbye but we’ve got loads of great events on the way for 2011. Thank you for sharing your creativity, hope and strength with these amazing children throughout all the years, dear volunteers, and a very happy new year to you!!

Gilda’s Club 17th Birthday Party! 06/08/12

Ronald McDonald House, L.A. 05/17/12

Bellevue Hospital, 04/03/2012

Encouraging Learning

Sunrise Day Camp, 03/25/12

New Alternatives for Children, 03/15/12

St. Mary’s Hospital, 03/10/12

Pen Pals Program 02/22/12

Valentine’s Party with the Ronald McDonald House Kids 02/10/12

New Alternatives for Children, 01/18/12

Chicago Children’s Memorial Hospital, 12/6/11

Mount Sinai, 12/6/11

Bellevue Hospital, 11/29/11

Gilda’s Club, 10/28/11

NYMH Sickle Cell Center, 10/25/11

Mount Sinai Hospital, 10/04/11

Bellevue Hospital, 09/20/11

Bellevue Hospital, 08/16/11

Ronald McDonald House (Central Park) 08/12/11

Mount Sinai Hospital, 07/12/11

New York Methodist Hospital, 06/15/11

St. Mary’s Hospital, 06/04/11

Mount Sinai Hospital, 05/17/11

IWF Pen Pals Program Begins! 05/09/11

March of Dimes “March for Babies” 05/01/11

Ronald McDonald House Hope Awards, 04/28/11

New York Methodist Hospital, 04/27/11

Bellevue Hospital, 04/19/11

New York Methodist Hospital, 03/14/11

New York Methodist Hospital, 02/23/11

Children’s Hospital of Minnesota, 02/19/11

Ronald McDonald House, 02/08/11

New York Methodist Hospital, 01/18/11

Children’s Hospital of MN, 01/15/11

Sunrise Day Camp, 12/19/10

New York Methodist Hospital, 12/07/10

New York Methodist Hospital, 11/09/10

Gilda’s Club- SoHo, 10/29/10

New York Methodist Hospital, 10/12/10

St. Mary’s Hospital, 10/06/10