Arts for Hearts is a new arts club on campus currently staffed by four members. Though none of its members study arts academically, the club’s members are nonetheless enthusiastic about artistic pursuits.
Members include sisters and founders Sigi Maho, a third-year comparative physiology student, and Tea Maho, a second-year comparative physiology student. Among the executives are VP external Ash McNamee, a second-year criminology and political science student, and VP finance Yousuf Farhan, a second-year computer science and management student.
The group’s main goal is to host events where students can come together and create an art piece that is not limited to any specific form. Examples of such events include bracelet-making and candle-making. These events will be used for fundraising. Soon, the group will choose a local charity and regularly send donations.
The club’s first prospective get-together is an introduction event that will be held on October 5. Here, the founders, having volunteered at hospitals and other locations, are looking to create art pieces for the patients for a hospital during Christmas.
Through their passions and sympathies obtained from extensive volunteer work, S. Maho stated, “The purpose of this club is to find ways to give back to local charities and our community by using artistic and creative means.” S. Maho further added: “An example of that would be having members all come together, making a craft, and using that to either sell or fundraise money. Another idea would be to use art pieces that students want to donate to us so that we could fundraise them and use that money.”
The club differs from other arts-based humanitarian clubs because its art is not limited to regular sketches, paintings, drama, dance, and sculptures. The artistic pursuits of the club will involve a variety of artwork mediums.
- Maho cited the example of a student who knows how to make candles and is willing to hold a workshop. For these workshops, it is not necessary that participants have an art background to participate. The group is looking to hold biweekly events and workshops to create and submit all kinds of art.
The group also wants to encourage students to use these events as to relax from the demands of classes and assignments. The students are encouraged to come out and enjoy the events, whilst employing their creativity. The club welcomes anyone to take part in their creative events.
UTM Art for Hearts members are looking forward to hosting fundraising events. Currently, Farhan is designing an online website for the club, along with handling the finances. McNamee is looking forward to hosting events. The sisters are passionate about the club, and look forward to fundraising and encouraging people to volunteer.
