Saturday, April 20th was the perfect sunny spring day for Feeling Artful! Inspired by the movie Inside Out, Feeling Artful created a safe and supportive place to encourage open conversations about emotions and provide opportunities for our youth to creatively express themselves. Families flooded the doors and were greeted with smiling faces and helpful community resources from the Asian American Center of Frederick, Community of Grace Organization, Living Well Youth Works, Frederick Children’s Chorus, Elixir Dance and Fitness LLC, Lanai Monroe Thee Herbal Butterfly, and Unique Devotions. The energetic Zariah Paris was the MC for the afternoon, even bringing out Buddy, the Feeling Artful mascot! Buddy rocks a skeleton t-shirt to represent that though we all experience our feelings differently, we all look the same underneath.  

To begin the artful afternoon, coloring pages of faces expressing various emotions and patterns packed the tables. The creative acrylic tiles designed by students at Hillcrest and Butterfly Elementary, where Dr. Sherwood recently visited, were showcased. These tiles will be put together to create a powerful, emotional mosaic displayed at the Delaplaine Arts Center in June.  

Talented and courageous youth took the stage as they portrayed each emotion from Inside Out: 

• Joy was portrayed by a reading from Jade, and a dance performance by Elixir Dance  

• Elixir Dance portrayed Love with a dance show  

• Philip portrayed Sadness by singing “Over the Rainbow” 

• Judah portrayed Anger with a drum performance titled “Rhythm Rage” (Image below)

• Unique Devotions portrayed Fear with a dance titled “Love over Fear”