The Artist and Her Mission
Wellington mosaic artist and founder of Arts For Smiles, Carolina King, is reshaping local arts programs, one smile at a time.
WHEN Carolina King visited Palms West Hospital in the spring of 2018, she didn’t expect an awakening.
It was a typical South Florida morning – hot and humid with a touch of ocean breeze – when she carried a few boxes of art supplies through the hospital’s entrance. As president of a local art society at the time and active in community outreach programs, it was up to her and others to bring arts and crafts to children inside the hospital’s pediatric unit.
After getting her visitor badge and taking a short elevator ride to the floor, King was buzzed in. Suddenly she found herself standing amongst the brightly-lit and decorative walls of the unit, and in that pivotal moment, a personal breakthrough – almost indescribable - was beginning to emerge.
“When the children first walked into the art room, some were in pain, some were in tears, they were uncomfortable,” she said. “But within five minutes or less, once they each started their art project, everything changed. There was laughter, there was joy, there were smiles- and the walls just came tumbling down.”
While working with the children that morning – both in the activity area and visiting with the immunocomprimised in their private rooms – King recognized a need that went beyond stickers and glitter or colored pencils and crayons. These were emotional needs in which art could play a role in healing. “I immediately said to myself that I have to do this all the time,” she recalled. “This was it for me, no question about it.”
But discovering a calling - and answering that call - can be challenging especially when there’s no specific path forward. The solution: Arts For Smiles.
Arts For Smiles officially started in the early days of 2020, becoming a full nonprofit in December of 2021. Within that timeline, King and fellow artists visited hospitals and organizations such as the Kid’s Cancer Foundation, bringing arts to children in various forms of need. Then COVID hit and all the visits came to a crashing halt. “When the pandemic started, we had to restructure everything which ultimately effected the beginning of our work with Arts For Smiles,” King said.
While the pandemic was in full swing, King and mission-aligned volunteers, including local photographer, Lois Spatz, discovered a need in Belle Glade – a city set in South-Central Florida within the boundaries of Palm Beach County – where an estimated 34.6 percent of people live in poverty. Since visiting with children wasn’t permitted due to stringent – even heartrending – lockdown orders at the time, King and her team put together care packages that included not only critical need items, but arts and crafts as well, delivering to organizations such Ella's Closet, Lighthouse Cafe, Boys Town of South Florida, and the Nicolas Foundation, in addition to assisting local teachers.
But, then, a shift. Within the next 6-12 months, restrictions began to ease, and the original vision set forth by King started to fully materialize. Together, with the group’s treasurer, Erica Kyle, the two hired a lawyer and formed a 501c3, making Arts For Smiles an official nonprofit complete with a Board of Directors, including King, Kyle, and local artist, Charles Moses. By this time, the organization doubled the number of care packages created and distributed and donations steadily increased.
Inspired by the uptick in monetary support and “social distancing” being a thing of the past, King and her team started working directly with children once again at places like Kid’s Cancer Foundation and local community events – offering free art classes including drawing, painting, collage, and building crafts – encouraging kids to focus on their own imagination, and subsequently, their mental health.
Over the past decade, the number of children diagnosed with a mental health disorder has skyrocketed, leading health authorities and pediatric groups to examine possible contributing causes. According to one expert, the decline in adolescent mental health directly correlates to a lack of community support and resources, as well as social media, poor sleep, peer and family conflict, and trauma. The lockdowns and school closures accelerated this trend.
The need for more community resources – especially for low income and at-risk communities – has never been greater. This is how organizations such as Arts For Smiles can make a direct impact. Through the use of artistic methods that are proven to promote healing and restoration, King’s nonprofit is one line of defense — operating as a free community resource — in the current battle for better mental health initiatives and outreach. “Art is a crucial part of life,” said King. “If we can teach children that they have so many wonderful ways of expressing themselves it will help them through the many stages of life.”
But, in many ways, providing a free service to the community comes at a cost. Arts For Smiles relies heavily on monetary support, and without the generosity of donors, many of their outreach initiatives would come to an end. “We’re a relatively new nonprofit so it takes a while to build those crucial relationships”, said King. “But we’ve had some amazing donors step up and help our cause.”
Going back to King’s original vision – that pivotal moment in the pediatric unit of Palms West Hospital – her goal is to one day find commercial space of her own to conduct free art outreach programs in addition to providing services for local artists. Though the initial mission primarily focused on children, King also recognizes a growing need for people of all ages. She is particularly motivated to work with caregivers – those who provide care for an adult family member, child, or friend – by providing a safe and creative space to better manage stress and fatigue. “This is something I would love to get into,” King said. “From personal experience, I’m aware of the physical and emotional stressors caregivers endure. Having support and freedom to creatively express emotions can help, I truly believe that.”
For more information about Carolina King and Arts For Smiles, visit their website to learn more about the organization.
What a great mission Carolina has. Hopefully someone can provide her with that commercial space she needs to expand her outreach. Engaging in art has the capacity to calm, bring focus and encourage mental and even physical healing.