Art with a Heart, whose mission is to enhance the lives of people in need through visual art, already trains teenagers and young adults to build job-training skills through HeARTworks, the nonprofit organization’s professional development program. Now, HeARTworks participants will be able to sell their creations and learn more about the business side of the art world through HeARTwares, a retail store housed in The Avenue in Hampden.
The store recently held the grand opening of its new location on Nov. 30, which featured activities, live music and a ribbon-cutting ceremony officiated by Baltimore City Council member Odette Ramos.
“There’s nothing quite like watching a student who sells something they’ve personally poured their creativity into,” says Randi Pupkin, Art with a Heart’s founder and executive director. “Watching them watch a stranger love it, buy it and take it home … there’s really nothing like seeing a student whose artwork is purchased. It gives them such a sense of pride and joy, it’s palpable.”
This new space is more than double the size of HeARTworks’ previous home and will also be the home base of HeARTworks from now on.
Megan Gatto, Art with a Heart’s deputy director, says that they recognized the need for a larger space while hosting a workforce program in the summer.
“We had about 30 youth workers. They were in our main workspace, so all of our volunteers ended up in our conference room,” she recalls. “There were humans everywhere, and it was amazing, but that’s when we realized we needed more space for our workforce development program to grow.”
HeARTwares’ property used to be the home of the Hampden Family Center, which operated for nearly 30 years before shuttering in August 2024 due to financial issues. Initially, Pupkin and Gatto looked at the property “just to check it out,” but found that it would be the perfect location and space for HeARTwares.
“It’s really poised for growth at this time. We’re very, very excited to see it flourish in this space at The Avenue, and that it’ll have more foot traffic for the store,” Gatto adds.
HeARTwares operates on the theme of “shopping with purpose,” encouraging customers to consider bespoke, handmade items created by community members as personal gifts with meaning. Profits from its art sales are split amongst the youth artists and Art with a Heart volunteers, who often influence the art made in the HeARTworks program.
“Being in a public space like The Avenue gives us an opportunity to raise awareness of the work that we’re doing and the need that we’re filling in the community,” Pupkin says.
