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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Labor of love

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By Amber Adams, Contributing Writer

There is real science to prove what love does to the human heart. When we fall in love, our heart races. When our heart is broken, fibers of the heart literally wear down, causing physical heartache.

Love is celebrated everywhere, in every aspect of modern culture. And no symbol is more emblematic of the timelessness of love than the heart. That’s why Mitzy Jonkheer, owner and artist of Jonkheer Jewelry Art Studio in Wilmington, created a tangible, creative expression of love she calls “Heart Art.”

Each year, Jonkheer invites a select group of artists to participate in her multimedia Heart Art Show and Sale, timed to coincide with Valentine’s Day and held at her Wrightsville Avenue studio.

The concept behind the show is simple. Participating artists receive a blank wooden heart on which they can express their own personal style and vision.

“I handcraft each of the hearts from recycled wood, donated or purchased from local sources,” Jonkheer said. “The show is truly a labor of love from start to finish.”

Artists are given a month to complete their heart and deliver it for display and sale. This year’s Heart Art Show and Sale will be held at Jonkheer Jewelry on Friday, Feb. 12 from 6-8 p.m.

Jonkeer studied art in high school and went on to earn her BFA in metal design from the School of Art and Design at East Carolina University. After graduating, she moved back to Wilmington and opened a gallery with a friend. In 2009 she opened her current shop.

This will be the fifth year she has hosted the show in her current location. In the beginning she had to persuade her friends to try her Heart Art idea. Now she witnesses annual anticipation of both artists and patrons. Several people come every year to buy a new heart.

“I have customers looking forward to buying the newly designed hearts,” she said.

Previous participants include Dumay Gorham, Pam Toll, Sally Mason, Dick Roberts, Candy Pegram, Carroll and Karen Crouch, Julia Jensen, Rachel Willoughby, Andy Cobb, Michael Van Hout, Elizabeth Darrow, Alan Swart, Nicole Nicole, Fritzi Huber, Sandra Siemering, Renato Abbate, Brooks Koff, Gayle Tustin, Jonkheer herself, and many more.

“From my perspective, it’s truly a gift,” Jonkheer said. “I feel honored to stand in my studio surrounded by the personalities and creative spirit of my fellow artists.”

Like many Wilmington-based artists, Jonkheer finds her biggest inspiration in nature.

“I have tremendous respect for hands-on craftsmanship. You can tread lightly on the earth, explore aspects of recycling old jewelry pieces, and still create a great heart,” she said.

Jonkheer put the Heart Art Show together because she simply loves hearts.

“I have created them in my jewelry and made really fun and funky hearts for over 20 years,” she said.

Her space is small and she’s had to work with smaller mediums. Hearts were one of the first shapes to enter her boutique. Although the hearts might be small it’s a huge expression of love.

“Everyone gets a story to tell and I get to see their story through their heart,” she said.

True self-expression is integral to the work of any artist. Jonkheer works by breaking the rules, and encourages Heart Art participants to do the same.

“There aren’t any rules except creating an expression of you and your art,” she said.

In addition to providing a platform for artists to create beautiful heart artwork, the show might soon play an important role in the Wilmington arts community. Jonkheer said she hopes to grow the Heart Art Show large enough to benefit artists who show promise, dedication, and need funding for their training.

“I would like it to get so large to have … part of the proceeds benefit artists,” she said.

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