When is a craft project a work of art? When is a work of art an act of love? When is an act of love an accomplishment of a lifetime? These are just a few of the questions I ask myself as I contemplate Dr. Ronald Lehocky.
The Heart Pin Project of Dr. Ronald Lehocky
You’ve got to get to know this amazing man and his mission.
Here’s what’s on his card:
Dr. Ronald Lehocky is a volunteer on the Cerebral Palsy KIDS Center Board of Trustees. In 2005 Dr. Lehocky created 100 heart pins to help fundraising efforts at the Center’s Annual Fashion Show. That initial creation turned tino a labor of love with no end n sight, as her personally creates each and every heart using polymer caly in a variety of designs and brillian colors, and just like the clients served at the Center, each one is unique. While it seems unbelievable, Dr. Lehocky as actually made over 26,600 Heart Pins! 100% of the money raised goes into a designated fund to provide continuing education for our wonderful and dedicated team of therapists- the heart of the Center- so we can continue to provide the most up-to-date therapies for our clients. www.KidsCenterKY.org
Dr Ronald Lehocky, a community pediatrician since 1974 and a volunteer on the Center’s Board of Trustees, designs and constructs each heart individually from a versatile medium called polymer clay. The clay comes in a variety of brilliant colors which can be blended and tinted then manipulated into a myriad of designs which are then used to decorate the surface of the hearts. After curing (hardening) the clay in a convection oven, most of the pins are sanded and buffed by hand to give them a subtle gloss.
For those interested out-of-town donors who would like to obtain hearts you can contact Dr. Lehocky at rlehocky@bellsouth.net.
I had the honor of meeting Dr. Ron at the International Polymer Clay Retreat last fall- and I have to tell you, this guy is a gem. First of all, he’s crazy talented. He’s a seeker of new techniques and his craftmanship is impeccable. And his humor is wry and his language is salty. I pretty much want to adopt him! OH…. and he sets a quota of 10-12 polymer heart pins each day, so he gets up early and works efficiently. Can I be him when I grow up?
But before I get ahead of myself, take a look at this video of him in action:
Video from Polymer Clay Daily
Amazing, right? Something so simple and yet so beautiful…and serving such a deserving community.
So while I was at IPCA I not only met Dr. Ron, I also went a little crazy buying HEARTS! It was so hard to choose from the hundreds on display…but I settled on these.
I am so conflicted about which hearts to keep for myself, and which ones to give away. And I’m also tempted to try something like this- just choosing a basic shape and then working in a series to really push my techniques and tap my creative potential.
So… which is your favorite. And would you be tempted to buy one?
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That is amazing, what a wonderful and kind man that shares his love and money with children and also his techniques with us. I really agree with him, sticking to a shape and developing all its possibilities really gets your mind relaxing and going beyond.
I live in Louisville and we sell Dr. Lehocky’s pins at our store. He is as wonderful in person as you described. Fun to talk to and very appreciative of other people’s talent. His wife is as wonderful as he is too! He takes no money for these pins and all the proceeds go to the kids center. Thanks for sharing his story and his talent.
What a wonderful thing to do with one’s life and one’s art! I cannot imagine sticking with one thing long enough to completely master it–all the while learning new things. That is a real gift in so many ways.
Completely amazing. What a marvelous man. Imagine what a peaceful world if his generosity and kindness could be bottled. I am with you! I would love to have bunches. Good luck trying to decide which ones to give away. They are all gorgeous. Thanks for a great subject.
Amazing story and an incredible man…not to mention TALENTED!! Of the ones that “had” to come home with you my fav. is the music one…my Mom would love something like that. I’ve never really gotten into playing with polymer clay. But he’s a master! WOWSA. Thanks for sharing, will have to check that out a bit more.