By Naya Seth, Epic Kids Junior Reporter
Art has a way of spreading happiness, and these two high school juniors have embodied that sentiment by giving back through art. Caroline Jones, the founder, and Annabelle Rice, the co-founder, have turned their love for painting into something bigger: an organization called Paint for Positivity. With the help of their parents, Paint for Positivity was born, paving a path for them to share their paintings with kids at children’s hospitals and seniors at retirement homes.
Once the idea sparked, things moved fast. The name and logo for the organization were established within the first two weeks. Their first big step involved reaching out to one of the medical directors of the Emergency Department at Phoenix Children’s Hospital (PCH), hoping to find a way to bring their paintings to the patients. Since then, they have painted every week for over a year, making art that brings joy to both kids and seniors.
Starting an organization like this is no easy feat, but Caroline and Annabelle have proven that they can do it. Along the way, they’ve learned about the importance of networking. When Caroline’s mom, a pediatrician, helped put them in contact with a medical director at PCH, it opened a door that helped them really kick off their organization. They have also learned a lot about dedication. Between school, jobs, and travel, it can be hard to consistently show up and make the time to paint, but they made a pact: every Monday, no matter what, they’d set aside 5-6 hours to paint together. The girls draw inspiration for their paintings from their own childhoods as well as kids like Annabelle’s younger sister and the kids they teach at their church.
Not all parts of their journey have been easy, though. Originally, they had hoped to hand deliver their paintings to patients to be able to see the reaction firsthand, but they discovered that due to different policies at PCH, this wouldn’t be able to happen. They didn’t let this stop them, though. With each painting, they included a QR code where parents can submit pictures of their kids with the paintings along with a message.
Paint for Positivity has created unforgettable experiences for both Caroline and Annabelle. Annabelle’s favorite painting that she has created so far was a young Rapunzel, bringing her back to her childhood. For Caroline, it was painting her first princess, Cinderella, for a young girl. It was the first photo that they had received from a patient with the painting, and she says that “It’s one thing to have an idea, but it’s another thing to see the impact of that idea.”
Looking ahead, the girls plan on continuing Paint for Positivity throughout high school, and they’re working on turning it into a club at their school in order to pass the club down to other people passionate about art and giving back to the community after they graduate. And it’s not just Phoenix anymore–Paint for Positivity is spreading. After a video blew up on TikTok, reaching over 1 million views, they started to have a lot of interest from teens in other states, wondering how they could start a local chapter. The furthest new chapter has been established in Colorado, with several others forming in different locations.
If you want to start a chapter too, all you have to do is fill out an interest form, and from there, Paint for Positivity will reach out and give further instructions. You can also donate your art from home. All of the information is available on their website (paintforpositivity.com). However you take part, Caroline and Annabelle have definitely proven that when you share your passion, you can make a difference and brighten someone’s world.
