The Hearts of India event-exhibition for me was an exciting three hour blur of color, laughter and art.

After three months in India with 12,000 road km logged, inviting 500+ children from all over the country to imagine and paint their greatest dreams on paper inside a “heart” outline… we finally shared their stories and artwork at a culminating event at Lokayata Art Gallery in Hauz Khas Village, Delhi.

Pankaj and Satbir, our two drivers along the journey with a local kid from Hauz Khas Village

Delhi-ites, local children and people from many countries came and painted a heart at our open painting table. Our Chief Guest, Rakesh Senger, Director of Bachpan Bachao Andolan (Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarti’s anti child labor organization) even painted his heart. As he sat down to paint he said, “Let my heart live!”

It was incredibly gratifying for me to see guests moved to tears as they read the stories of young people from diverse parts of India. 

Rakesh Senger receives his heart to paint

a diverse crowd turned up for the event

Orien making an announcement

Some of you may know that only a few weeks ago I lost my younger brother. He slipped away into the ether at a hospital surrounded by family in Seattle while I was asleep in Northern India. He was my childhood companion and greatest confidant. I was beyond devastated to receive the news. This event has been my solace in all my grief. I have funneled all my sadness into this exhibition, transmogrifying it into happiness for myself and for others into a celebration of life and dreams. 

I want to express my greatest thanks to the Lower East Side Girls Club for hosting our fundraising event in NYC, for Golden Acrylics for donating all the paint for the India Tour and especially, most especially to Rick Steves, my travel guru for making all of this possible. 

Live life to it’s very fullest, you never know how many days you’ll have.

Spread the love, we can all use more of it~