97 Hearts Project

Back in 2015, I had an idea for a crowd-sourced art project. I hopped on Facebook and asked some of my friends and family to give me one word they'd each use to describe themselves. I received nearly 100 responses... 97, to be exact, including only a few repeated words.

Armed with a pencil, pen, and newsprint, I began drawing small visual representations of each response. For those few words chosen by multiple people, I drew one per person, working on multiple connotations. The result was 97 individual drawings.

The goal? I wanted everyone who sees these images to be inspired to consider who they are now, and who they want to become.

That's what I accomplished with my 97 Facebook friends. I was humbled by and grateful for their thoughtfulness, honesty, and vulnerability in sharing their chosen words with me.

Want to try? Go for it!


First, think of one word to describe yourself.

How do you see yourself? Strong, short, determined, sad, struggling, fighter, joyful, fat, loving, crazy, magnetic. You don't even have to use an adjective. In fact, one of the original 97 words was "tea." The only rule is to be honest about yourself. 

Now draw it. 

Or paint it, photograph it, sculpt it, video it. However you feel comfortable creating a visual representation of the word and how it describes you. No talent required; you don't have to be the next Michelangelo.  This is for yourself. No one else ever has to see this, unless you choose to share it. Just have fun with it.

Finally, think about it. 

Are you happy with who you are? Do you want your description to change? If so, what word do you want to be described as? Consider drawing that new word, and use it as a goal to strive toward.

It's not easy to choose one word to describe yourself. It might help to list 15 or 20 words and narrow them down from there. The point is to examine and reflect on who you are and who you want to be, and unlock some creativity (again, no talent required! Creativity is not talent, it's just thinking "outside of the box" of trying new things) along the way.

You can read some more about the project and how it began over on the 97 Hearts blog post

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