Nurturing youth mental health through art in Bend, Oregon.

Young girl smiling and showing her hand covered in colorful finger paint, standing outdoors near a tree with green leaves.

When kids come to Hearts Unknown Education (HÚE), that place might be a canvas (or a drum, or a stage, or a conversation with a caring mental health professional).

Because creative expression and community are two of the BEST ways we know to facilitate healing, create belonging, and nurture mental health for kiddos who are struggling with anxiety, depression, and other challenges.

Green text bubbles with white text reading 'Every kid deserves a safe place to work through big feelings'.

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HÚE is a space where kids can find peace in community and creativity, grow their confidence, and have a touch point to other mental health resources in Bend.

Art classes that are excessively fun.

A young girl with brown hair and braces smiling as she holds a colorful rainbow-themed paper lantern with a cat illustration and yellow hearts. In the background, another girl with dark hair wearing a headband with red sparkly bear ears is sitting at a table with birthday decorations and snacks, against a pink wall decorated with a rainbow quilt and a poster.

Art classes where kids can express themselves.

Young girl with short blonde hair wearing sunglasses on her head and a gray T-shirt, smiling and showing her painted green hands with fingers raised, in an indoor setting with a ceiling, shelves, and other people in the background.

Art classes that bring calm and confidence.

Child painting on a table surrounded by art supplies with an adult observing.

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And these art classes get kids excited about a lot more than just art.

These classes get kids excited about LIFE.

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Often, when a young person shows up for their first class, their head is down, their shoulders are slumped, and they're not very interested in talking to anyone.

Then, we give them a canvas, a little guidance, and a lot of kindness.

They might paint something really dark. Or they might go through 10 canvases in one day. But whatever they create is important. And our art instructors at HÚE make sure they know that.

When kids come to HÚE, they find their people. They find their confidence. And they find that they can work through some pretty heavy things.

An abstract painting with vibrant colors including pink, purple, blue, green, yellow, orange, and red. It features bold black outlines and splatters of black paint throughout.

A person wearing a brown winter hat with earflaps and glasses, standing in front of a colorful canvas with various paintings and drawings. The person is holding a red spray paint can. The workspace has art supplies, including paint tubes and brushes,

Two young girls with painted faces and painted arms, wearing face masks, standing indoors with art supplies and paintings in the background.

Young person with curly dark hair painting colorful heart designs on paper with watercolor paints, seated at a table covered with paint supplies.

A woman with dark skin and braided hair wearing a gray hoodie with a diamond illustration and the word 'SHINE' on it, looking down at a decorated birthday cake with colorful frosting and sprinkles.

A woman with glasses and curly hair is smiling and wearing a red beanie, a bright green coat, and pink pants. She is inside a colorful room with a vibrant, painted mural on the wall behind her, featuring cartoon animals, flowers, and the word 'LOVE'

A young girl with dark hair, wearing a purple hoodie with a mountain graphic and 'Oregon' written on it, smiles while painting a flat object covered in red and orange paint. She is wearing red gloves and sits at a table with painting supplies, in a r

A young girl in pink pajamas with heart patterns is painting on a colorful wall mural with various clown faces, animals, and abstract designs in a room lit by a bright yellow lamp.

A young boy with short black hair smiling, with red face paint designs on his cheek and forehead, indoors near a window with sunlight, colorful striped desk in the background.

Young girl with blonde hair and sunglasses on her head playfully showing green paint-covered hands inside a store or art studio. Behind her, a man wearing a hat and glasses looks away, and shelves with items and colorful paintings are visible.

Two young girls, one with curly hair and one with straight dark hair, are standing outdoors on a sunny day. The girl with curly hair is holding a colorful painting with pinks and purples. They are in a garden or park area with trees and a brick build

A woman with curly pink hair and sunglasses holding a can of spray paint, standing in front of a colorful, illuminated mural on a brick wall.

A person with curly red hair, wearing glasses, a black and white checkered sweater, and blue jeans, holding a can of spray paint and standing in front of a colorful, abstract mural on a brick wall.

A woman with vibrant pink curly hair and multiple bracelets sprays hairspray on her hair. She is holding the spray can close to her hair, with a focus on her black and red painted nails. The background features a brick wall.

“The community at HÚE is really accepting and kind and caring and they’re always going to be there. That means a lot to me. They’ve helped me through my worst times. I think a lot of people go through difficulties in their own lives, and I think what HÚE does is a really major thing.”

- Jasper

Infographic showing statistics about self-harm among middle school students. It states that 1 in 5 eighth and eleventh graders have self-harmed in the past year, and 1 in 6 sixth graders have self-harmed in the past year. The infographic emphasizes that every kid deserves a space like HUE and cites updates from the 2020 Oregon Student Health Survey.

We’ve seen it first hand.

Art Saves Lives

Kids have never felt more pressure or more uncertainty. And we’re seeing that in the sheer number of young kids who are self harming or hurting others.

Emotions MUST be processed, whether a kid has a healthy outlet or not.

Think of creative expression as a way for kids to get all that unnamed and overwhelming energy OUT of their little bodies and onto the canvas, stage, wheel, or whatever medium they choose.

Think of creative wellness as the result of all that beautiful expression: improved self-worth, better mental health, and internal peace.

Every kids deserves a space like HÚE:

→ Where the people there have a passion to help kids. (How can you not after you see how much the kids love this space!?)
→ Where artists, therapists, and educators volunteer their expertise & compassion.
→ Where it’s easy to feel belonging and a sense of community.

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