by: Hannah Washington, Data Development and Communications Coordinator, Jacksonville Community Center
For Heidi Elliott, art isn’t just a pastime—it’s a powerful tool for connection. A long-time artist from Los Angeles, Heidi moved to Jacksonville to enjoy retirement, but she didn’t leave her creative spirit behind. For over five years, she has been sharing her immense passion for art right here at the Jacksonville Community Center as a volunteer art instructor. If you’ve ever walked by the center during her highly anticipated Paint & Lunch class (held every other month), you’ve likely heard the laughter and seen the room filled with bright smiles.
Heidi’s journey with the center began during a period of widespread uncertainty. In 2020, as the world slowed down, she chose to lay low and quietly wait for the perfect moment to explore her artistic passions in her new home. When she found the Jacksonville Community Center, she found the perfect “canvas” to express herself with and to give back.
What keeps Heidi coming back month after month? It’s the magic of “seeing people do their thing.” In her classes, it is common for a participant to step through the door and immediately confess, “I can’t paint, I’m not an artist.” But under Heidi’s warm guidance, those doubts melt away. By the end of the session, those same individuals are holding up finished paintings filled with immense joy and proudly declaring, “I did it!”
For Heidi, the center is a unique space that stands out from any other because it simply “has so much heart.” It is a culture built on love, caring, and a dedicated community that shows up consistently to contribute. Working alongside others who share a deep heart for the community and a desire to exchange their passions has been transformative for her. In fact, she calls her time volunteering here the “best experience I’ve ever had.”
Having spent thirty years working hard in her career, Heidi has found that this chapter of her life brings a completely different, more powerful kind of fulfillment. Giving back has been deeply empowering. To anyone considering sharing their own time or resources, Heidi offers some beautiful advice: “Follow your passion whatever it is and share it whatever way you can wherever you are at. You will be amazed at the satisfaction it can give you.”
Paint & Lunch is an amazing art workshop led by Heidi, with no pressure to become Picasso. Instead, the whole experience is set up to express creative joy. If you are interested in attending, we will be posting about the next class on our social media, through our newsletter, and on our website. If you are interested in finding out more about volunteering, please contact Victoria (Tori) Wood at: vwood@jacksonvillecommunitycenter.org.
