We have a special (closed) Facebook page for use by our Super Artists. It’s where we let them know about the shoes we have available for painting, and ask them which ones they’d like to paint. It’s wonderful to feel the excitement as a list goes out with the specifications from the children, and read all the eager posts: “Ooh, can I have x please?” “Wow! Y: my favourite!” “Yay! Let me have z: I love painting that!”
And we’re there to support our artists too, not just with the technical stuff, but also because it can be an emotional task, painting shoes for a seriously ill child, particularly if they happen to be the same age as your own, or if you have an understanding of what their diagnosis means. We take great care of our precious Super Artists, and while they’re creating smiles, quite often we, and other artists, find ourselves drying their tears.