Philadelphia artist sees beyond city's grit to paint heart of the city
Artist Nina Hurwitz is in her happy place at Braid Mill Studio in Philadelphia's Germantown neighborhood, where she transforms squiggly lines into stunning artwork.
In her studio, Hurwitz uses markers to create a drawing of her son Manny. In his eyes, she places a little heart. The heart is a symbol she uses in most of her vibrant pieces.
"I love to hide it and tuck it," Hurwitz said. "I'm trying to push the boundaries of what we can do with a heart."
That's the inspiration behind her series called "Generational Hugs." It's a collection of affection, forgiveness and embracing oneself, like in the portrait of RuPaul.
"He says at the end of the show, 'if you can't love yourself, how in the hell you gonna love somebody else?'" Hurwitz said.
A quote the artist holds close to heart after leaving the Hasidic community.
"I came from a place where you weren't encouraged to be different or yourself," Hurwitz said.
Hurwitz picked up a paintbrush, moved to Philadelphia with her two boys, and has been painting for over 12 years. She sees beyond the grit and paints people — the heart of the city.
"I'm allowing people to come in and just exhale," Hurwitz said. "To celebrate love in all its different forms."