Touching Love is designed for Hearts in San Francisco 2025, and l am honored to be among the 22 artists who were selected to create a heart sculpture for this public heart project. An auction of the Hearts at a special event in February 2025 will raise funds for San Francisco General Hospital Foundation. The heart sculpture is the size of a small pumpkin (7” x 6” x 2”). It feels heavy for its size, rounded, slightly cool to the touch, and both smooth and bumpy with tactile elements. On this multi-sided, curved object all surfaces connect and merge. Two opposite sides might evoke a cool moon and warm sun. One side is luminous white and the other brilliant yellow. Along the heart seams, the colors feather into each other like rays of light with a very subtle texture. The yellow side has a dense tactile pattern with multiple repetitions of the word “love” in standard Braille labels and paint; while on the white side the word “love” in quarter-inch raised iridescent dots appears simply once, inviting you to touch LOVE. The meeting places of disabled utility and beauty inspired my design for Hearts in San Francisco. As an access artist, I use practical disability access tools, like Braille labels and bump dots, in ways that artistically explore aesthetics and adaptation. As a San Franciscan, my heart is always here. Touching Love, R. Lanzerotti, 2024.

Artist Spotlight! https://sfghf.org/news/2025-hearts-in-san-francisco-artist-spotlight/