We recently connected with Lenore Lyons and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Lenore, thanks for joining us today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

So, I was perfectly happy teaching second graders…until I wasn’t. I spent 15 years launching my own children through college and beyond, empowering other people’s children to be their best selves and finally it was time to launch myself. I wrestled with the decision. I knew I needed to live a more creative life. I thought about it constantly. Finally, my big idea… I will make books with people! Yes. That was it, as crazy as it sounded. I wasn’t sure what that would look like but it sure felt right at the time. Then the worries happened. What if I quit my well-paying job and my idea doesn’t work?? Then what?” My wife gave the best possible response. She said. “Then you will have another idea.” In June of 2010, I closed my classroom door for the last time with excitement and fear.

My life unfolded in ways I couldn’t have imagined. I am passionate about multi-age classes. I taught art to children and adults in a variety of cultural centers and became a Director of Arts Education. I created classes, big events, parade floats, props, costumes and more. At the time, I was involved with a professional group, Cape Cod and Islands Art Educators. We needed a common project that the students of all our members could participate in; to show the progression of art expression. Thinking about this, I noticed my jar of old keys. Then the magic happened.

I am the founder of The Key Idea, a large-scale, inclusive art project. Since 2015, over 6000 people ages 1-100+ have created tiny, illustrated stories each describing a big dream through the metaphor of a key.

Now in 2022, I am taking a look at what all those people, collectively have to say. I have a small team documenting the KeyStories. There is a form on reverse of each piece which includes some demographic and contact information as well as a legal participation release. I have noticed definite trends in what people write about through the different ages of life but, what else will we find once the themes are analyzed?

These meaningful images will become the pages of relatable books. I guess my big idea worked, I make books with people!

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

I believe that my superpower is making art accessible to everyone. For years I thought about a dream- to create a project and take it to people across the country. I wanted to have thousands of people of all ages contribute to a whole important piece of work. The project had to be relevant, affordable, portable and not too messy. It needed to be hopeful and optimistic. For ten years, while raising children, the idea percolated, then it bubbled. It all came together with a jar of keys.

The Key Idea has become a large-scale community project, incorporating as a non-profit in 2016. We have inspired over 6000 people from ages 1 -100+ to create a piece of meaningful artwork. Each participant was invited to select a key, draw it on beautiful paper and respond to the question, “What does your key open or start or do?” The process is simple, the results creative and profound.

The Key Idea is my ongoing project with the widest reach. Adults and children from across the country have created KeyStories at community and senior centers, schools, libraries, markets, festivals and more. There is something about riffling through a large tray of keys that encourages people of all ages to think about possibilities for their life and their loved ones. People trusted me enough to be vulnerable, share their stories and deep desires. They drew their key, wrote a sentence and posted their KeyStory on the exhibit board. They added their piece to a project much larger than themselves. I am honored to be the keeper of their dreams.

The keys themselves, have a history. They have been donated by countless people. I like the idea that strangers who will never meet are somehow connected by this simple yet powerful object. I always offer the key that inspired the KeyStory. Most people, of all ages are delighted to accept it; I have given away more than 5000 keys along with project keyrings.

The KeyStories are currently being documented in a data base to be analyzed. I’m looking at what is important to the people of our country as decided by their big ideas. I am hoping to discover truth in a line by Maya Angelou, “we are more alike my friend than we are unalike.”

I am so grateful to the thousands of men, women and children who sat down and chatted for a few minutes, told me their story, then picked a key and shared their big ideas. They made this project happen.

Future projects will be based on the data. The results will be promoted on social media and print media with books focused on a theme or age. It’s not too late to add your KeyStory. You might be in a book! Please join The Key Idea Project.

•Participate: Pick a key and imagine your own KeyStory. Kits are available on the website for groups of all sizes. We are continuing to add to the database and promote the stories on social media. We are looking towards print media and major exhibits in the future.

•Appreciate: Follow us on Instagram and Facebook. Take a look at the website. Spread the word. Also, we are looking for exhibit space. My big dream? To exhibit the KeyStories in the departures terminal of a major international airport. People leaving the country could read about the goodness of America’s people, from ages 1-100+. Contact me if you have ideas.

•Support: Sponsor an event at a school or non-profit. Lead a KeyStory event with your family or group, brainstorm your big ideas together. Inclusive project for corporate events. Training is available.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

My goal is to prove a line of Maya Angelou, “we are more alike my friend than we are unalike.” I want to see who we are as a nation despite what we hear. I have noticed that people all over the country have lots in common, by age. Regardless of ethnicity, race, gender or region, folks in the same decade of life write about similar things.

Collections of 1000 or more Keys Stories have been exhibited dozens of times.
Exhibits have included:
The Key to Community – Smithsonian’s Anacostia Community Museum, Washington DC
The Key to Understanding – Solomon Carter Fuller Mental Health Center, Boston MA
Unlocking Excellence – ERB Conference, Drake Hotel Chicago. IL
The Key to Understanding – Lemuel Shattuck Hospital, Boston MA
The Wisdom of Children – Cultural Center of Cape Cod, Yarmouth MA
The ArtWeek Key – Boston Public Market, Boston, MA
Keys Connect – Cotuit Center for the Arts, Cotuit MA

KeyStories are typically arranged on a grid, in age order. It is interesting to observe people look at the exhibit. Viewers start at the beginning with the scribbles of 1-year-olds then proceed, reading the tiny stories of hope and optimism through to the oldest, the 100-year-olds. After viewing the exhibit as a whole, typically both adults and children go back to their own age group to read about and consider what others of their age hope for the most. They wonder “How am I like or different from other people my age?” They form a new connection to their community.

Once all the KeyStory cards are scanned and entered into the data base, we can comprehensively analyze what people shared. We will get a bigger picture of who we are as a country. The KeyStories are thoughtful, personal or universal, spiritual and loving. Sometimes they are funny, ironic or magical. They are relatable. I look forward large exhibits of KeyStories. I have plans for interesting books with a focus on an age or theme.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding thing about being a creative is that it makes me feel so good. The message is out there- follow your dreams. I am doing just that. I wrote my personal mission statement: I am here to love and be loved, to create art and to inspire others to enjoy their own creativity. I will live enthusiastically with honesty and goodness.

Being my most authentic self is very rewarding. What comes with it, not so much. Responsibility for every aspect of the business, social media, promotion, fundraising, accounting and so on. There are so many other regular tasks that take away from creative time but I am willing to do that. You get unpleasant tasks at many jobs. I am grateful that I continue to grow and develop creatively while having the freedom to follow my own path.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.thekeyidea.org
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thekeyidea/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LyonsLenore
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lenore-lyons-2145351b/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLKEnvZjTaJ_-B7p0n6s_8g
• Other: Mail me your KeyStory PO Box 304 West Hyannisport, MA 02672

Image Credits
Lenore Lyons 2015-2022 I have releases from everyone in the photographs.