UofL student-athlete turns to art to cope with COVID-19 crisis, and requests pour in from around the world

University of Louisville field hockey goalkeeper and rising sophomore Sam Minrath has kept busy after the spring semester was moved online due to the spread of COVID-19. The art major has used her craft to honor members of her UofL field hockey family who are fighting the pandemic every day. 

Shortly after much of the nation began staying at home in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19, Minrath would see her mother, a doctor, return home exhausted after working long hours at the hospital. With the cancellation of the spring season, Minrath found herself with extra time on her hands, so she decided to put her talent to work.

"My mom said never has any of my artwork to hang, because I always do some sort of specialty thing," said Minrath. "So, I thought I would make something for her to hang up in her office." After drawing a picture of her mom, Sam shared it on social media and it took off from there.

Former UofL field hockey teammate, Maria Gomez, reached out from Madrid, Spain with a photo of her father, a pulmonologist. 

"And then I did the hands, which a lot of people liked," Minrath said. "It was my mom's and my hands and I felt like this represented a lot and people could connect with this piece. After that I got a ton of feedback with people asking if I could draw something for them - from all over the world, which was really cool."

What began as a way to, perhaps work through some of her own feelings of uncertainty, and create something special for her mom, turned into an avenue to connect with other people on a broader level. Minrath has continued to honor everyday heroes, many of whom represent her own UofL field hockey teammates' families. The artwork, which can take up to four days to complete, has brought a sense of fulfillment. 

"Through this, I've realized that it's not just therapy for the person who is making it, but also for so other many people around," said Minrath. "My mom put the hand piece on her Facebook page and she got so much feedback and a lot of people reposted it. So many people said that's exactly how they feel. One person in particular related because she had COVID and couldn't be with her daughter. It's just been really, really cool. Especially during this time when we can't always connect face-to-face, so through art, people can connect."

Some of her artwork was showcased on the Frazier Museum website page featuring Coronavirus Capsule Photos and Artwork. Visit that page here.

During the 2019 season, GoCards.com featured the Louisville native and her plans to pursue a career in art therapy. Check out the feature here.