Exhibit of artistic envelopes showcases unlikely friendship

NEW YORK - A unique art exhibit in Washington Heights tells the story of an unlikely friendship, showing how the delivery of a medical bill blossomed into so much more.

The artist talk outside Buunni Coffee drew a crowd Sunday, not for a famous painter or master sculptor, but for a pair of friends and their personalized correspondence.

"Before, it was on my wall," said Melody Morrow. "Now it's here, and it's just really joyful."

Morrow's musician father gave her a name with a ring to it. It is not often a stranger taps into its importance.

"I really just did it because I love to draw," said Emily Margolis. "As an artist, like a musician, a musician always wants to perform."

Steve Hartman recently revealed how Morrow felt inspired to inquire about the woman behind the musical notes on her medical bill envelopes. That is how she tracked down Margolis, an MJHS Health System employee who is known around the office for her desk doodles.

"I think her reaction is what made me want to keep on going and do more and better," Margolis said.

Over the past four years, the details in the drawings grew, and so did their bond. The pair finally met in person last year.

"We were very much in sync with each other and appreciated each other's friendship for just what it was," Morrow said.

"It came really just from my heart," said Margolis. "I didn't do it for any accolades. I just did it to put a smile on someone's face, and it worked."

The handcrafted notes have grown into a noteworthy collection, aiming to inspire others through small acts of kindness, symbols of a friendship enveloped in love.

You can see the sketches for yourself at Buunni Coffee's Washington Heights location at 213 Pinehurst Avenue.

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