"Hands On" is a collective arpillera that portrays the life of Fundació Ateneu Sant Roc as perceived by its creators: arpilleristas, volunteers and committed participants. From 2013 – 2015, 11 women applied themselves to the task of stitching the daily life of this busy, diverse organisation.
Whilst many Chilean arpilleras show the mountains on the horizon, in this piece it is the cement department buildings of Sant Roc which appear in the background. In the foreground we find two different scenes.
To the left, on a backdrop of grey, we see a busy street scene: children playing games, celebration banners displayed and people buying and selling at the craft market; all examples of how Fundiació Ateneu Sant Roc are involved in the local community.
On a background of beige, the arpilleristas have portrayed the myriad of activities that take place within Fundiació Ateneu Sant Roc. Through these stitches, we see the commitment to children, young people and adults of the neighbourhood. Spanish classes, computer workshops and cultural activities are in full swing. The toy library, children playing in the patio, mother and child group, basic health care and recycling all convey the sense of an organisation contributing to the well being of the neighbourhood.
All in all, over 200 characters full of life and commitment, each of them a piece of Ateneu, emerge from this arpillera. "Hands On" is another grain of sand to improve the environment. | 
