This program is being offered virtually through Zoom. In order to participate and receive the Zoom link, register by clicking the RSVP button above or by emailing olivia@smithcenter.org.

You will receive the Zoom information no later than the morning of your program.

with Gayle Danley, national & international poetry slam champion

Gayle Performing Poetry in Frederick, MD
Gayle Performing in Frederick, MD

Slam poetry began in Chicago’s bars and coffeehouses in the late 1980’s. This phenomenal blend of spoken and written word turns every willing soul into a poet while providing relief from the stresses of the day. Master teaching artist Gayle Danley has shared her down-on-the-floor style of performance poetry all over the country in classrooms, lecture halls, theatres and even on CBS’ 60 minutes.

 

Join her for much laughter, emotion, comfort, understanding and instruction in the art of slam poetry. Her 4-step process has been tried in the fire and proven to be an effective antidote to the blues of the day and the isolation that threatens to drive us mad!

Suggested Donation: $15


Poem for my Sisters With Sons:
Breathe:
Pull a clean fist of air inside your self
and let it rest there
wide and unfrightened inside your belly
asking for nothing
Remember when the baby boy was there
Stirring and fighting and kicking things around
inside of you.
And where is he now?
Kicking at air
asking for everything
Defiance rippling on the edge of his skin
Beautiful as water
And do not worry if your brown boy 
doesn’t smile enough
as long as he still smiles at you:
over dinner
over the news
from beneath a curtain of hair tangled and sprawled,
it is enough
Does he still know your name?
Good.
Does he still reach for you when there is blood
Does he still make you want to kill him on Monday mornings
and kill FOR him on Saturday nights?
Good
Is he still
breathing
good 
good 
good
Your turn:
breathe
again
until all
the air you can find
makes home
 within your body
Your black sad
scared hopeful body
Round and trembling
like your mother’s
Rest now
tomorrow will come before you know it
with her hair on fire and her knee on your neck
Your son knows you are his home
He has memorized all the valleys in your voice
every scream and grin
He ain’t going anywhere far
He is not leaving you
He will not vanish
he will not stray
Your breath is his
Your love is his
Never leaving
never dying
never going
away

And, check out more of Gayle’s work on YouTube here!


About Gayle Danley

Gayle Danley

Soon after crushing the competition at Asheville’s National Poetry Slam in 1994, Gayle Danley entered America’s classrooms teaching thousands of children how to access their emotions through the force of words. She performed and taught her way from Maryland Young Audience’s Artist of the Year, to National Young Audience’s Artist of the Year. She’s also both a former national and international poetry slam champion. CBS 60 Minutes profiled her work with middle schoolers as well as the Baltimore Sun, Washington Post and New York Times.

For the past five years, Gayle’s Grieffriend sessions have helped women who are living with AIDS, widows, incarcerated youth and those struggling with drug addiction and recovery use poetry to cope and bravely face life’s challenges.

Gayle was recently named Maryland Library Association Poet of the Year.

This program is being offered virtually through Zoom. In order to participate and receive the Zoom link, register by clicking the RSVP button above or by emailing programs@smithcenter.org.

You will receive the Zoom information no later than the morning of your program.

with Martina Sestakova 

Visualizing Home: A Place of Safety and Joy (Meditation & Collage Workshop)

No matter what ‘home’ may mean to you, the idea will inspire us during a guided meditation and a visual exploration of ‘home’ in watercolors, colored pencils, and magazine cutouts. By the end of the workshop, you’ll have created a one-of-a-kind artwork communicating a place of safety and joy. No experience needed.

Martina Sestakova, your instructor, will create a sample artwork combining colored pencils, watercolors, and magazine cutouts.

 

Suggested Materials: 

  • Colored pencils
  • Watercolors
  • Brush
  • Watercolor paper
  • Magazines
  • Photographs
  • Cup with water
  • Paper towel
  • Pencil
  • Pen
  • Paper for notetaking
  • Glue

(You are welcome to use any materials for a collage that you enjoy even if they are not listed.

Suggested Donation: $10


About Martina Sestakova

Martina Sestakova (owner at RADOST) engages in textile design, painting, and art education. Martina creates scarves that invoke stories of life experiences. Her scarves have been featured on Voice of America and at the Smithsonian American Art Museum (DC). In her paintings on yupo, she communicates words through colors and shapes. Her artworks have been shown at the Adah Rose Gallery (MD) and Latela Curatorial (DC) and other art institutions. As an art educator, Martina offers workshops and brings creativity to the public and communities with limited access to the arts. Martina Sestakova resides in Kensington, MD.

This program is being offered virtually through Zoom. In order to participate and receive the Zoom link, register by clicking the RSVP button above or by emailing olivia@smithcenter.org.

You will receive the Zoom information no later than the morning of your program.

with Gayle Danley, national & international poetry slam champion

Gayle Performing Poetry in Frederick, MD
Gayle Performing in Frederick, MD

Slam poetry began in Chicago’s bars and coffeehouses in the late 1980’s. This phenomenal blend of spoken and written word turns every willing soul into a poet while providing relief from the stresses of the day. Master teaching artist Gayle Danley has shared her down-on-the-floor style of performance poetry all over the country in classrooms, lecture halls, theatres and even on CBS’ 60 minutes.

 

Join her for much laughter, emotion, comfort, understanding and instruction in the art of slam poetry. Her 4-step process has been tried in the fire and proven to be an effective antidote to the blues of the day and the isolation that threatens to drive us mad!

Suggested Donation: $15


Poem for my Sisters With Sons:
Breathe:
Pull a clean fist of air inside your self
and let it rest there
wide and unfrightened inside your belly
asking for nothing
Remember when the baby boy was there
Stirring and fighting and kicking things around
inside of you.
And where is he now?
Kicking at air
asking for everything
Defiance rippling on the edge of his skin
Beautiful as water
And do not worry if your brown boy 
doesn’t smile enough
as long as he still smiles at you:
over dinner
over the news
from beneath a curtain of hair tangled and sprawled,
it is enough
Does he still know your name?
Good.
Does he still reach for you when there is blood
Does he still make you want to kill him on Monday mornings
and kill FOR him on Saturday nights?
Good
Is he still
breathing
good 
good 
good
Your turn:
breathe
again
until all
the air you can find
makes home
 within your body
Your black sad
scared hopeful body
Round and trembling
like your mother’s
Rest now
tomorrow will come before you know it
with her hair on fire and her knee on your neck
Your son knows you are his home
He has memorized all the valleys in your voice
every scream and grin
He ain’t going anywhere far
He is not leaving you
He will not vanish
he will not stray
Your breath is his
Your love is his
Never leaving
never dying
never going
away

And, check out more of Gayle’s work on YouTube here!


About Gayle Danley

Gayle Danley

Soon after crushing the competition at Asheville’s National Poetry Slam in 1994, Gayle Danley entered America’s classrooms teaching thousands of children how to access their emotions through the force of words. She performed and taught her way from Maryland Young Audience’s Artist of the Year, to National Young Audience’s Artist of the Year. She’s also both a former national and international poetry slam champion. CBS 60 Minutes profiled her work with middle schoolers as well as the Baltimore Sun, Washington Post and New York Times.

For the past five years, Gayle’s Grieffriend sessions have helped women who are living with AIDS, widows, incarcerated youth and those struggling with drug addiction and recovery use poetry to cope and bravely face life’s challenges.

Gayle was recently named Maryland Library Association Poet of the Year.

Part 2/2. This program series is being offered virtually through Zoom. In order to participate and receive the Zoom link, register by clicking the RSVP button above or by emailing programs@smithcenter.org.

You will receive the Zoom information no later than the morning of your program.

with Eileen Powers, MFA

Expressive Self-Portrait by Eileen Powers

For as long long as there have been artists and makers, there has been the creation of the self-portrait.

 

Whether it’s realist, abstract or performative, the act of situating and picturing the self often springboards the artist to self-awareness and insight. This interactive, two-session program focuses on the many ways we can use creative and expressive activity as a stepping stone to reclaim our identity and balance.

 

The program opens with a short talk about the medium and the context of self-portraiture, followed by exercises using simple materials. We will employ the language of color, collage, pen, pencil and photography to help us explore our internal and external selves. Participants are encouraged to investigate class concepts through a take-home assignment that will be discussed in the second session.

 

The program is open to all levels and all experiences. Participants should bring pens, pencils, paper, markers or any materials of their choice to participate in exercises, and a willingness to share their experiences.


Variations of You: The Expressive Self-Portrait will be offered as a two-part virtual program series on the following dates:

  • Saturdays, September 10th & 17th from 10:00am – 12:00pm ET

Suggested Donation: $20 (series)


About Eileen Powers, MFA

Eileen Powers

Eileen Powers is a Cape Cod-based photographer, designer and self-portrait artist whose Can you make hair for me? collaborative art project has been featured in exhibitions, podcasts and news media around the country as well as in The Boston Globe. A forthcoming book about the project is currently in the works. She has a MFA in visual arts, and is on staff at the Photographic Resource Center in Cambridge, MA. She has led workshops at the Griffin Museum of Photography, Creighton University and the Nantucket Atheneum among others. A video about Eileen and Can you make hair for me? can be viewed here.

Part 1/2. This program series is being offered virtually through Zoom. In order to participate and receive the Zoom link, register by clicking the RSVP button above or by emailing programs@smithcenter.org.

You will receive the Zoom information no later than the morning of your program.

with Eileen Powers, MFA

Expressive Self-Portrait by Eileen Powers

For as long long as there have been artists and makers, there has been the creation of the self-portrait.

 

Whether it’s realist, abstract or performative, the act of situating and picturing the self often springboards the artist to self-awareness and insight. This interactive, two-session program focuses on the many ways we can use creative and expressive activity as a stepping stone to reclaim our identity and balance.

 

The program opens with a short talk about the medium and the context of self-portraiture, followed by exercises using simple materials. We will employ the language of color, collage, pen, pencil and photography to help us explore our internal and external selves. Participants are encouraged to investigate class concepts through a take-home assignment that will be discussed in the second session.

 

The program is open to all levels and all experiences. Participants should bring pens, pencils, paper, markers or any materials of their choice to participate in exercises, and a willingness to share their experiences.


Variations of You: The Expressive Self-Portrait will be offered as a two-part virtual program series on the following dates:

  • Saturdays, September 10th & 17th from 10:00am – 12:00pm ET

Suggested Donation: $20 (series)


About Eileen Powers, MFA

Eileen Powers

Eileen Powers is a Cape Cod-based photographer, designer and self-portrait artist whose Can you make hair for me? collaborative art project has been featured in exhibitions, podcasts and news media around the country as well as in The Boston Globe. A forthcoming book about the project is currently in the works. She has a MFA in visual arts, and is on staff at the Photographic Resource Center in Cambridge, MA. She has led workshops at the Griffin Museum of Photography, Creighton University and the Nantucket Atheneum among others. A video about Eileen and Can you make hair for me? can be viewed here.

This program series is being offered virtually through Zoom. In order to participate and receive the Zoom link, register by clicking the RSVP button above or by emailing carla@smithcenter.org.

You will receive the Zoom information no later than the morning of your program.

with Anna Rashkover, Kai Wasson, Kiersten Gallagher, Nia Holden and Olivia Gonyea

Photovoice

Join us for a 2-part program where we will explore the personal and socially constructed forces that shape our experiences. We will identify and reflect on community needs and engage in critical dialogue with others in a safe, collaborative environment.

 

This 2-part program will be based on Photovoice methodology. Photovoice involves the use of photography to visually represent and narrate everyday experiences from personal perspectives. It can help us generate new insights into our socially constructed realities.

 

Photovoice is a humanistic and compassionate way to reflect and communicate with others as we represent ourselves, expose challenges we face, and ignite social change.

 

Activities will include mindfulness practices, personal presentations of photography, and group discussion.

Participants do not need to own a professional camera to participate and may use whatever methods they would like to take photographs. No photography experience is required. Participants are encouraged to attend both sessions as we aim to foster community and a safe, open environment for sharing.

This program is open to everyone, including caregivers.


Through My Eyes: A Photovoice Experience will be offered as a 2-part series on Saturdays, April 2 & 9, 2022 from 10 – 11:30 AM EST. Participants are encouraged to attend both sessions. Please let us know ahead of time if you are unable to attend both sessions.

Suggested Donation: $20 (series)


About Anna Rashkover

Anna Rashkover

Anna Rashkover is an American University student studying Public Health. Anna is interested in studying health communication and social and behavioral sciences to help create effective public health campaigns which address complex issues plaguing the United States and other countries.

About Kai Wasson

Kai Wasson

Kai Wasson is a senior Public Health major at American University. He will be attending a MA in Sociology program next year and is interested in occupational health and safety.

About Kiersten Gallagher

Kiersten Gallagher

As the Cancer Support Program Director, Kiersten fully believes that through the arts we can expand our perspectives and explore new fulfilling ways of being. She invites you to make our space your own refuge, to circumvent your daily routine to spark creativity, to take time for introspection, and draw outside the lines.

About Nia Holden

Nia Holden

Nia Holden is an American University student studying Public Health and Health Promotion. Nia is interested in studying nutrition and working with vulnerable populations.

About Olivia Gonyea

Olivia Gonyea

Olivia Gonyea is an American University student studying Public Health and International Studies. Olivia is interested in studying disease prevention and control and working in health program planning.

This program series is being offered virtually through Zoom. In order to participate and receive the Zoom link, register by clicking the RSVP button above or by emailing carla@smithcenter.org.

You will receive the Zoom information no later than the morning of your program.

with Anna Rashkover, Kai Wasson, Kiersten Gallagher, Nia Holden and Olivia Gonyea

Photovoice

Join us for a 2-part program where we will explore the personal and socially constructed forces that shape our experiences. We will identify and reflect on community needs and engage in critical dialogue with others in a safe, collaborative environment.

 

This 2-part program will be based on Photovoice methodology. Photovoice involves the use of photography to visually represent and narrate everyday experiences from personal perspectives. It can help us generate new insights into our socially constructed realities.

 

Photovoice is a humanistic and compassionate way to reflect and communicate with others as we represent ourselves, expose challenges we face, and ignite social change.

 

Activities will include mindfulness practices, personal presentations of photography, and group discussion.

Participants do not need to own a professional camera to participate and may use whatever methods they would like to take photographs. No photography experience is required. Participants are encouraged to attend both sessions as we aim to foster community and a safe, open environment for sharing.

This program is open to everyone, including caregivers.


Through My Eyes: A Photovoice Experience will be offered as a 2-part series on Saturdays, April 2 & 9, 2022 from 10 – 11:30 AM EST. Participants are encouraged to attend both sessions. Please let us know ahead of time if you are unable to attend both sessions.

Suggested Donation: $20 (series)


About Anna Rashkover

Anna Rashkover

Anna Rashkover is an American University student studying Public Health. Anna is interested in studying health communication and social and behavioral sciences to help create effective public health campaigns which address complex issues plaguing the United States and other countries.

About Kai Wasson

Kai Wasson

Kai Wasson is a senior Public Health major at American University. He will be attending a MA in Sociology program next year and is interested in occupational health and safety.

About Kiersten Gallagher

Kiersten Gallagher

As the Cancer Support Program Director, Kiersten fully believes that through the arts we can expand our perspectives and explore new fulfilling ways of being. She invites you to make our space your own refuge, to circumvent your daily routine to spark creativity, to take time for introspection, and draw outside the lines.

About Nia Holden

Nia Holden

Nia Holden is an American University student studying Public Health and Health Promotion. Nia is interested in studying nutrition and working with vulnerable populations.

About Olivia Gonyea

Olivia Gonyea

Olivia Gonyea is an American University student studying Public Health and International Studies. Olivia is interested in studying disease prevention and control and working in health program planning.