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 Kiersten Gallagher
Creative expression has often been used in the healing process and it is at the core of Smith Center’s philosophy, but fear of judgment and “not being an artist” can often prevent us from tapping into its healing power. Join us for Outside the Lines: Social Hour, where we will catch up as we reclaim art-making as a healing tool. Participants are welcome to work on their own creative projects as we socialize.
Outside the Lines is held Bi-Monthly on Wednesdays from 10:30am – 12:00pm ET. The Social Hour sessions will only run from 10:30 – 11:30am.
Suggested donation: $10 per class
Our programs are open to the community, and tailored to meet the needs of people affected by cancer. Classes and workshops are free or low cost on a pay-as-you-can basis, ensuring that our programs are accessible to everyone.
About 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.
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 Theresa Esterlund
Practice mindfulness in a new way and open to being – with yourself, with each other, with the present moment. In this workshop, you’ll be guided in a slow looking activity around a single work of art from the Joan Hisaoka gallery as a technique for accessing inner wisdom and sparking creative flow. In conjunction with this mindfulness practice, you’ll use a series of prompts and poetry writing techniques to express yourself through the written word, individually and collectively. You’ll discover new insights and fresh perspectives as you build empathy and learn to integrate this type of practice into your journey.
By slowing down as you look, you’ll be invited to explore personal insights, reflections, and ideas. You’ll also have an opportunity to practice opening to other perspectives and points of view through group participation. Slow looking (or slow art) comes out of the “slow” movement and is often intended to help you look at and learn about artwork, especially if you are not as comfortable or familiar with art. It can be applied to any kind of looking or listening (at a tree, a piece of music, another person), and when infused with mindfulness, it can be a powerful way to connect with yourself and each other.
Suggested Donation: $15/session
About Theresa Esterlund
Theresa Esterlund is an artist, educator, and mindfulness guide whose teaching draws from her deep experience and expertise. In her mindfulness practices, she facilitates pathways for integrated mindful living, creating environments for personal exploration and transformation that are based on individual experiences. Theresa’s collages are windows that open to the inside—as well as abstract landscapes and other arrangements. She currently brings her love of gathering, sorting, and composing to letterpress, which also gives her a path to integrate words and phrases from her poetry. After retiring from a professional career in museum education, Theresa channeled her vision to inspire compassionate connections into a stationery business, Open to Being, that reflects the intersection of her mindfulness and artistic practices.
This program has been cancelled and will be rescheduled for a later date.
with Theresa Walker
Where are you in your journey of healing? Take time in this quiet winter season to get in touch with your soul’s wisdom in a SoulCollage® session. You will choose from a variety of magazine images spread out before you. You will cut, paste, and compose your own unique collage on a 5 inch by 8 inch quality matboard. Guided exercises will help you find the wisdom in the collage you have made. Discover aspects of your inner self, have fun, and enjoy community in this creative activity. Absolutely no artistic experience needed.
Address:
Smith Center for Healing and the Arts
1632 U Street NW
Washington, DC 20009
Suggested Donation: $15
About Theresa Walker
Theresa Walker is a registered SoulCollage® facilitator and has led groups for the past 10 years. She has made over 100 SoulCollages® and uses them in her own life journey, for instance, dealing with grief over the loss of a loved one and getting in touch with her inner guidance on relationships, work, and paths forward. Often the compositions are lighthearted and encouraging. She finds that participating in a group is a fun and meaningful way to access one’s own unique creative spirit and share that spirit with others.
