I learned a lot about building community in the past half year. In January, I felt a pull to go to Green Wood Coalition's Art Hive in Cobourg. And, to add to the complexity of that pull, I felt that I should be painting portraits. When I reached out to their community programs coordinator, Aimée Johnston, she welcomed me to join them and see where it would go.
Every Wednesday from 11 to 1, Canadian Mental Health Association staff, clients and interested others were led in one form of creative art or another by that lovely lady in the black dress below. Lee Higginson is a Port Hope based photographer and artist who was hired to facilitate our 24 weeks together. Folks around the table made individual art projects, collaborative art, drank coffee, came in from the cold, ate snacks and made friends. It was beautiful.
I sat around the edges and each week sketched someone new, one on one. Lee took reference photos of that individual and forwarded them to me for a final portrait. The following week, the sitter would receive their portrait.
For today's "Hi My Name Is" art show, every sitter had returned their portraits to the Art Hive for framing and mounting on the wall. We placed each individual's art work and words next to their portrait.
Below: Jason: just me and my portrait, trying to get my phone working.
The gentleman below was my first subject. The first session I attended, I sat on a theatre seat along the edge of the room and looked for the quietest person there. It was Eric, who would come in to use the internet. He didn't do much art, but he made coffee for everyone and drank coffee too. Hence, the coffee mugs beside his portrait. When we asked him for some words about what the art program meant to him, he replied, "I have 4 words for you and they all begin with F".
And, there's the moment when two subjects notice that their portraits are side-by-side.
Interesting note: small world: my daughter works at Camp IAWAH.
Old connections were continued and new connections were made.
There was time for heart to heart conversations.
Music was enjoyed.
It felt like a homecoming to me. I jumped for joy when this young man came in. He has a new job north of town and we wondered if he would be able to make it back. Above his portrait is one of his artworks.
I am so thankful to Canadian Mental Health Association of Haliburton, Kawartha and Pine Ridge for taking the chance on supporting this creative endeavour in community building.
I'll end with Carolyn next to Caroline (I spelled her name wrong on the portrait 🥴) Maybe after our next session beginning in September, I'll not only know people's names, but how to spell them.
Here's a link to a page that shows all of the portraits.
I'll end with a quote from one of my favourite authors.
“So many people walk around with a meaningless life.
They seem half-asleep,
even when they're busy doing things they think are important.
This is because they're chasing the wrong things.
The way you get meaning into your life is to devote yourself to loving others,
devote yourself to your community around you,
and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning.”
Mitch Albom
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