If you weren’t able to join us for our Giving Challenge panel discussion with two artist teams from the “Common Ground” project on April 9, a recorded version is now available on Youtube. (Just click on the screen above.)
Here’s what one viewer who did tune in — from Maryland — had to say about her experience:
“In all transparency, it was a beautiful day here in Baltimore. After a stressful day at work, I said to myself that I was going to take a nice walk when I got home. I forgot to note this presentation was on my calendar and as I was about to head out, I checked my email and saw the reminder. I thought, ‘Oh no, I really want to walk, maybe I’ll skip this.’
“Well, thank goodness I decided to tune in instead. If I had missed this, I would have been deeply disappointed. I am awestruck, grateful to all for sharing their talents and their stories. It has been a privilege to be here.”
In this video you’ll hear from Christine Gahagan and Erika Schlunk, who created “Arbor of the Soul,” a mixed media “tree” made of papier mache strips taken from cognitive behavioral therapy worksheets they filled out to explore their commonalities.
“Our tree represents roots unseen and clinging, a trunk strength that can flex and adapt to trauma and branches that can reach for new sunlight,” the team said in their artist statement. “A tree does not need to know how to live again, after a cut, a storm, a strike of lightning — it knows how to carry on. As humans sometimes we need to learn to live again, but we don’t restart, we keep growing in new ways around our traumas, just like a tree would.”
Colored lights within the tree’s trunk shine through its cracks and knots, symbolizing the light within us that shines through our imperfections.
Christy and Erika say they plan to continue working together and creating collaborative art even after the “Common Ground” project comes to a conclusion.
You’ll also hear from the team of Wojtek Sawa and Brenda Robinson, who created (with an assist from Wojtek’s wife, professional artist Basia Sawa) “Outside - Inside,” a site specific, interactive installation. It features Robinson’s colorful acrylic portraits and Sawa’s fragile pen and ink drawings on the outside of a large octagonal booth.
“Outside - Inside” is about our facade (what people see) and our interior (what we keep to ourselves,” their artist statement explains. “When we encounter people, they look at our faces and we hope our faces present us in the best possible light. We hope our faces will not show things we don’t want others to see — the things we keep inside, behind the facade. Oftentimes we are afraid to let people in. We’re afraid that if they see our “real” selves, they might turn away from us, corn, or ridicule us, and consider us unfit to be part of society.”
The inside of the “booth” has blank white walls, waiting for viewers to add their reactions to a prompt from the artists, inviting them to share their own inner fears and secrets. According to Wojtek, each participant’s comments help to create a community of commonality and caring, where our vulnerabilities can be revealed without fear of scorn or stigma.
”’Outside - Inside’ comes to life, and grows in meaning through your participation,” Sawa says.
In the video, you’ll also learn more about the three collaborating producers of this project — the Spaaces Art Gallery, SRQ Strong and FACEing Mental Illness and what they have planned for after the exhibit concludes at the end of April.
Meanwhile, if you’re in the Florida, the 12 pieces created for “Common Ground” will continue to be on display at the Spaaces Gallery, 2051 Princeton St. in Sarasota, through April 26; most are still available for purchase. The gallery is open from 11a.m. to 2 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, or by appointment by contacting edwin@spaaces.art.