Hello, Folks! We had a great week here at common art and Boston Warm. We had our fifth session of the Caretaker Art Group on Wednesday, which focused on defining and exploring boundaries. As the sessions go on, our time together just keeps getting better! Time spent together in sessions over the weeks has created safety and trust amongst the group, which allows members to be more honest and vulnerable in their sharing. Rather than immediately diving into more complex topics without a sense of safety having been developed, I’ve been intentional about ordering session themes and activities so that they build in their level of introspection as the weeks progress. Even with this in mind, I was nervous heading into last week’s session dealing with boundaries, because I knew it was a more sensitive topic for folks. Since this was the most psycho-education-heavy group session up to this point, I wanted to be intentional about making that information accessible and digestible. Continue reading
Tag Archives: common art
Self Care
Happy Holy Week! Today is the day: Richie’s Easter play is upon us! I am so excited for the performance and feel honored to direct it alongside Richie once more before my time at Emmanuel is through. The main goal of the performance is to have fun, enhance connection, and spread joy, which I know will be achieved. Stay tuned for my performance recap next week! Continue reading
Artistic-Community Collaboration
We had a busy week here at common art and Boston Warm! Musicians from the New England Conservatory came to play for us during lunch time, which was beautiful. The community seemed to really enjoy the live music. As it began, the whole room grew quiet and focused on the music; some members even danced and swayed along to the melodies. It was a deep breath in the midst of a busy day!
Untangling
We had a lot of wonderful art situations happening at common art last Wednesday. The knitting table is still going strong. We had a member’s work get veryyyyy tangled. Spreading out across the room with our sections of the yarn, about 5 of us helped untangle the ball of yarn. This funny moment was also a good moment of teamwork! Continue reading
Preparations
Hello, folks! We had another great week here at common art and Boston Warm, let me fill you in. Last week was our second week with a knitting table during common art, which has been a hit so far. We have a couple members with beanies in the making, while another member is knitting a coin purse. It has been lovely to be able to see the community express their creativity through a new art medium. Continue reading
The Divine with Us
Hello, folks! In reflecting on my time at common art and common cathedral this week, I felt inspired to write a poem about finding God in the common places. I hope this poem might prove to be a fun way to experience or envision these programs!
The Divine in the blue tarps
and folding chairs,
and the wax-stained tablecloth on the piano-bench altar. Continue reading
Documentary & Winter Walk
Hello, Folks! In December, we had our play performance of Richard Berman’s “Super Angel and the Divine Sidekicks Battle the Government”. Two Emerson College film students came to common art to film the process of the making of the play. Last Wednesday, we had the world premiere of the documentary! The documentary was wonderfully done. It was touching to see the community reflected back to itself in an art form in which few people get to see themselves represented. When different members would come on-screen, there would be hollers and cheers from the crowd. It was a great way to honor and celebrate common art and the creativity of the community. Adam, one of the filmmakers who came for the premiere, did a Q&A with the community after the screening, which further helped members connect with the film. Continue reading
Super Angel & the Divine Sidekicks
I have a shorter blog for you all this week just to report on the current happenings at common art and Boston Warm.
Preparation for longtime member Richard Berman’s play, “Super Angel and the Divine Sidekicks Battle the Government”, is in full swing! This past week we had our casting sign-ups, which was met with a lot of excitement. Many members were eager to sign-up, not only for character roles, but also to offer help with costumes, makeup, tech, and set design. Though I have not been at common art for one of Richie’s plays before, I can already tell that the coordination and performance of these plays bring a lot of joy and meaning into the space. Continue reading
Welcome, Alex Shoemaker!
Hello! I am Alex Shoemaker, the new intern for common art, Boston Warm, and the Art & Spirituality Prison Program. Let me introduce myself a bit here so that you all will know the “girl behind the blog posts” for the next eight-or-so months. I am originally from San Diego, California, and moved to Boston in July 2024 to attend Lesley University’s M.A. program in Art Therapy and Clinical Counseling. I love all things visual and the expressive arts, so I am excited to accompany the members of common cathedral in their art making. I am particularly interested in the intersection of community building and the healing power of art making, which is exactly what common art is all about. My hope for my time at Emmanuel is that I may help encourage restorative community and connection through therapeutic witnessing and accompaniment… and of course, art!
My first two weeks at common cathedral were spent getting to know many of its members and learning about their experience in the program. I have been met with such a warm welcome from the members, for which I am immensely grateful. There seems to be an energy of hope and excitement for the coming months. I am honored to be even a small part in the events that are about to take place this fall and winter. Among the upcoming events is the common cathedral Art Show, which is taking place in Beverly this Sunday, September 28. Members will be exhibiting and selling their artwork made during common art. Longtime member Dennis shared with me that many members are fundraising for the Poor People’s Campaign and their upcoming trip to Washington D.C. to march alongside activists from across the nation. The art show will be a wonderful opportunity for common art members to showcase their work (and by extension themselves) in a space that prioritizes dignity, respect, and care. Additionally, longtime member Richard Berman has written another play for common cathedral. I am honored and excited to be asked to help him bring it to life this fall. It’s gonna be good, you won’t want to miss it! Production date and other details about the play will be announced soon.
Bible Study
Last Friday I stayed for common cathedral’s Bible study after Boston Warm. I’ve been a bit hesitant to join Bible study because of some negative associations it brings up for me about my own religious upbringing, but lately I’ve been trying to approach it with a new perspective. I decided to look at the Bible study group as a way to not only continue to spend time with this community and practice therapeutic communication skills, but also as a sort of assessment time to learn about the spiritual perspectives and themes that community members are currently dealing with. Continue reading