February 26, 2009, 12:26 pm

In our first-ever Skill-Building Workshop, print maker and interior designer Laura Zeck joined us as the lead teaching artist, focusing on the activity, “The Best Three Words to Describe Me” from Chill & Spill.

She taught a group of about 14 therapists how to create artistic block prints that represented each participant’s unique, individuality. See more photos in our gallery!

ABOUT CHILL & SPILL SKILL-BUILDING WORKSHOPS:

Each month, Art with Heart offers these workshops for therapists, social workers, and educators, as well as volunteers in youth-focused organizations and individuals seeking personal enrichment. (see the Events section of our website for upcoming dates).

The projects are planned and art media are selected to suit each unique activity in the Chill & Spill guided journal. We tag-team a licensed mental health therapist with a teaching artist to bring participants a full experience that they can bring back to the youth they work with.

Working together on the Chill & Spill activities, participants and the leaders find that art is not only enjoyable, but also therapeutic. They now have a new skill that directly relates back to their work with youth.

February 6, 2009, 5:07 pm

, 4:02 pm

Since last summer, Art with Heart has been training community partners who will use the Chill & Spill curriculum at their sites with youth they serve. Each partner administers pre-and post-surveys with their groups and submits the results to us. The outcome of the evaluation will allow us to not just have anecdotal stories about Chill & Spill’s effectiveness, but also quantitative data to be able to prove it’s effectiveness.

Our partners include Friends of Youth, YMCA Everett, YMCA Seattle, Casey Family Programs, Anacortes Middle School, Morning Star Boy’s Ranch and Seattle Urban Academy.

By the end of this summer, I will have results to share with you! This is such an exciting next-step in our growth and understanding of the program that has already benefited 12,000 youth in crisis, not just here in Seattle, but also across international borders (Chile, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand!).

February 5, 2009, 12:29 pm

Image, left: Flora Bowley’s “Sea Breeze With Trees” is part of the exhibit “Open Heart” at ArtForte Gallery.

This month at the free First Thursday art walk in Pioneer Square, you can celebrate Valentine’s Day — just a wee bit early. First Thursday is tonight, when you can catch the opening reception for lovebirds — “Open Heart” exhibit at ArtForte Gallery.

This group art show features a romantic body of work by Northwest artists Sharika Roland (Tacoma), Flora Bowley (Portland) and Miriam Aroeste (Vancouver, B.C.). Five percent of the show proceeds will go to “Art With Heart,” a Seattle nonprofit that reaches out to high-risk youth through books and self expression.

Reception: 6 to 9 p.m. today, 213 First Ave S., Seattle (206-748-0187 or www.artforte.com).

February 4, 2009, 3:47 pm

I was thrilled to receive an endorsement from award-winning children’s author Cynthia Lord, known for her Newbery Honor book, RULES. She is the mother of a child with autism. She wrote:

“I am often asked to speak about autism and I always spend time during those presentations talking about the needs of siblings. Magnificent Marvelous Me is truly a treasure for people who love and work with siblings of children with disabilities. Thoughtful, fun and affirming – I highly recommend it!”

February 2, 2009, 8:33 pm

In September of last year, we began a pilot program at an alternative private high school, where 90% of the students previously failed out of public school, were from single parent households, had experienced sexual and/or physical abuse, and staying in school was a daily struggle.

The Principal originally embraced the concept of Chill & Spill in the classroom because, as she said, “Having our kids learn shading and perspective is nice and all, but it’s not a skill that is going to benefit 99% them in the long run.”

Part-way through, she commented that “The students in the Chill & Spill class see it as a way to communicate. The work is rich. I’m grateful that the students have a space for creativity as well as reflection and expression of the multitude of issues they carry with them.”

The class ended last week and I got to visit them while they finished up their projects. They had the chance to experiment with all sorts of media, and each class was based on a page out of Chill & Spill.

When I asked two of the students how they would rate the class (based on a scale of 1 to 10), they both replied, in unison, “10.” I asked why and they said, “Because this is the only class we have where we get to talk about ourselves and express what’s going on inside of us.” Another student commented that “Chill & Spill should be world-wide and expanded at every school or at least private school!”

February 1, 2009, 7:47 pm

Art with Heart Video

This brief video highlights stories from parents, children, therapists and others who have been touched by Art with Heart’s work. Click on the arrow to start watching.