by Stacey, Soweto, South Africa

Chill & Spill Exercise: How others see me, how I see myself, how I want to be seen

Soul stirring aptly describes my day in Soweto facilitating a Chill & Spill workshop with 20 girls I’ve grown to care for as my younger sisters.

Dawn broke on a rainy, gray and cold start to our winter. I drove from Johannesburg, parked my car on the outskirts of Soweto and transferred my art materials and sandwiches into a taxi. I watched the contrasting views from tin shacks in squatter camps to newly built houses until I arrived at a small, cold room deep in the heart of this intriguing township.

The girls trickled in, wet and chilly, and we all exchanged welcoming hugs. Slowly the room transformed into an energized and creative vibe. The warmth of our sisterhood embraced us.

We brought out our Chill & Spill books and chatted about the next activity about how each girl sees herself, how others see her and how she would like to be seen. Portraits of self-reflection. This is significant, as these girls have had their photos posted on the internet. They wonder what Art with Heart’s readers are thinking about them. It’s a long distance relationship, in a way unknown and unseen. Some don’t have access to computers and rely on me as their mediator, their informant. I’m honored to hold their trust.

This is a space where a girl who has given birth to a child can leave her responsibilities behind and be the young girl she still is. This is the space where a girl who was raped can be held and comforted. This is the space where a talented young woman who hasn’t found the opportunity for tertiary education can escape her cleaner’s job and explore her creative abilities. This is a space for respite from poverty and its consequences.

This is a space where a girl can ask me to please keep her painted portrait safe. She can’t take it home to the shack she shares with her granny, because the roof leaks and she doesn’t want her artwork to get spoiled by rainwater.

Each portrait paints a unique picture of a girl in Soweto her dreams, her aspirations, her challenges, her abilities. I wrapped the precious portraits and carried them home. This is not a tourist’s journey. This is reality. This is a portrait of South Africa’s extreme complexity and contrast, through the eyes of a girl reflected in a woman.

I have written this blog as if I was writing in my own Chill & Spill journal. It’s my own personal reflection and I hope it gives you a glimpse into the humanity of our group.

The happy and generous couple

Art with Heart is fortunate to have amazing supporters who think up unique and wonderful ways to help us meet our mission to help children in crisis. New bride Christine W. and her husband Joseph were thrilled to donate to a cause that was so close to their hearts.

“Art With Heart teaches patience, encouragement and hope through creative mediums. Sometimes when you can’t find the words to express how you feel, a piece of paper, a paint brush or a journal can be very powerful tools. The organization has always resonated with me because it’s how I best express myself as well,” Christine told us.

Some couples would rather give than receive, and Christine and Joseph decided that a charitable donation to Art with Heart was a wedding gift that would last one that would show compassion to a child in need.

We are so grateful that they chose this wonderful way to start off their life together.

Under the guidance of a local Digital Design Program, a group of students created a special exhibit entitled “Frame of Mind,” which featured social justice-themed student work and showcases the diverse possibilities of digital design. Visual displays consisting of informative design posters and T-shirts, creative product designs, campaign designs and comic strips were set up on walls and tables throughout the room while a slide show depicted animated works.

In 2009, another group of Naomi’s students created tee-shirts and held a raffle as a fundraiser for Art with Heart. This year, they went with a more environmental theme by making and selling reusable shopping bags and water bottles.

Last year, after their first fundraiser, we sent a letter to Naomi and the President of University, thanking them for their thoughtfulness and for making such a big difference for youth in crisis. The president shared, “I wake up in the morning and think about stressful work everyday, but this kind of letter that comes from the community makes me feel the motivation to go to my office and work even harder because I have a faculty member who truly believes in our mission and demonstrates the way she believes in her actions.”

Naomi describes her delight in helping to fund-raise for Art with Heart in this way, “When I imagining the kids’ smile, and recall the words from my University’s President, it makes me realize that there is a reason why I am a professor at Seattle University.”

Thanks to Naomi for her generosity and her support of our mission, and to students Isis, Brian, Joyce, Jordan, Colleen, Abdul, Jodie, Megan, Kari, Maylene, William, Reinard, Madisen, Erin, and Christine for making this a wonderful fundraiser that brought in around $1,000 for children in crisis!