From the Heart Presents: Colors of Compassion

Frederick County, March 26th, 2024- Colors of Compassion brought community members from all walks of life together for a night bursting with vulnerability, empowerment, and compassion. This was the second event of the From the Heart campaign. Dr. Laura Sherwood, Founder of Transformative Arts Project (TAP) worked closely with Heartly House’s Jenn Metcalf, Director of Community Engagement and Prevention, to coordinate, plan, and execute the inspiring event. Heartly House offers comprehensive, judgement free services free of charge to survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, intimate partner violence, human trafficking, and child abuse. Colors of Compassion showcased how survivors of these traumatizing experiences utilize art in their healing journeys, including a panel on this topic, artistic performances, and more.  

As participants flocked into New Spire Arts, they were presented with resource tables from Heartly House and Asian American Center of Frederick as well as a beautiful, engaging art exhibit. While mingling and viewing the art, participants enjoyed delectable treats from Chef Trini at Taste of the Island, including refreshing mocktails and banana pudding!  

The evening began with an introduction to tapping, also known as Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), facilitated by Laura and Barbara Pinnock, Executive Director of Community of Grace Organization. This technique focuses on tapping the 12 meridian points of the body, such as the heart, to relieve symptoms of a negative experience or emotion. Barbara then set the tone for the evening with a peaceful sound bath.  

The room filled with community members as the panel of speakers from Heartly House’s Survivors Speakers Bureau took the stage to discuss how art has been so healing in their mental wellness journeys prior to, during, and post-trauma. Jenn Metcalf facilitated the panel, including artists Cynthia Corro, Jessie Bunk, and Gaby Nobody. During this time, participants engaged in an interactive, peaceful activity of drawing compassionate words and hearts on tiles that will all be compiled into a stunning, impactful mosaic. This mosaic will be featured at upcoming From the Heart events.  

When asked about the greatest impact art has had on her mental wellness throughout her healing journey, Cynthia Corro responded,  

“Art allowed me to coexist with the painful reality of trauma in a way that didn’t consume me alive. In my process of trauma recovery, art has been a huge help to communicate what I am unable to say with words.” 

The unforgettable artist performances included... 

  • Jessie Bunk: Ambidextrous art demonstration 

  • Annabelle Shiver: Poetry 

  • Gaby Nobody: Musical performance 

  • Adrien Gehring: Poetry 

  • Lanai Monroe: Spoken word performance 

  • April on South: Musical performance 

  • Dee Calhoun: Musical performance  

Each artists’ story could be felt during their performance. While our healing journeys are not linear or perfect, it is moments like these that help us realize that above all, we are not alone. 

Read more about Colors of Compassion in the Frederick News Post article here

 

About From the Heart- 

From the Heart: Creative expressions in mental wellness is a 10-month campaign sponsored by the Mental Health Workgroup of the Local Health Improvement Process. The mission is to foster an inclusive and compassionate community by embracing the power of art to challenge social stigmas surrounding mental health.  

The Heart’s ultimate goals are to break down barriers, eradicate the stigma attached to mental health issues, and cultivate a society that celebrates and values the healing potential of creative expression in promoting mental health and wellness.  

If you are interested in learning more about the Mental Health Workgroup, please contact Summer McClellan at Summer@healthierfrederick.org 

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News Release: LHIP Mental Health Workgroup Launches From the Heart: Creative Expressions in Mental Wellness