Middletown >> It’s been almost a year since the Valley, Rocky and Jerusalem fires re-defined the natural landscape and life in south Lake County. Between Saturday and Aug. 22, the Middletown Art Center (MAC) will offer all Lake County residents opportunities to process and reframe the tragic, life changing experiences of last summer through a creative healing arts program called Community Works.
MAC, in partnership with Tri Uplifting, invites all residents directly and indirectly affected by the fires, to participate in a journey of self-expression, release and healing through the arts, movement and mindfulness.
Each day of this two-week series offers creative and healing arts classes and workshops for all ages. The daily schedule will include yoga, meditation, or breath work in the mornings followed by late morning or mid-day art classes, an after-school series for kids and evening classes for adults or the whole family. There is a range of classes including “Putting Words and Art Together” (which kicks the program off Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.), print making and mask making, as well as classes focused on combining sculpture with movement and writing, community dance and sound healing. All activities will be free of charge and everyone is welcome regardless of art experience.
Schedules will be available on the MAC’s Facebook page, on the MAC website, MiddletownArtCenter.org and on the MAC outdoor bulletin board.
These happenings will culminate in an exhibition and opening reception of Community Works at MAC on Aug. 27, from 6-8 p.m., featuring work produced by participants.
The public is invited to submit art work that deals with the fire experience created outside of the program as well. Submissions of work created at home are due by Aug. 18. Email image files or questions to MiddletownArtCenter@gmail.com, or call (707) 809-8118. The exhibit will be on view through Labor Day weekend (Sept. 5).
“Members of our community have gone through tremendous loss and trauma. We encourage everyone to take the time to nurture themselves, and give form and voice to their experience through the arts,” said Lisa Kaplan, MAC president. “Community Works provides all of us with an opportunity to process, reframe and release the devastation and chaos into self expression and beauty, while honoring the resilience of our own human spirit and the natural world around us.”
In advance of the Mindfulness Triathlon that will be put on by Tri Uplifting on Sept. 17 in Middletown’s Library Park, members of the Tri Uplifting organization will offer a sampling of their practices including guided mediation, yoga, and mindfulness as part of Community Works.
For more information visit www.MiddletownArtCenter.org, or find it on Facebook. To reserve a spot, email middletownartcenter@gmail.com or call (707) 809-8118. Drop-ins welcome.
MAC is located at 21456 Highway 175, at the junction of Highway 29 in Middletown. The gallery is open Thursday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Friday noon to 6 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday noon to 5 p.m. or by appointment.
