Southern Maryland Community Resources is excited to announce its artistic partnership with Bay Community Support Services, Historic Sotterley Plantation and Greenwell Foundation. The four organizations have teamed up to provide a six-week painting workshop to adults with disabilities in Southern Maryland, which began on Tuesday, January 21.
SMCR’s mission is to create opportunities for people with developmental differences in Southern Maryland, and through its new Arts4All Collaborative segment, it has created several such opportunities. In addition to its recent Open Mic Nights and Flash Mobs, this will be SMCR’s inaugural painting opportunity, artfully titled ‘A Bridge to the Community’. “We’re truly blessed to be working with these excellent community-focused organizations on our Brush Strokes project,” says Bonnie Elward, SMCR’s Executive Director. “This is the perfect venue for our first painting workshop in the community.”
During the workshop, instructors will lead participants in educational instruction as participants will be able to choose their favorite local activity to paint. “The painters will have an opportunity to create a work of art that means something to them,” says Stephanie Raines from BayCSS. “They’ll have a chance to learn about painting techniques while creating their own artwork with plenty of individuality and flair!”
At the end of the six-week workshop, the paintings will be made into a mosaic to be placed on display in the community. Graphic artists have volunteered to create a display board for the final mosaic, which will be shown at local events. To see the final Bridge to the Community project mosaic, visit some of the following fantastic upcoming events.
The mosaic will be on display at A Taste of Spring fundraiser hosted by SMCR on March 22, the Southern Maryland Special Olympics Spring Games on April 16; Walk, Run and Roll 5K hosted by BayCSS on April 25, The Solomons Dragon Boat Festival hosted by SMCR on August 15, and the Riverside Wine Fest hosted by Historic Sotterley on October 3.
SMCR is able to fund programs like this through sponsorships and donations from the community and through local, state and national grants. “We are always looking for friends to spend time with us at events,” says Kristin Kauffman Beaver, Vice Chair for SMCR. “Inclusivity is something we cherish. It is so rewarding to spend time with my friends at SMCR. Our members have huge hearts and big smiles and they are a whole lot of fun!”
If you’d like to contribute your unique gifts to an SMCR opportunity, please email Executive Director Bonnie Elward at [email protected]. You can learn more about SMCR, Arts4All Collaborative and the Bridge to the Community project by following the non-profit on Facebook and visiting the website at www.somdcr.org.
