Events

Join us for an afternoon of respite on Monday, January 20th 12pm-1pm EST. Creative Sanctuary offers a welcoming space for art, writing, meditation, and meaningful connection. Whether you’re an artist, writer, or simply seeking a moment of calm, this workshop is for you. Held by CBAW facilitators and community members, this event invites you to bring a project you’re working on or something that inspires you to share with the group. Together, we’ll explore our creative sides, find tranquility, and build connections in a supportive environment, away from the noise. All are welcome. REGISTER HERE

In this workshop we will learn about Alma Thomas. She was an expressionist abstract artist who had a major influence in the Washington Color School Art Movement. Join Valerie on zoom and learn about her life and art, and then make your own art in the style of Thomas. As always, you can follow along or work on your own project. All are welcome in this free virtual workshop. Suggested Supplies: Canvas or other surface for painting Acrylic paint (thick or medium body) Brushes, water, palette, etc. Valerie Acosta served in the United States Air Force for 20 years before retiring in 2022. She is a self-taught visual artist and published photographer. Her mediums include acrylic, gouache, watercolors, pencils, pens, clay and wood. Her art has been exhibited at the Arches Gallery in the Workhouse Arts Center in Virginia. She is also a DoD-certified Master Resilience Trainer and loves to teach resiliency skills that can support mental health and replace misery with happiness. About CBAW Visual Arts Workshops Join Veterans and Artists, Valerie Acosta, Shaun Smith, Joe Merritt, or a special guest to learn new art techniques on Wednesdays at 7pm EST. Come hang out in a collaborative group setting […]

No experience required! If you can think, you can write. In this creative writing workshop, we'll consider writing as a tool for communication, expression, and relief from holding it all together. Join us. Seema Reza is the author of the books A Constellation of Half-Lives and When the World Breaks Open. She is the CEO of Community Building Art Works, a non-profit organization that brings workshops led by professional artists to service members, veterans, and clinicians. An alumnus of Goddard College and VONA, Reza has taught poetry in classrooms, jails, hospitals, and universities. She was a 2019 Stand-to Veteran Leadership Fellow at the George W. Bush Institute and the 2023 Pauli Murray Art for Racial Justice Fellow at the Antiracism Research and Policy Center at American University. Reza’s writing has been widely anthologized and has appeared in the Washington Post, McSweeney’s, The LA Review, LitHub, and Electric Literature among others. REGISTER HERE MissionBelonging is funded in part by Creative Forces®: NEA Military Healing Arts Network, an initiative of the National Endowment in partnership with the U.S. Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs. Creative Forces Community Engagement Grant program is managed by Mid-America Arts Alliance.