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

This week we will be working on painting rabbits. Looking at proportions poses and textures. We will start with some quick sketches then moving into using acrylic paints to create a rabbit portrait. Suggested Supplies: Acrylic paints (Black, white, brown, blue, red, & yellow) Paint brushes Canvas (Paper, wood, or any other suitable material you have is fine) Pencil Eraser Water cup for rinsing brushes Paper towels Straight edge (ruler is great but any straight edge will work) Joe Merritt was medically retired from the United States Marine Corps in 2016 after 10 years of honorable service. Joe rediscovered art during his medical treatment and has a successful career as a professional artist, exhibiting his work and presenting gallery talks across the country. He is a steward of the veteran art community, leading art programming with active duty and veteran populations in DC, MD and VA. 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 and bring what materials you have. No experience necessary! To register, click the link below. REGISTER HERE […]

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.