Looking for a chance to learn something creative, make new friends, and enjoy the beauty of a spectacular new community space in Bar Harbor?

Then join eight artists for an interactive afternoon of creative expression, music, and refreshments at the Jesup Library, 4:00pm to 6:00pm on Sunday, October 4th. The event is being organized by State Representative Gary Friedmann, in hopes of strengthening community bonds and nourishing stressed minds at a time of political chaos and national divisiveness. After introductions, participants will select two out of ten 30-minute workshops to experience how art can help raise awareness and drive positive change.

Registration is open until September 30th at 11:59pm or upon reaching 120 participants.

Delve into what lies in your heart with Karin Spitfire, the author of two poetry collections and activist conceptual artist. She will use prompts to encourage participants to create community through expressions of shared humanity.

Experiment with visual collage with Neeraj Sebastian, the T.A. Cox Chair in Studio Arts at College of the Atlantic. Participants will work from life and direct observation, with scissors and a limited palette, to look closely and find something new and surprising in the familiar and the everyday.

Try acting with Molly Dillon, an actor studying at College of the Atlantic, with a concentration in theatre and performance. All levels of experience are welcome: your background, age, or theatre experience won’t matter.

Improvise meaningful movement with Tammy Richards, a professional actor, dancer and choreographer. She uses movement improvisation as a way to share feelings and actions related to the current political environment. Participants will create a simple gesture in response to a prompt, such as “after the 2020 election, I…”.  By sharing, expanding, and exchanging gestures with partners and the larger group, participants will build a movement story about our journeys through challenging times.

Create paper puppets of migratory animals with Melissa Ferrari, an experimental animated documentarian, and Professor of Interdisciplinary Arts at College of the Atlantic. Participants will bring these simple puppets, of creatures living in the skies and waters of our community, to life through animation, using free animation software.

Write and perform a musical round with Gray Cox, a singer/song writer. He will lead us in creating “Breath on the Waters,” to share with the larger group at the closing of the afternoon.

Practice beeswax candle-dipping with Liz Cutler, Founder of ArtWaves. Dipping creates a calming, welcoming space for conversation - perhaps about our layers. Participants will be invited to make two candles, one to keep and one to give away. This ancient craft helps participants discover commonalities, and the layers of our stories while offering a small gesture of connection, with time to examine what effectively brings us together to restore hope and bring warmth to fractured relationships between neighbors.

Click here to read all workshop descriptions.

This forum will be held in the new meeting spaces of the expanded library, and will be accessible through the parking lot entrance on School Street. Registration is encouraged to reserve your space in each workshop. Please use the linked form to register, or for more information contact Gary Friedmann at gary.friedmann@legislature.maine.gov or 207-460-7362.