There must be something in the water in Carlisle.
A wellspring of creativity bubbles forth, all starting at the Carlisle Arts Learning Center (CALC) and branching out to communities near and far. Sparking social discourse from conduits, aqueducts and faucets from Cumberland County west to Pittsburgh, their messages hold impact across the state of Pennsylvania. In terms of communicating ideas and promoting causes, there may be no more powerful vehicle to do so than art. If a picture is worth a thousand words, then the question comes, what medium will have the greatest impact in advancing this message?
With the month of May being dedicated to mental health, galleries showcase three disparate areas of need, all worthy of social commentary. The trio is inexplicably appropriate in that arts activism addresses the much-needed conversation around the umbrella of helping and saving mankind, one cause at a time.
Art advocacy takes center stage this month from Cumberland County to Midtown Harrisburg, and even to the state Capitol. Youth initiatives, gun violence and mental health all represent topics for discussion and action.
“Children Thrive with the Basics 5!” at CALC
Mo Geiger, an art activist/educator instrumental in so many Cumberland County art movements and productions, mounted the interactive exhibit currently at the YMCA in Carlisle and at CALC through the end of the summer. The upper gallery at CALC embraces the platitude, “Care and love go hand in hand as both are complex components of life through all stages, ages and relationships.” The exhibit, “Children Thrive with The Basics 5!,” which opened April 19 and runs through May 25, is presented in partnership with the United Way in Carlisle and Cumberland County. For the exhibit, five artists interpreted and visualized tips for positive interactions with young children. View works from Artzbeat, Luke Gawron, Molly Goehring, Michelle Moats and Carol Reed. Concurrently, the exhibit at Carlisle’s YWCA showcases large-scale reproductions of the original artwork on display at CALC.
Coming up soon from the Carlisle Arts Learning Center, the timely topic of gun violence will be seen through the lens of the exhibit, “American Roulette” and will be on view at H*MAC in Midtown Harrisburg from May 21 to June 23. It will provide a visceral exploration through imagery in collaboration with the Charles Bruce Foundation, which supported eight local authors as they wrote a novel, “American Roulette,” about a mass shooting. Abria Donato, gallery director of CALC shared, “The goal of this exhibit is to be a catalyst for local and regional conversations fueled by this national crisis…it is easy to become numb and tune out the tragedy. Half of the effective conversation is listening. How can we become better listeners around the conversation of gun violence in America?”
As a special note of interest, 70 portraits and quotes from participants in the “I’m Fine.” project workshops adorn the doors of senators’ offices on two floors at the state Capitol building. Six years ago, when Carrie Breschi and Maureen Joyce formulated the idea for their “I’m Fine.” project, they had no idea that sculpting mental health through art would take them across the state for workshops and mask making promoting mental health wellness. The project culminated in a three-month tour de force exhibit of over 1,200 masks on view in the upper gallery of Susquehanna Art Museum (SAM). “I’m Fine” at the museum was a massive undertaking in collaboration with Alice Anne Schwab, executive director of SAM, and Bonnie Mae Carrow, director of exhibitions.
To celebrate the closing of this powerhouse exhibition, the founders are holding pop-up events at ModernRugs just across the street from SAM. Artists and creatives are offering unique giftware for purchase in support of the project. One of the specialty items at the art market is a stunning Ginkgo necklace by artist/jeweler, Alison Rosen. The “I’m Fine.” project’s trademark logo features the ginkgo leaf, symbolic of resilience and longevity. These pop-ups will be held on Thursday through Saturday, May 9 to 11, and May 16 to 18 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the ModernRugs showroom at 1404 N. 3rd St. Closing celebration events take place Friday, May 17 for 3rd in The Burg at SAM and ModernRugs from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Art is the great communicator of ideas, causes and change. The clock is ticking on mental health awareness, creating crucial childhood initiatives and eliminating gun violence all in the hopes of making our world a safer and better place and mankind a gentler species.
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