Free Your Mind Project: Bringing Community Placemaking to Pennsylvania and Delaware

The “Free Your Mind” project is set to engage audiences in two dynamic locations this year: the Touchstone Center for Crafts in Pennsylvania and The Delaware Contemporary. This initiative will run from May 17 to September 20 at the Touchstone Center for Crafts and from June 7 to August 30 at The Delaware Contemporary. Here’s how these engagements will highlight the project’s commitment to placemaking through artist-guided community artwork.

Touchstone Center for Crafts: A Summer of Creativity and Conhttps://www.touchstonecrafts.org/events-exhibitions/free-your-mindnection

From May 17 to September 20, the Touchstone Center for Crafts in Pennsylvania will host the “Free Your Mind” project, transforming the center into a vibrant hub of artistic expression and community engagement. Here’s what participants can look forward to:

  • Interactive Exhibition: Throughout the summer, the Touchstone Center for Crafts visitors are invited to release a microaggression they have experienced on a ribbon. This dynamic display will encourage ongoing engagement and dialogue among community members and visitors alike.
  • Community Events: Special events, including two artist talks and open studios, and weekly community gatherings, will be held to celebrate the project’s progress. These events will foster social interaction and strengthen community bonds, making the Touchstone Center for Crafts a lively and inclusive space.

The Delaware Contemporary: A Season of Artistic Exploration

From June 7 to August 30, “Free Your Mind” will bring its transformative energy to The Delaware Contemporary. This engagement will offer unique opportunities for community involvement and artistic exploration:

  • Public Art Installation: The Delaware Contemporary will feature an immersive public art installation created through the project. In addition to providing an opportunity for visitors to release their microaggressions, an audio and video projection enhance the exhibition space.  
  • Engagement Programs: Participants are invited to explore their implicit biases and contribute to the project. This program emphasizes inclusivity, ensuring everyone has a voice in the artistic process. The project aims will bring together community members, artists, and visitors to reflect on the impact of microaggressions and celebrate the power of collective creativity.

Join Us in Transforming Spaces

The “Free Your Mind” project at the Touchstone Center for Crafts and The Delaware Contemporary offers an exciting opportunity to experience the power of placemaking through monumental art. By engaging with this project, community members can contribute to meaningful transformation that reflect their collective identity and aspirations.

I invite you to join this artistic journey, whether by participating in a talk or simply visiting to witness the transformative power of community-driven art. Together, we can create spaces that resonate with beauty, unity, and a deep sense of belonging.

Mark your calendars and be part of the “Free Your Mind” project as it brings communities together and transforms our collective consciousness.

I’m the 2023-204 Discover Space Invitational Artist

I am excited to share that I am The Delaware Contemporary’s 2023-24 Discover Space Invitational Artist. Workshop and artist talk schedule to follow

Free Your Mind; will be installed in the Discover Space, The Delaware Contemporary accompanied by seasonal programming to drive audience engagement utilizing multiple modalities to interact with this project. Visitors connect and find meaning through active experience.

Free Your Mind is a collection of personal narratives. Participants are invited to share a personal experience with implicit bias to release this story from their personal narrative. Shared statements are later converted from text to speech and played back in the installation environment.  Motion sensors trigger recordings and text projections that intensify as participants move closer toward the blanket of ribbons.