LCCC Art Department Hosts Art Therapy Workshop for Community Building

Finnegan Beatty | Writer

On April 2 and April 9, the LCCC Art Department hosted an Art Therapy Workshop at the Community Services Center on the Schnecksville campus. The workshop was designed to support victims of sexual violence as well as be a welcoming space for students to connect and grow as a community.

The workshop ran from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. and was open to all students. Even though students were creating their own artwork for the duration of the workshop, no prior artistic knowledge or experience was required.

“My vision and purpose for art is that it is a universal language that can be used for healing but also connectivity,” says Jeremy Siedt, Assistant Professor of Art and Curator and Director of Glass Box Gallery. “If we’re able to come together over something important like this and express not only our cares and our concerns but also offer a cathartic process for the individuals partaking in it to express themselves truthfully.”

Many of the students in attendance at the workshop agreed.

“More people should come to it,” said Bronwyn McKee, President of the LCCC Art Club and instructor for the workshop. “It’s a good experience, I’m always happy to continue to spread arts-related events here on campus.”

While the students in attendance were having fun creating a wonderfully diverse array of work, Siedt stressed the importance of expressing this creative freedom.

“The subject matter that we’re dealing with is difficult to discuss verbally and sometimes, we can have the most powerful conversations without saying a word,” he said.

Siedt also noted that LCCC faculty and staff were welcome to participate and not just students, and although it has mostly been students in attendance in the past, he hopes that more people will participate and express themselves through this universal language.