Thank you, Ms. Pat, for this Testimonial about Arts & Dreams

"What an uplifting and fabulous day at Divine Mercy Catholic Academy when Arts & Dreams came to our school Friday, May 25^th 2012. A total of 54 students attended their workshops in two different sessions. Students wanted to know if Arts & Dreams could come every Friday and they didn’t want the day to end. Most important was that their self esteem was lifted by Laura & Patricia, and how the students changed the way they think about themselves. You can see it in their artwork they made. They all walked out smiling and knowing they are beautiful no matter what. We are so grateful and feel rewarded for that special day. God Bless for the wonderful work that you do."

Ms. Pat
Financial Secretary
Divine Mercy Catholic Academy - Ozone Park, Queens, NY 

Affirmation Paintings at Divine Mercy in Ozone Park, Queens

Arts & Dreams spent a wonderful day on May 25, 2012 with 5th & 6th graders at Divine Mercy Catholic Academy in Ozone Park, Queens. Our lovely Patricia Geremia graduated from DMCA back in the day!

We held our first ever Arts & Dreams Workshop at Divine Mercy's St. Stanislaus Bishop & Martyr in 2009! It was extra special to return with more workshops to the place where Arts & Dreams started.

The students all had amazing spirits which we watched blossom as they created their affirmation paintings. And, for the first time ever, we were serenaded with songs by the artists while they painted.

Grade 5

 

Grade 6

Affirming something nice about ourselves, while looking into our own eyes in a mirror.

Way to go! Truly inspiring!

We would like to thank:

Sister Francis Marie, Principal

Sandra DeMarco, 5th Grade Teacher

Irene Smith, 6th Grade Teacher

Pat Geremia, Financial Secretary

Larry Miller

Wow! I think the experience was worthwhile for both me and my students.
I want to thank you for a wonderful break from the usual school routine, and for the opportunity for the students to learn strategies (slow purposeful breathing, speaking affirmations, and painting) to relieve stress and to aid them in becoming their own best friends. I think you both are awesome, and I applaud you for the work you are doing!

 

With Gratitude,

Sandra DeMarco

(Grade 5 Teacher)

Painting Affirmations with Incarcerated Teens in the Bronx

On May 8, 2012, Arts & Dreams returned to the Bronx to share two affirmation painting workshops at Passages Academy, NYC Department of Education's school program serving incarcerated and detained youth.

For inspiration: affirmation art and Louise Hay's Power Thoughts and Power Thoughts for Teens cards.

 

Along with the ideas we imparted to the students about loving yourself and using art to expand that love, we also let them know that all they've been through becomes a strength, unique to them, that they can use to help others. Both the students and some faculty members created gorgeous, uplifting art.

Thank you, everyone at Passages Academy, Literacy for Incarcerated Teens, and Librarian Ms. Anja Kennedy, for making this magical visit happen.

Arts & Dreams: The illustrated BOOK of creativity and joy!

We've been sharing Arts & Dreams with kids at schools and events since 2009 (click the links for photos from our workshops). We've also worked with teenagers and adults. In our Arts & Dreams workshops we've been reading wonderful books by authors we love like Dr. Wayne W. Dyer, Deepak Chopra, and Louise L. Hay. We read their books to explain the concepts of self-love to children.

Now it's time to make our dream real by creating our very own 32-page, Arts & Dreams illustrated book for children, all about loving who you are and dreaming big dreams. Co-written by the Arts & Dreams team: Laura Baran and Patricia Geremia. All illustrations hand painted by Laura Baran. The book will be published by Balboa Press, a division of Hay House, the publishing company founded by Louise L. Hay, whose work with affirmations inspired Arts & Dreams.

Check out our Kickstarter campaign video.

This is literally our art and our dream! Please share and repost. Thank you for helping us to empower and inspire children!

How We Began Our Dream to Empower and Inspire

We're thrilled here at Arts & Dreams to be featured this month on one of our favorite new blogs:

It's a guest post all about how Arts & Dreams got started.

Affirmation Paintings at the Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital

We were honored to share an Arts & Dreams affirmation painting workshop with children and teachers at the Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital in Harlem last month. Everyone made inspiring paintings about things they love. So much creativity and heart! A healing experience for us.

 

 

Thank you to Matt Green and Zyambo Phillips, our generous and awesome volunteers. Thank you, Dr. Evelyn Montanez, for the student photos. Way to go, everybody involved in our workshop! You are all wonderful.

Healing from Within

We brought Arts & Dreams to a children's hospital yesterday. Students from a local school joined some of the patients to create inspiring affirmation paintings. It was fabulous!

Painting Hearts for International Human Rights Day with Parents for Occupy Wall Street

photos by Laura Baran and Matt Green

We loved being in Union Square for the Human Rights Day event with Parents for Occupy Wall Street on Saturday, December 10, 2011.  It's always fun being a part of an event where kids and parents make art together. Kids painted paper hearts to represent every person arrested nationwide since the beginning of Occupy. We are inspired by the OWS movement because it allows all voices to be heard and have value, including children. Expressing hopes and dreams through art making can soothe us from within and help us create the positive social change we want to see.

Join us in Union Square Tomorrow for International Human Rights Day

What:    Parents for Occupy Wall Street March for human rights and against NYPD ‘bullying’

When:   Saturday, Dec. 10, 2011
              11:00 am G.A. (General Assembly) and arts and crafts
              12:30 pm Step-off to march downtown
              1:30 pm Arrival at Foley Sq.
              2:00 pm at City Hall Park (approximate times)
Where:  Union Square children's playground
              down Broadway to City Hall Park

Who:     New York parents and their children

Facebook Event Page: http://on.fb.me/taC6i1

  photo by Mark Hamilton

Parents for Occupy Wall Street, a collective community of parents & organizations in support of Occupy Wall Street, will rally with their families at the Union Square children’s playground at 11am on Saturday, December 10th (The International Day of Human Rights). A children's GA and open-mic will take place where children and students of all ages can voice their concerns about problems within their communities, every child will be given the opportunity to speak.

During the GA there will be an arts and crafts session for the younger children and their parents to  decorate and personalize paper hearts. Arts & Dreams will be there to help with the painting!

There will be an Anti-Bullying theme and a march to hopefully deliver 5,000 paper hearts to City Hall, which the kids will be able to customize on the day, representing all those OWS who have been arrested.

Occupy Arts & Dreams Went Great!

Today was wonderful.

Occupy Arts & Dreams was a big success. We were in Zuccotti Park for just an hour and could have stayed all day, making empowering paintings about things we would like to see changed in our system, things we appreciate about ourselves, and positive images to help us feel good.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Volunteer Zyambo Phillips summed it up beautifully. 

Thank you, Occupy Wall Street and James Rose of the Arts and Culture Guild! We had so much fun!

Photos © Patricia Geremia

♥ Occupy Arts & Dreams ♥

We're coming to Zuccotti Park!

Arts & Dreams will Occupy Wall Street on Tuesday, November 8 at 1:30 - 2:30 pm.
Drop by for empowering art that you create. And keep. And share widely on the web!

• What do you think about the idea of loving, approving and accepting yourself exactly as you are?
• What phrases and images would help you feel good about yourself?
• What would you like your government to look like?
• How can you embody the changes you'd like to see in our system?
• What would you draw on a blank page if you knew you could create something that would bring you joy?
• What would it mean for you to occupy your heart with sweetness?

Occupy Arts & Dreams

If you're out of town or unable to attend, please spread the word for us.  Use this link to retweet, or the Twitter button at the bottom of this post. Write us up on your blog. Share our Facebook event. Thank you!

Arts & Dreams at Space on White in Tribeca

On October 2, 2011, when Space on White in Tribeca held an art event called RECESS!, open to the NYC community, the Arts & Dreams team were on hand to share two empowering art workshops. We had a great time really opening up about making art as well as soothing our minds with loving, kind thoughts. Thank you for a wonderful afternoon, Space on White, our volunteer Matt Green, and all the participating artists. 

 

Saying nice things to yourself while looking into a mirror might seem silly. It can really shift your perspective.

Photos © Noah Fecks, Patricia Geremia and Matt Green

Out of the Darkness Community Walk in Brooklyn

Arts & Dreams joined forces with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention again on Sunday, October 23, 2011 at the Out of the Darkness Community Walk over the Brooklyn Bridge. We gathered at Cadman Park Plaza in Brooklyn, steps away from the Brooklyn War Memorial. Arts & Dreams brought a healing and empowering way for suicide survivors to feel their feelings - through art making.

The inspirational books we love: Louise Hay, Dr. Wayne W. Dyer and Dallas Clayton's works. Plus Patricia's beautiful silver hand mirror for "mirror work", a wonderful technique made popular by Louise Hay where you look into your own eyes and say something loving to yourself. Volunteer Matt Green and Arts & Dreams Instructor Patricia Geremia watching over the artists.

Awesome affirmation t-shirt.

 

 

Both me and Matt have been touched by suicide. My brother Jeff took his life in 2000 and Matt's Uncle Stuart took his life before Matt was born.

  

This piece was based on an affirmation on one of Louise Hay's Power Thoughts for Teens cards. We had them on the table for inspiration.

 

 

The walkers took off and the tent was left decorated on all sides with loving tributes. Thank you for having us, AFSP. Thank you to everyone who walked over the bridge and back, made art, smiled, cried, talked and shared. We love you and we hope to see you again. All photos by Patricia Geremia, Matt Green or Laura Baran.

Teaming up with AFSP again! Oct 23 at Cadman Plaza Park, Brooklyn

We are delighted to announce we're teaming up with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention again, with an Arts & Dreams workshop at the New York City Walk this Sunday to empower kids, teens and adults.

Join us on October 23, 2011 to prevent hopelessness by uplifting spirits. Arts & Dreams uses art-making to grow self-love, positivity and hope. No art experience necessary. We want to empower you to lead joyful and successful lives. And we're going to have fun doing it. 

Where:

Cadman Plaza Park (click the link for Google map) Brooklyn, New York

Starts: 10/23/2011 @ 3:00 pm
Ends: 5:00 pm

Arts & Dreams Empowering Art Workshop: 
2pm - 3pm

Walk Registration:
2pm - 3pm

Opening Ceremony:
2:45pm - 3pm

Walk begins at 3pm

Subway Directions:

A, C to High Street - 2,3 to Clark Street - N, R to Court Street - F to York Street. Since it is a Sunday, be sure to check mta.info

The Out of the Darkness Community Walks are 3-5 mile walks taking place in over 200 communities across the country this year, with the proceeds benefiting the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). By walking in the Out of the Darkness Community Walks, you will be walking with thousands of other walkers nationwide to raise money for AFSP's vital research and education programs to prevent suicide and save lives, increase national awareness about depression and suicide and provide support for survivors of suicide loss. In deciding to walk you are taking us a step closer to making suicide prevention a national priority.  You are welcome to register for the walk here.

Arts & Dreams is proud to support AFSP! We invite you to donate to AFSP.

Get Your Wellness On! Featuring Arts & Dreams.

Arts & Dreams was on hand last month to provide an Empowering Affirmation Drawing workshop at Get Your Wellness On! -- a New York City community healing event conceptualized by Esmeralda Signore Williamson-Noble and sponsored by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. This is a wonderful video about it.

You Become What You Believe

This is a link to a wonderful video of Oprah's Lifeclass with the very inspiring author and life coach Cheryl Richardson.

If you are interested in learning how to become what you believe, and what that means, take the time for yourself to watch, even if it is in segments or playing in the background while you do other things.  

Around the 35 minute mark, Oprah and Cheryl talk to a high school principal about teaching kids and teens about the positive, life changing power of affirmations.

FREE Arts & Dreams Workshops at Space on White

We're delighted to announce Arts & Dreams will share Empowering Affirmation Art Workshops at Space on White's Community Event: R E C E S S !

R E C E S S ! theatre | dance | visual art | music | play!

Sunday, October 2
2:00pm – 6:00pm
Space on White (map)
81 White Street (Broadway & Lafayette)
New York, NY
Free with RSVP via Facebook!

Remember when you first discovered art?  From handprint turkeys to xylophone scales, when we were kids, art was for everyone and being creative was always fun! Spark your imagination and invite your inner child to RECESS!, a special Space on White event for artists and non-artists to play, create, laugh, learn, discover, and have a great time reconnecting to the artist in all of us. Drop in on a workshop or stay for the whole day of easy, fun workshops exploring art, music, dance, and theatre, taught by our own community of artists!

CLASS SCHEDULE

subject to change
All classes are 45 minutes – sign up is day-of: first-come, first on the list!

ART
Period 1 – 2:00: ARTS & DREAMS
Period 2 – 3:00: ARTS & DREAMS
Period 3 – 4:00: SHOELACE PROJECT
Period 4 – 5:00: EXQUISITE CORPSE

DANCE
Period 1 – 2:00: OFF THE WALL
Period 2 – 3:00: WEIGHTLESS
Period 3 – 4:00: MIDDLE EASTERN DANCE
Period 4 – 5:00: DANCE WORKSHOP

THEATER
Period 1 – 2:00: SHAKESPEARE FOR FUN
Period 2 – 3:00: COLLABORATIVE WRITING
Period 3 – 4:00: IMPROV
Period 4 – 5:00: PLAYING WITH REALITY

PLAY
Open crafts including MAKE YOUR OWN LIPGLOSS

MEET
Mix & mingle with the Space on White community while enjoying snacks, music, and special surprises… 

CLASS DESCRIPTION

ARTS & DREAMS
Empowering Affirmation Art Workshop
Participants in Arts & Dreams workshops learn to love and accept themselves with positive statements called affirmations, which they will then use to create their own affirmation art. Laura Baran talks about how using affirmations can help heal negative thoughts in a creative way. Everyone makes affirmation artwork of their own – drawing with markers, crayons, pastels, pencils and glitter. No experience necessary!
Taught by Laura Baran with Patricia Geremia

For more information on the other classes at R E C E S S ! click here.

Free with RSVP via Facebook!

Takin' it to the Streets!

On Saturday, Sept 10, Arts & Dreams had the awesome honor of sharing an Affirmation Drawing Workshop in Washington Square Park, as participants in the Community Wellness Fair sponsored by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. We were ready for some art making fun, rain or shine.

Handy cray-pas and the very inspiring and popular Louise Hay's Power Thoughts for Teens cards.

Our sheet of affirmations. At the end of each workshop we ask everyone to read one of these affirmations out loud while looking into their own eyes in a mirror. It's powerful.

 

Stickers and colored pencils? Check! And a sample affirmation painting previously made by me, Laura Baran.

New York, let's do this! (That's us: Patricia Geremia and Laura Baran)

   

A 5 minute rain shower, Patricia started her drawing. So did Matt Green, our extra special volunteer. All photos by Patricia or Matt. He's already on his 2nd drawing here.

Oh, hello. I'm getting interviewed about Arts & Dreams. Here I'm showing a drawing of my brother Jeff. He passed away in 2000. Arts & Dreams is basically a love letter from me to him.

Check it out: I Love Myself, yo! I made this little painting to convince myself to really believe it.

The sun came out!

 

Grateful and stoked after a perfect day. Thank you AFSP for inviting us. And THANK YOU everyone who smiled, chatted and came over to make beautiful, meaningful art. You're all well on your way to feeling good about yourself. With love, till the next time!

Free Arts & Dreams Sep 10 in Washington Sq Park

Arts & Dreams will be a part of the NYC Community Wellness Fair on September 10, 2011!

Community Wellness Fair

Saturday, September 10, 2011 · 1:00pm - 5:00pm

Washington Square Park, Holley Plaza (Map)

New York, NY
View the event on facebook

Come visit the Arts & Dreams table and make an affirmation drawing for free! 

The NYC Chapter of The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is a main sponsor of this Fair, which will consist of music, yoga classes, massages, and tables with important information on mental health and suicide prevention for the people of New York City in Washington Square Park on Saturday, September 10th from 1-5pm. 

For more information about the AFSP, click the button below.

Please share this/blog it/tweet it/repost it.

See you Sept. 10th!

Teach kids how to shift from a negative emotion to a positive emotion

Here are some great tips on teaching kids how to shift from a negative emotion to a positive emotion. From The Institute of HeartMath.

The HeartShift Tool helps you calm down and think more clearly. It teaches you how to feel better when you are upset and how to shift from a negative emotion to a positive emotion.

You experience many emotions every day: happiness, excitement, anger, fear, boredom, sadness, peacefulness, curiosity. Emotions come and go, sometimes helping us, and other times making life harder. Each of us can control the power of these emotions. Say out loud what emotions you experienced today.

Feelings that don’t feel good, like frustration, anger, fear or sadness, are uncomfortable. Remember a time when you were upset or frustrated? Did you notice there was tension in your shoulders? Did you have an uneasy stomach? Was your heart beating faster? What was your breathing like?

Let’s try to shift your attention to your toes. Focus on your right toe: Wiggle it. Focus on your nose: Wiggle it. Now point to your heart and focus there. At first, placing your hand on your heart in the beginning will help you focus.

The Steps of HeartShift™ Tool

Step 1: Notice what you are feeling. Take a moment and ask yourself, "How am I feeling?" Say out loud what you are feeling. Let’s go to Step 2 to practice HeartShift.

Step 2: Shift to your heart. Put two fingers on your forehead and then move them from your head to your heart while saying, "Focus on the area of my heart." Take a moment and keep your focus there for practice. Let’s go to Step 3.

Step 3: Breathe a feeling of calm. Breathe slowly and easily. Imagine the air flowing in and out of your heart area. Take your time breathing in and out. Do this three to five times. What changes did you notice in your body? How do you feel now?

It is important to identify what you are feeling, whether you are upset, mad or sad. Remember, you have a choice to do whatever you want with your emotions! You can do a HeartShift to calm yourself down and think more clearly. Feel better fast. Let’s try practicing HeartShift one more time. Step 1: Notice what you are feeling. Step 2: Shift to your heart. Step 3: Breathe a feeling of calm. Hope you are feeling better. Have a happy day!