Crafting Care: A Community Quilt Workshop with Lauren Leone

This participatory workshop invites attendees to reflect on the concept and practice of care through embroidery and fabric collage, in dialogue with the Crafting the Mind exhibition. We'll explore questions like "how do we give and receive care– in the day-to-day and also in moments of crisis and distress?", "how do we create communities of care?", and "how can community craft practices support belonging, wellbeing, and interdependence?"

Participants will be taught some simple embroidery stitches and will be supported in creating individual quilt squares reflecting their personal understanding of care. We'll have time to share our quilt squares with each other and create a temporary, ephemeral community quilt, assembled and shared at the close of the workshop before each participant departs with their work. No prior art experience required; all materials provided. 

Facilitator:

Lauren Leone (she/her) is an art therapist and textile artist who uses embroidery and other craft practices in community-based projects to promote belonging, individual and community healing, and collective liberation. Her research interests include the unique therapeutic benefits of craft materials and media and socially engaged craft practices and she's the editor of Craft in Art Therapy: Diverse Approaches to the Transformative Power of Craft Materials and Methods. Her personal art practice focuses on identity, connection, and communication, and often relates to her experience living with chronic illness. 

Access info:

The Somerville Museum is handicapped accessible and has an ADA entrance on the ground level at 1 Westwood Road. It also has ADA-compliant, gender-neutral  restrooms. 

Please call us at 617-666-9810 or email info@somervillemuseum.org for more information about accessibility. 

* Please note: In the spirit of community care, masking is requested for this event and we'll have some on hand. Lauren's work frequently addresses chronic illness and disability and she is invested in creating safer, more inclusive spaces for art-making and community gatherings.