Creativity in Community
Using art to create connection, preserve memories,
and bring creativity into the lives of others.
1. MAP
Memories Art Program
Some of my earliest memories of art are sitting at the kitchen table with my great-grandmother, drawing, painting, and learning how to mix colors. Years later, that connection inspired me to create the Memories Art Program, a monthly therapeutic art program for residents at the Jewish Home at Rockleigh.
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Each session begins with a quote that residents interpret through painting, drawing, and mixed media, using their own memories and experiences. What started as a way to share something I love has become one of the things I look forward to most each month. We create, talk, laugh, and learn from one another.
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MAP has shown me that art can do more than make something beautiful; it can bring memories forward, bridge generations, and create real connection. In many ways, these afternoons bring me back to creating beside my great-grandmother.
2. Art2Hearts
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Camp Towanda has been a huge part of my life, so I wanted to give something back to the community that gave me so much. I partnered with Art2Hearts, a nonprofit that brings artwork to pediatric hospital patients, and organized an initiative where campers ages 12–16 created original pieces to donate.
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Together, we made around 50 artworks for children’s hospitals. What made the project meaningful was knowing each camper was creating for someone they had never met, using art to share a little joy beyond camp. It brought together two things I care deeply about: community and creativity.