Awakenings Workshops 
Join us at our next workshop
At Awakenings we believe healing is an ongoing process of restoration, and everyone’s healing journey is different. Healing through art is a powerful adjunct to other interventions on a survivor’s personal journey of healing. The healing power of artmaking can be amplified when we take the time to build and integrate into a creative community. The most valuable and effective programming allows our survivors to connect with other people through the communal practice of the healing arts, in our Ravenswood studio space.
We make art together at our workshops and open studio hours. We’d love to see you there.
Our workshops are open and free to anyone impacted by sexual violence
including survivors, loved ones, caregivers, allies, etc.
All skill levels are welcome.
September Workshop
Humor can be a powerful tool for coping with painful emotions and building resiliency, allowing survivors to reclaim their stories and find community through shared experiences and laughter. In this workshop, participants will learn the basics of writing for stand up comedy and comedic storytelling through a series of writing prompts, culminating in an optional group sharing/feedback session. No previous writing or stand-up experience required!
Free with RSVP, Supplies, Light snacks & drinks provided. Open to survivors and those impacted by sexual violence.
Thursday, September 12th | 6:30-8:30pm | 4001 N. Ravenswood Ave
Save the Date…
The Body Memory Method #2, Tuesday November 12th, 6:30-8:30pm CST with Leah Zeiger | Virtual Workshop
Open Studio Hours
Anyone who is interested in creating art and who believes in our vision of a world where survivors thrive is welcome! (You do not need to be an Artist by profession or have taken art classes.)
Come in with a project you’ve already started or come in and try any of the art supplies on our shelves. We will also have a few creative ‘starters’ out as options.
The focus of our Open Studios is giving our community unstructured, unfacilitated time to be together.
Fall Open Studio Dates
Friday, September 13th CANCELED
Friday, September 27th
Friday, October 11th
Friday, October 25th
Friday, November 8th
Friday, November 22nd
Friday, December 13th, last open studio of the year
Curious to see what supplies we have available in the studio? Take a look over our Art Glossary and familiarize yourself!
Past Workshops
The Body Memory Method facilitated by Leah Zeiger
August 2024
The Body Memory Method, created by The Sunflower Project founder Leah Zeiger, is a body-based philosophy. Participants learned how to implement the Body Memory Method into their daily lives through guided movement and conversation. The Body Memory Method asserts that our bodies are knowledgeable beings, and that through movement and sensation we can connect more deeply and engage in a reciprocally empathetic relationship between ourselves and our bodies. Participants left the workshop with practical tools to implement the practice into their daily lives.
Wearable Affirmations facilitated by Gillian Marwood
July 2024
This workshop invited participants to make jewelry that empowerd and celebrated their sense of self and their healing journey. It’s been said that accessories are like the exclamation point to your outfit. With that in mind, participants were encouraged to put intention into their unique creations so their jewelry could be an affirmation or reminder of what they need to hear when they wear it.
Energy Made Visible facilitated by Annalise Castro
June 2024
In this workshop participants moved through prompts, which allowed them to paint and draw to express their current state of being. Participants learned how material exploration encourages familiarizing and playing with various forms of energy.
Woven Abstractions facilitated by Bryana Bibbs
April 2024
Woven Abstractions invited participants to weave on cardboard looms with traditional and non-traditional materials. Participants were also be asked to create watercolor paintings, drawings, or writings to shred, cut, or rip apart to include in their weavings.
Messages of Care facilitated by Leah Huskey
March 2024
Awakenings presented an in-person workshop lead by returning Teaching Artist Leah Huskey. Participants engaged in how to use caring language in support of ourselves and the survivors in our lives. This workshop took participants step by step in creating their own messages of care using lino-cut relief printmaking.
Healing with Color facilitated by Gillian Marwood
February 2024
Participants explored how survivorship can be expressed through color creation and mixing in this virtual workshop. This workshop included prompts that connected color associations and emotions with space for participants to reflect on their visual responses.
Clay and Intention Setting facilitated by Annalise Castro
November 2023
Participants learned how clay can be a sensory grounding material for emotional regulation. This workshop included handbuilding techniques and guided steps to create a clay pinch pot along with exploring themes of emotional expression and containment. No prior ceramic experience was needed to participate.
Flora Findings facilitated by Jackie Valdez
October 2023
Participants were invited in this virtual workshop, to gather natural materials such as flowers, sticks, leaves, plant stems, and seeds, or create these nature motifs from paper and other materials for their flora collage, which explored how the cycles of nature reflect in our lived experiences.
The Moment Before facilitated by Taylor Dalton
September 2023
This workshop, The Moment Before, aimed to explore the preparatory work that one can explore on an individual level when considering how we wish to share our experiences as storytellers and survivors.
Braiding a Selfie facilitated by Raeleen Kao
August 2023
This workshop asked the question “How do we represent ourselves without drawing a face?” and invited participants to create a nontraditional self-portrait through the act of braiding. Participants were encouraged to bring in past artwork, clothing, fibers, paper, plant materials or small trinkets personal to them that they wanted to incorporate into their self-portrait braid.
Woven Abstractions facilitated by Bryana Bibbs
July 2023
This workshop invited participants to weave on cardboard looms with traditional and non-traditional materials. Participants were asked to create watercolor paintings, drawings, or writings to shred, cut, or rip apart to include in their weavings.
Visual Journaling facilitated by Annalise Castro
June 2023
In this workshop, participants learned how visual journaling can be used as a reflective practice and how to start a visual journal by creating a cover page with collage. This workshop included examples, open work time, and verbal processing. Participants received prompts to explore intention-setting and wellness.
Collective Creations facilitated by Leah Huskey
May 2023
In this workshop, participants explored survivorship and healing through everyday movement and group storytelling.
Clay Persona facilitated by Gillian Marwood
April 2023
In this workshop participants learned to sculpt a face inspired by the loved ones that helped them with their survivor journey through the healing act of working with clay.
Collage Reflections facilitated by Jackie Valdez
March 2023
This workshop explored how the practice of visual reflection through collage can be an outlet to process the everyday. Participants were encouraged to bring materials found throughout their day to use in their visual reflection in addition to supplies provided by Awakenings.
Writing Together facilitated by Jeri Frederickson
February 2023
In this workshop participants were invited to write short stories and poems through prompts in response to survivor artwork on display in Awakenings’ gallery.
