CASSA Arts Workshop 2021 -- 2022

Sun Fire

Acrylic on Canvas by

Joenell L and Diane R with Ruth Stenstrom

 
 
The CASSA Arts Workshop under the direction of Ruth Stenstrom, ATR-BC, is starting its 33rd year of providing arts services for participants of Clean & Sober Streets. This year the Workshop has been assisted by C&SS Clinical Director Nisha Tracy, LPC,ATR, and George Washington University graduate art therapy interns -- Anna and Carly, along with Haley and Alice from 2020-21. Since the Coronavirus pandemic hit the Washington, DC area in March 2020, Clean & Sober Streets has adapted its program to remain open as a safe environment by working individually and with smaller groups of participants. In addition to its work with substance abuse treatment support, the arts program has provided opportunities to help for participants to deal with the additional stress and anxiety provoked by this pubic health crisis. CASSA Arts Workshop Services Along with therapeutic art groups , our Open Art Studio groups for men and women provide instruction and opportunities for work with fused glass and other jewelry making projects, painting on canvas, drawing, mixed media projects, fiber arts, sculpture, computer music composition, digital arts and photography. Recently the program expanded with the creation of an additional large studio with six work tables, shelving and door-sized mounting panels for acrylic painting on large pieces of paper. This serves as an area for participants to work in small groups and individually at their own pace on long term projects. In January we began a series of special weekly “Duende” procsss painting workshop. Each week participants create a new layer over the previous week’s work as a way to enhance ideas, to express feelings and to explore painting techniques. This year former art therapy intern Alice under the auspices of the GWU Upstart program has provided painting workshops and Relapse Prevention Art Toolkits (RPAK} to be given to participants so that they may continue with either drawing or painting art projects post-treatment. Her project also provides an internet forum for them to share their fine artworks and ideas. In May former intern Haley returned to offer special open art workshops. CONTRIBUTIONS


Recent CASSA Artwork

 

We would  like to thank the following for their generous donations and in kind contributions of fused glass, art books,

yarn, art supplies and materials:


Paula J Bryan of Arlington, VA 

Mia Choumenkovitch of Washington, DC

Lorton Art Program of Washington, DC

The Weisser Glass Studio in Kensington, MD Peter Goulet of Kansas City, Missouri

Rachael Rice of Kensington, MD

Nina Koltnow Art Studio in Wheaton, MD

Denzil Spicer of Washington, DC

Shana Hofstetter  of Washington, DC

Erika Cleveland of Washington, DC

Soozie Brendler of Rockville, MD

Hank Leland  of Washington, DC

Julia Lightfoot of Washington, DC

Fran Thompson, Mayo, MD

Corinna Woodard, MD

Florence Smith, MD

Margaret Devoe, Washington, DC

The CASSA Arts Workshop is funded in part by the DC Commission on the Arts & Humanities, an agency supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.

Sea Scape painted in Acrylic on Canvas by Albert W.

Above: Mixed Media on Paper by Mark B


Below: Sock Puppets by David L, Kerri E, Demetrius B, Dwight E, Rashad C, Tremayne J, James M Cornell N & Pierre W

Acrylic on Canvas by Latoya A

Galaxy Garden, Acrylic on Canvas by Duende Men’s Group

James C, Leonard F, Nathaniel I, David L, Marcus P and Robert T with intern Carly S