CASSA Arts Workshop

Over 3600 men and women from
all walks of life and a gamut of previous art experiences
have participated in the CASSA Arts Workshop since it began at the Clean & Sober Streets recovery program in 1989.
They work in a variety of art media and instruction in an open art studio environment, including painting, drawing, fused glass, digital art, photography and music composition and performance. Also offered are group art therapy sessions and opportunities to take advantage of trips to local area art museums.

Artists from CASSA have exhibited locally at:
• The Martin Luther King Memorial Library
• The Children’s National Medical Center
• The Congressional offices of Honorable Eleanor Holmes Norton
Ingleside at Rock Creek
Clean & Sober Streets, Inc.
Federal City Recovery residences
American Art Therapy Association National Conference
National Geographic Holiday Craft Fair

Acrylic on Canvas by Andrew K.

Under the direction of its founder Ruth Stenstrom, ATR-BC , art therapist, visual artist and art teacher, the workshop is currently assisted by art therapist Nisha Tracy, LPC,ATR and two graduate art therapy interns from George Washington University, Anna Hailstone and Carly Schepacarter.

While many of their images reflect issues of recovery and the dangers of substance abuse, a majority celebrate the simple joys of life--nature, flowers, landscapes, animals, abstract designs and portraits of loved ones and celebrities.

Many explore cultural diversity while others have worked with color and design to give expression to feelings, spirituality and ideas. Their art has been a link to recovery and to the community, as CASSA participants have shared their images with friends and family and in exhibits throughout Washington, DC and on the Internet.

Some participants, such as William Larkins (see Link on the right) have continued to pursue work in the fine arts.

In a partnership with the George Washington University Graduate Program in Art Therapy, 26 art therapy interns have received training and assisted the workshop since 2002.

In 1992 the CASSA Arts Workshop program benefitted from an artistic residency Sylvia Snowdon as a part of a community outreach program of the Washington Museum for Woman in the Arts.

CASSA is supported in part with funds from
DC Commission on the Arts & Humanities
and the National Endowment for the Arts.

CASSA Artists
Photo Albums
1989-2009

William Larkins

Ruth Stenstrom
CASSA director website:
www.RuthStenstrom.com

CASSA participants on a museum trip to the National Museum of the American Indian

Press on Links below to see albums of artwork and exhibits by CASSA participants through the years.

Link to 2019-2020