Women Helping Women

Woman Made Gallery’s mission is to support, cultivate and promote the diverse contributions of women in the arts through exhibitions and other programs that serve, educate and enrich the community. One way we do this is by participating in outreach programs that utilize art practices to better the lives of those in the community. In April WMG sponsored a jewelry making workshop at a center that provides women with the care, recovery tools, and parenting skills to maintain a sober lifestyle as  they rebuild their lives and mend the bonds with their families. Our wonderful intern, Stephanie, was one of WMG’s volunteers that participated in this workshop; this is her account:

“Today I was lucky enough to volunteer with Woman Made jewelry artist and workshop instructor, Carmen Perez.  With the support of the Gallery, and the donations given from generous patrons, Carmen and I (her naïve assistant for the day) were able to conduct a workshop teaching the women at the center to create their own beaded jewelry.  The project of the day was to complete one (or two if time permitted) pair of earrings.  Carmen started the class with a brief overview of equipment, rules, techniques, and Woman Made’s mission and intentions for this program.  After the lecture, the women were guided on how to work with the tools and create their own unique designs.

Watching the women eagerly dig through the numerous buckets of beads and listening to their conversations about design plans and intended uses for their accessories sparked a sentiment within me I will never forget; I felt the gratitude of these struggling females, their excitement over the immediate progression of their success (and their moods), and even their creative connection and support as a group.  Overall, the experience was highly rewarding for every person involved, especially for this inexperienced volunteer, who was able to witness firsthand the power of the arts, the strength of compassion, and the reward of personal triumph.”

*Please click here to find out more information about volunteering at Woman Made.