Registration is Required and payment complete registration.

Seats are Limited— Open to AFK +DCP adults (18 yrs+) and teens (14-17 yrs)

These workshops are not traditional art classes, and are designed for nonartists (those new to or less confident in art making). These workshops will focus on the creation of art as a form of meaningful expression and communication, and elevate the idea that art-making is of value is for everyone!

Each workshop which meets is divided into 2 parts- the first 4 workshops explore working with metaphors and different medias. The 5th workshop is a design your open piece worship with listed studio hours. Please only sign up for the 5th workshop if you would like the time and space to work on your piece. If you would like to meet withHeather to discuss creating a piece, but plan to make it at home- dates and times will be offered in May for this.

Materials will be provided for workshops 1-4, and some materials will be provided for workshop 5. Due to budget cut from our funder- unique or extra items required for individual open studio pieces may need to be purchased by the attendee. Workshops 1-4 were designed to help non artist consider and select different medias for their final open studio pieces. Some open studio (workshop 5) pieces may be selected for inclusion in the upcoming 2025 Encompass Adoptee's Art show. Workshops for 2025 are being sponsored by Ohio Kinnect, allowing for a variety of media to work with while keeping the cost to participants low.

Those who consider themselves artists are encouraged to submit pieces to the Open Call for artist work. Those who feel somewhere in the middle can reach out to Heather and may be able to join just for the Open studio days.

Please note- as with our last art show and workshops, a small number of special guests (who have related lived experiences in foster care, kinship care, etc) will be invited to participate. At Encompass, we find this diversity meaningful, and also know the pain that strict exclusivity can cause. We feel this inclusion increases self-understanding, connection, and creates a way to honor parts of the Both/And dynamic- by giving room for both similarities and differences within a community of those with experiences of loss or degrees of separation from birth parents.

This year’s annual Encompass Adoptee Art Show will be held in late Oct or November during Adoption Awareness Month! Dates TBA. A call to community artists will be posted soon.