CoCreation Project V, Transitions Mental Health
There is the power of connection, when two people come to understand one another without judgment. There is the power of owning and telling one’s story, free of self-consciousness, shame, or stigma. And there is the almost supernatural power of art, when one is fortunate enough to channel impulses that take some internal truth and make it beautiful, mysterious, and communal.
Our collaboration with Orchestra Novo drew upon all of this power. Members of TMHA’s San Luis Obispo Wellness Centers and Northern Santa Barbara County Recovery Learning Communities gathered over two days with a readiness to connect. They listened to the music that Michael Nowak curated, leaned into the muse, talked and encouraged and laughed with one another, and ended up with a stunning collection of paintings.
TMHA is grateful for this opportunity to collaborate with Maestro Nowak and Orchestra Novo. It was a unique experience for all who participated, and dovetailed so elegantly with the way our agency strives to celebrate each individual, the journey they take, and the story they tell.
–Michael Kaplan, TMHA Community Engagement Director