This project is defined as SOZA A.R.T.S. where SOZA means to make whole and A.R.T.S. is an abbreviation to Awakening,Releasing, Teaching, and Strengthening. SOZA A.R.T.S. promotes self-discovery and healing through connecting pastoral care with art.
Intertwining pastoral care with art encourages participants to be authentic in their journey body, mind, and spirit. The participants of the program attend workshops facilitated by the pastor who unravels painful core issues through teaching, music, support group discussion, dance, drama, and films, followed by me facilitating art making workshop by introducing art mediums to help them express what they discovered about themselves. All individuals seeking to recover from life issues were encouraged to attend.
What Is Love was the first exhibition by SOZA A.R.T.S. at Amazing Grace Church that resides in the McElderry community. We introduced the community to what SOZA A.R.T.S. was all about. Most of the residents are committed to the church. Once a year the church celebrates the anniversary where understanding of the word ‘love’ is explored in great depths—understanding why we need to love ourselves. SOZA A.R.T.S. introduced a ceremonial compent in the church’s Sunday mass where Pastor Carol sang and some of the other members did some spoken words and all the participants shared their art works. We also invited the community to part-take in a monoprint workshop.