Reflections From an Artist Post written by Ruut DeMeo What drew you to Social Studio? I first visited Social Studio with my Finnish friends for a cultural writing event. I was immediately captivated by the energy in the space, and thought to myself, “I need to meet the person who created this.” I’m naturally drawn to studio environments because of my upbringing; the smell in Social Studio reminded me of visiting my aunt’s apartment in Helsinki. She and my grandfather both painted with oils, and their works informed so much of my own aesthetic. There was an air of raw creativity – much like tho ..read more

Reflections From an Artist Post written by Christina Bourgoin What drew you to Social Studio? I moved to Baltimore in the late Spring of 2022. Initially I was seeking an art community so that I could establish friendships and connections that make creativity a priority. As someone who often tends to lean more towards introversion, what I really wanted is directly in the name: a studio where I can be social. Practicing different perspectives, learning through other artists, and exploring different styles. What were you looking for when considering the Creative Process Seminar? In all honesty, I ..read more

EMPATHY: The Outcome of the Teaching & Learning Loop Post written by Amelia Ramirez Learning is one of the most important skills of life. The true test of whether you have learned something is when you have taught it to someone else. As kids you are taught an immense amount of knowledge and skills but rarely have the opportunity to teach what you know to others. For my blog entry I decided to do an experiment in which I taught one kid how to make a friendship bracelet and then he taught another, and they passed their knowledge from one to the next. Once the first learner understood, I woul ..read more

Mindfulness in the Making Post written by Celia Marshall My My name is Celia Marshall. I am one of the Social Studio summer interns. After I attended a soccer and leadership camp this summer, they challenged us to bring a leadership project back to our community. I decided to have campers from Social Studio make coloring pages to give to children at Sheppard Pratt, a mental health hospital located in Baltimore. People feel good when they help other people.  Motivated by the idea that helping others makes people feel good, I thought of two businesses to help execute my community leadership ..read more

Learning Better Because of Your Surroundings Post written by Lucy Lee You walk in and your eye darts to the array of artists on the wall, then to the foreign objects on the shelf, and up to the canopy of plants that hang over the wall. The organized clutter gives the studio a feeling of safety and belonging. These microscopic details engage artists and affect their engagement in their learning. People are more likely to use what they learn when they feel engaged and happy and that is the environment that Social Studio provides. Social Studio creates an environment where the space does part of ..read more

Creativity & Community Service Post written by Julia Suriano My name is Julia, I am a rising senior at Bryn Mawr, and I have been spending my summer completing my community service with Social Studio. One of the ways we reach out to the Baltimore community is through creating craft packs made with donated materials that are then distributed to children in the community, or sent to organizations in the city. This summer I am leading the craft pack production with help from the summer interns.  To design a craft pack we use the creative process. First, we EXPLORE. We look through donati ..read more

Feel the Focus Artwork above by Sondra Spencer Post written by Rachel Arnot Rockwell School events, spring parties, games, end of year parties, spring concerts, work gatherings, graduations… spring brings a bustle of activities all meant in the spirit of eventful celebration. It is a time to celebrate!  Even before the pandemic, spring hailed a breath of fresh energy after long, cold winters. The idea that spring allows new growth and life is exciting. All that excitement can often lead to overwhelm as events from every facet of our lives collide with each other and make it hard to c ..read more

Connection Counts Post written by Rachel Arnot Rockwell Artwork by Asa Arnot No man is an island.  We are all in this together.  It takes a village.   Cliche? Yes!  True?  Also, yes.   We can conjure an image of an eccentric paint spattered artist waving their brush like a wand, a little crazed, with hair out of sorts on top of their head, determined to perfect a square inch of a canvas. Anyone who’s seen The Shining has a haunting image of a writer in isolation. Sure, artists go through phases of solitude to connect to themselves and their work deeply. B ..read more

Blooming with the Creative Process Post written by Rachel Arnot Rockwell Spring is here! Nature’s patterns are taking place as trees and flowers open up after the long winter. In many ways, we are opening up too, COVID restrictions have changed and the pace of life is quicker again.   Parts of you may have that quarantine yearning feeling every once in a while, when things slowed down enough to allow time for family and fire pits. You may have rediscovered your creative side through cooking, sketching, knitting, writing, sewing, building, or just being present. Transitions are h ..read more

Learning Better Because of Your Surroundings Post written by Lucy Lee You walk in and your eye darts to the array of artists on the wall, then to the foreign objects on the shelf, and up to the canopy of plants that hang over the wall. The organized clutter gives the studio a feeling of safety and belonging. These microscopic details engage artists and affect their engagement in their learning. People are more likely to use what they learn when they feel engaged and happy and that is the environment that Social Studio provides. Social Studio creates an environment where the space does part of ..read more