#1216: Patchworking Conversations: Participatory Arts Collaging

We created this piece with the goal to spark conversations about art, creativity, and connections. We invite everyone to participate in the making of an evolving artwork throughout the conference, embodying the theme "Partnering with purpose" by blurring boundaries between artists and observers, and acts as individual or collective. The work challenges the idea that artistic talent is innate and instead takes an exploratory approach to creation; a capability of expression set in motion through partnering with self, others, and materials. The collage we began by affixing pieces of fabric to paper grows when we ask all patrons to "find a material that matches your feeling and attach it onto the collage". In addition to becoming an exploration of material agency and a document of a collective journey, this work demonstrates that artmaking is not limited to self-identified artists, and that art-making can foster compassion through participation, reflection and connection.