February 17, 2021 – The Nevada County Community Library presents Using Art to support Mental Health and Foster Resiliency for its National Endowment for the Arts Big Read celebration of The Round House by Louise Erdrich on Fridays, February 19th, February 26th and March 5th. The NEA Big Read in Nevada County is presented in partnership with the Nevada County Superintendent of Schools and the Friends of the Nevada County Library of with support from the National Endowment for the Arts and Book to Action.
In this series we will explore how creative practices can be an ally in managing your mental health and fostering your resiliency. Each session you will learn about a different facet of resiliency or stress management and complete a visual art activity as a way to deepen your understanding of the subject. Topics covered will include self-soothing, fostering positive feelings, and exploring identity.
Session One will be about Using Art and Mindfulness to Self-Soothe. In this session we will learn about how mindfulness (non-judgmental awareness of the present moment) can support you in managing stress. This will include a short meditation practice followed by a visual art activity. Session Two will be about Using Art to Promote Self Awareness. In this session we learn about multifaceted identities and how self awareness can help us access inner and outer resources to support our mental health. Our art activity will help us explore various ways we self-identify. Session Three will be about Using Art to Access Positive Feelings. In this session we will learn about how accessing positive feelings supports us in managing stress and overcoming adversity. This will include an abstract art activity followed by some free writing.
An initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest, the NEA Big Read broadens our understanding of our world, our communities, and ourselves through the joy of sharing a good book. Nevada County is one of 84 communities nationwide participating in the NEA Big Read from September 2020-June 2021. From February 8th to March 27th, 2021 our community will celebrate The Round House by Louise Erdrich with a full calendar of events including book discussions for all age groups throughout the county, several storywalks around the different towns in our area, featuring Nisenan and Native storybooks. Writing workshops will be held virtually to encourage adults and teens to reflect on their own narratives. We will also be hosting several Nisenan cultural programs so we can all learn more about the history of our area.
Book to Action is a program of the California Library Association, supported in whole or in part by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act, administered in California by the State Librarian.
For more information, visit the Events Calendar at mynevadacounty.com/library or call (530) 265-7050.