The Art of Being Seen: A Community Art Night

What if a single word could tell part of your story? This month with 𝘓𝘪𝘣𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘊𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴, The Story House invites the community to participate in a unique art experience led by Springfield artist, educator, and Artivist, Indi — of creative arts network 𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘨𝘰 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘴.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗬𝗼𝘂'𝗹𝗹 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲
Everyone has a story. What's yours? During this free community art experience, visitors will share a word, phrase, or idea that reflects something meaningful about who they are. Using those responses, Indi will transform and then paint them onto a canvas throughout the evening. Each participant plays a hand in the final piece — a visual representation of the people, experiences, hopes, and identities that make up our community. We will display the final product in the bookstore, and may later auction it off to benefit a local organization! No artistic experience is required to attend. Just bring your story.

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀
Stories connect us. While books help us understand one another, visual art helps us express what words alone sometimes cannot. At The Story House, we believe communities grow stronger when people have opportunities to share experiences, create together, and discover new perspectives. This event celebrates creativity, not as something reserved for artists, but as something that belongs to all of us. Join us as we transform individual stories into something larger: a work of art that reflects the community we are creating together.

𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶
Indi has more than a decade of experience serving youth and families through nonprofit organizations, and has dedicated his work to creating opportunities for connection, self-expression, and growth through the arts. Through 𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘨𝘰 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘴, he collaborates with local organizations, schools, and businesses to expand access to art, education, and creative experiences throughout Missouri. A portion of every purchase of Indi's work supports 417 Bridge Builders — providing mini-scholarships, classroom supplies, and educational programming for young people in our community. Visit indigochildes.art to learn more.

𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝙇𝙞𝙗𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝘾𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙨
𝘓𝘪𝘣𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘊𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴 was founded by Keisha McMillen, and functions as a multidisciplinary arts collective to facilitate unique experiences that foster self-expression, healing, and community. From Keisha: "Here, we value ART as a tool for HEALING. Our goal is to help others channel their overwhelmed emotions into art. Our tactic is to lead by example; we’ll dive deep into our emotions and turn them into something beautiful. We value LEADERSHIP. Our goal is to inspire you to create what YOU want. Our approach is to provide education and support to help you achieve your goals. We value COLLABORATION. Our goal is to create something that develops community. Our approach is to work with various artists, celebrate their work, and accomplish a shared vision." Visit to learn more.