- November 5, 2022
- 1:00pm - 3:00pm
- FREE
- SCA Gallery
- Register Now
About The Program
Art is often a gateway to meaningful and moving conversation. Join artist Molly Costello and facilitator Jennifer Viets for a guided conversation allowing participants to respond to a theme in Molly’s works. Enjoy the opportunity to learn from one another and potentially grow their sense of self and understanding of sensitive issues in this talking circle.
Talking Circle? Tell me more.
Talking Circles are one of the practices used in Restorative Justice/Restorative Practices. The Circle involves a ritual opening, and the establishment of Guidelines and Values. Circle values often include empathy, compassion, honesty and confidentiality. The Circle-keeper creates a plan around a theme and asks “rounds” of questions which act as prompts for sharing. We will pass a talking piece and speak one at a time without interruption. No one is required to share and the Circle is as deep as the participants choose to make it.
This is not a meeting. It is voluntary. It is an opportunity to share in a safer/braver space. Participation in Circle hopefully leads to a greater sense of personal well-being and support while challenging us to think more deeply.
Advanced registration is not required, but is greatly appreciated. Your seat is guaranteed with early registration.
Jennifer Viets
Jennifer Viets (she/her/hers) has worked as a Restorative Justice Practitioner for the past 15 years. She is currently the Informal Resolution Pathways Specialist in the Office of Student Protections for Chicago Public Schools and for the previous four years worked as a Restorative Practices Coach in the Office of Social Emotional Learning. Jennifer also leads community Circles as well as training others to act as Circle Keepers with a special emphasis on leading Talking Circles at home.
She has worked as a multi-disciplinary teaching artist and arts administrator with children and families for the past 30 years using the arts to reach, teach and heal. This work has included designing programming for children and adults in hospitals as well as other institutional settings. Jennifer’s work in the area of racial justice includes being a founding member of CLAW – the Chicago League of Abolitionist Whites and a designer and co-instructor for the Chicago Freedom School’s “White Folks and Racial Justice” series.
She is also the mother and mother-in-law of four grown people as well as a lovely pup named Shea Butterscotch.
Molly Costello
Inspired By
Rooted in gratitude, Molly Costello, seeks to nurture and honor the light in each individual through their work. Through bold colors and shimmering stars dotted throughout the canvas, Molly calls us all to dig inside and uncover our own inner glow that is inherently connected with others. These networks of connected brilliance are woven together to form a current of constellations that is within all of our reach. Costello’s work reminds us that constellations not only call us higher to strive for a more just and equitable world, they also remind us of the power of our collective efforts in creating a unified force for good.
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