If you hear a voice within you say
"you cannot paint," then by all means paint,
and that voice will be silenced. - Vincent Van Gogh
You may make a donation to Pathways to Housing by clicking here.
Coming Soon!
Art-n-Soul is in the process of re-starting! Please come back and check for painting dates!
Get Involved
The photos shown here were taken during
Art-N-Soul painting sessions.
Art and Soul sessions are an experience where people learn to tap into their inner artist
and create paintings to support ending homelessness.
"Fellowship through color!"
– Sadia
Sponsoring a Workshop
No art experience required! Art and Soul workshops are designed for groups of 12-16 participants. The workshops are scheduled for four hours, not including an hour set-up, and 30 minutes clean-up. The cost of the workshop is $250, and it covers the reimbursement of supplies for up to 12 painters. This supply reimbursement should be paid on the day of the session, prior to the start. We can manage about 16-18 people, and each painter beyond the initial 12 requires a supply fee of $20 each. We also ask workshop hosts to provide food/refreshments for the session, as it is difficult to bring the workshop supplies and cater snacks or a meal. There may be an additional travel charge if your location is further than 30 miles, or if set-up requires additional time or labor.
Unless otherwise indicated, we consider a sponsored session closed to the public, and we will not post it for general registration opportunities. If the event needs to be hosted at a location other than the facility provided by the sponsor, we may be able to help find a host location -- an additional fee may apply.
Set-up requirements
We bring a tarp for the floor, buckets, spray bottles, paint, brushes, sponges, paint, canvas, and other painting implements. We will need an electrical outlet, and the area should be well ventilated, or a fan provided. The space needs to have a sink available for cleanup and bucket filling -- a regular sized kitchen sink works fine. We will need a minimum of 6, six foot tables or 4 eight foot tables for a dozen painters, a drying table and a supply table of either size -- all tables will need to have disposable plastic covers on them. Round tables will also work and the number of painters per table will depend on how many 18x24 canvases can fit with workspace. Each participant will need a chair to sit in during the presentation. We generally paint standing up, but you may sit at the table and paint as well.
I present an introductory slideshow to the group, so I need a wall or screen to project onto, or a multi-media TV if it is available. We also provide the music and the sound system.
Refreshments for sessions at a remote location are the responsibility of the host sponsor. Encouraging people to bring their own drinks is a sound option, and as the sponsor you can choose to allow adult beverages or have an alcohol free venue.
If you have any other questions, would like to sponsor a session, or make a donation please email The Rev. Jamie Samilio and she will work out the details with you.
Upcoming Sessions
Coming Soon!
11:00am to 3:00pm
St Thomas Episcopal Church
8991 Brook Road McLean, VA 22102
Phone: (703) 442-0330
Suggested Donation $25
To RSVP CLICK HERE!
Open session: Please bring your own beverages.* We will serve a lite meal, but you are also free to bring a snack or dessert to share. We try to provide something for everyone, but if you have dietary restrictions please provide food for yourself.
Suggested Donation $25. We will collect any donations at the session. We accept cash, checks made out to Holy Cross with Art-n-Soul in the memo line, and credit cards, and you may also text to donate. If you want to attend but are unable to make a donation, please sign-up and indicate that you would like a scholarship.
Please bring your own beverages.* There will be food provided, but please bring along anything you like for yourself or to share we try to be careful for people with food allergies, but if you have food allergies, please plan accordingly.
Things To Know About The Sessions
No art experience required! There are no rules in art, however, I do have some guidelines and information I hope you find helpful.
1. We use acrylic paint. It is water based, but it WILL NOT come out of your clothes, so please make sure whatever you wear you are ready to have paint on it forever. Some people are very neat painters -- I am not one of them and usually end up covered in paint. The brushes we use will also need to be kept in water when not in use. If the paint is allowed to dry, the brushes will be ruined.
2. We will be painting 18x24 canvas with 1.5 inch sides. This means the painting will NOT need to be framed, but you will need to paint the sides as well as front. You may choose to wrap your painting onto the sides or paint them a solid color, but please paint the sides.
3. Please indicate on the back which side is the TOP of the painting. And please sign your name on the back with the date.
4. Sponges, fingers, tooth brushes, paint brushes, and other items create fun textures and are easy to use -- especially fingers. Some of these items will be provided, but please feel free to bring any tools you want to use. If you bring a sponge, it may help create your painting and will help clean up afterward!
5. No previous experience required!
6. The paint may not be dry by the end of the session. However, I plan to photograph the paintings, and they may be briefly displayed until they are delivered. If your painting needs a protective coat of matt or gloss medium, it may be added after the painting has dried.
7. Please bring what you would like to drink with you.* There will be water and some food or snacks provided, but you are free to bring something for yourself or to share especially if you have food restrictions. We will be together for about 4-hours.
8. Please keep the brushes in water they will dry out in about 5 -10 minutes, this will ruin the brush.
9. Please clean up your area after the session, and if you are able, any help resetting the room is greatly appreciated.
We are going to paint - just what we see - but also what we hear! I will do my best to have some music on the playlist for everyone! If you want to hear some specific music, feel free to send me a suggestion.
*At Art-n-Soul sessions we ask that you provide your own beverages, and adult beverages are permitted unless specifically advertised as an alcohol free event. If you do bring alcoholic beverages for personal consumption, please do not offer to share them with the whole group -- this is a family friendly event and we do not want to make anyone uncomfortable.
Please remember that paintings are donated as housewarming gifts to people moving into homes from homelessness. If you really want to keep your work, we ask that you donate a full scholarship for someone else ($25) on top of your session donation.