Pieces of Us: A Community Workshop
Workshop Facilitation
Role
Timeline
Lead Facilitator
Tools
July 2026
Funders
Affinity Suite, Procreate
Delmore Buddy Daye Learning Institute & Canadian Heritage
Pieces of Us is a community art workshop I created to explore Black identity, individuality, and the many ways we experience and express Blackness through small-scale visual storytelling. The project invited participants to reflect on what being Black means to them and translate a piece of that experience into a 4 × 4-inch canvas, whether through colour, symbols, words, patterns, imagery, or something entirely personal.
The project was made possible through an Anti-Black Racism Grant awarded by the Delmore “Buddy” Daye Learning Institute (DBDLI), with funding from Canadian Heritage, supporting the creation of an accessible space for community members to gather, connect, and create.
The workshop brought together approximately 12 participants for an afternoon of art-making, food, conversation, and connection. Rather than focusing on artistic experience or creating a particular kind of finished piece, the goal was to make the space approachable and give everyone room to interpret the prompt in their own way.
As people worked, the workshop naturally became social: participants shared supplies and ideas, talked with one another, and created pieces that were completely distinct while still belonging to a larger collective project.
Each canvas was designed to stand on its own while eventually becoming part of a larger installation. That structure became an important part of the project: every participant contributed something personal, but no single piece was expected to represent the whole community. Together, the works reflect the different experiences, personalities, and perspectives that can exist within the same shared space. Below are the final pieces from the participants.
From Individual Pieces to a Collective Work
Pieces of Us was also a personal milestone for me as the first community workshop I’ve led under my own artistic practice. It gave me the opportunity to move beyond creating work about community and instead build a space where community members could create alongside me. I’m grateful to everyone who showed up, made something, shared space, ate, talked, and helped make my first workshop such a warm experience!
The project was supported by DBDLI and Canadian Heritage, with Wonder’neath Art Society providing the workshop space. Special thanks as well to Aaliyah for supporting the project with event logistics and coordination.