The Art of Unburdening
Art-making and healing for caregivers and their communities
Caregiving is an act of deep love—but it can also be isolating, exhausting, and emotionally overwhelming. Especially for those caring for individuals living with dementia, the daily weight of responsibility can feel both invisible to others and relentless.
A series of stand-alone workshops in storytelling, art & music
This creative workshop series offers caregivers a space to set that weight down—if only for a while—and reconnect with themselves and others through the healing act of making art.
Learn more about the Art of Unburdening in this press release here on our website.
Registration now open!
Use this Google form to sign up for a workshop, or to get on our email list to reminded of spring 2026 dates.
Wednesday, January 21, 2:00-4:00 PM - Visual art with LeeAnn Love
Saturday, January 24, afternoon exact time and topic will be announced by December 8
Wednesday, February 18, 2:00-4:00 PM - Visual art with LeeAnn Love
Wednesday, March 18, 2:00-4:00 PM - Storytelling with Kara Kemp
Wednesday, April 15, 2:00-4:00 PM - Music
Meet our workshop leaders
LeeAnn Love (January 21 and February 18 workshops) is a professional artist and expressive arts therapist whose mixed media work explores movement, color, and impermanence. She has exhibited nationally and internationally, with shows at Out of the Blue Gallery (Cambridge, MA), ClearStory Arts (Chattanooga), and Gallery27 (Scotland). She was Artist in Residence for Williamson County Schools and has completed multiple public mural projects.
She earned her master’s in Expressive Therapies from Lesley University and has since founded both Heal with heART, her private counseling practice, and MyCanvas, a mobile art therapy initiative for at-risk youth. LeeAnn currently supervises new art therapists and consults with the Healing Arts Project Inc. (HAPI), providing workshops for adults in recovery. She divides her time between Nashville, TN and East Lothian, Scotland.
Kara Kemp (March 18 workshop) served as the 2023–24 Murfreesboro Performing Arts Laureate and is creator of United We Style, a nationally recognized storytelling fundraiser. With over 30 years of experience in the arts and nonprofit sectors, Kara specializes in crafting experiences that foster emotional connection, authenticity, and community healing. She co-produces Bloom Stage, a multi-genre storytelling series that uplifts diverse voices and encourages personal narrative as a form of transformation. Known for creating brave, inclusive spaces, Kara’s work blends creativity and care across disciplines.
Poetry, November 12
Julie Sumner is a writer who has worked as a critical care nurse, liver transplant coordinator, and massage therapist. She now teaches creative writing, focusing on reading poetry and writing as ways to develop resilience, particularly for healthcare workers and people with chronic illnesses. Her poems appear in many literary magazines and anthologies. In 2023, her collection Meridian was selected by poet Jane Hirshfield for publication by Wildhouse Publishing.
Storytelling, October 15
A celebrated choreographer, dancer, and storyteller, Mark Lamb blends movement and narrative with heartfelt artistry. Praised by The New York Times for his “quietly celebratory” work, he has shared his powerful stories on The Moth Radio Hour and PBS's Stories from the Stage. His storytelling excellence was recognized when he won the National Storytelling Festival with his tribute story to Dolly Parton.
Four more workshops—in visual art, music, and more—will be offered in spring 2026. Use this Google form to get on our workshop email list!
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Banner image credit unsplash.com/@kit
