The August 16 JCreate Art Materials Swap and Collage Workshop brought the Jewish community together through a shared love of art. Attendees browsed tables filled with art supplies and took home any materials they wanted to use in their projects. Participants could also donate any art supplies they had.
This meetup is the brainchild of Robyn Awend, Director of Arts Engagement at Minnesota JCC, and Galit Breen, TC Jewfolk’s Director of Engagement. Breen says, “TC Jewfolk is always looking for ways to create onramps for community members to Jewish life. This series has been a beautiful, creative, and fun opportunity to do just that!”
The JCreate event had something for everyone to do, regardless of their artistic background. Hunter Wengersky of Jewish Family and Children’s Services of Minnesota (JFCS) headed a collage station where participants could cut words and pictures from magazines to make their own art.
“It was a great opportunity for everyone to engage with the act of art creation, no matter the skill level, and folks made inventive and creative collages and circle-themed art,” said Wengersky.
Heritage Judaica also had a table of artifacts that people were allowed to take. Items ranged from kiddush sets to jewelry to kippahs.
JCreate also featured the work of a local artist, Lynda Monick-Isenberg. The fair featured a piece of hers called “tzimtzum: emptying the mind to begin a stroke…” This feature of the event was an example of how materials can turn into a finished piece of work. 
The goal of the JCreate meetup is to make art supplies more accessible and allow community members to show and explore their creative side. JCreate showed that art can be both a personal experience and a means to connect people.
“The event was a lovely opportunity for connection across generations and geographically, as folks came from all over the Twin Cities for this event,” said Wengersky. “There were kids, families, young adults, and elders engaging with the art-making opportunity, and everyone was very excited about the art supplies.”