Where Art Meets Grief
- 4 days ago
- 3 min read
June is volunteer recruitment month for Chameleon's Journey. Over the next several weeks, we will hear from some of our beloved volunteers, learning their "why!" Are you interesting in serving as a volunteer at our Fall Overnight Grief Camp? Complete the volunteer application on the CJ website to learn more!
By: Dr. Tyler Starr, Associate Professor of Studio Art, Davidson College
I have the joyous job of teaching studio art at Davidson College. Throughout my career, one of my guiding principles has been to make art accessible and relevant to as many people as possible. Community collaboration has been a cornerstone of this practice - a journey that began during my undergraduate days at the Rhode Island School of Design when I volunteered to teach drawing classes in medium-security prisons.
At Davidson, I have spent twelve years developing collaborative studio art programs in partnership with a diverse range of Mecklenburg County non-profits. These organizations support underserved members of our community, including the unhoused, individuals living with traumatic brain injuries, and after-school programs for at-risk youth. Through these collaborative projects, Davidson students apply skills acquired in my courses to assist workshop participants, offering technical expertise and, most importantly, encouragement. Beyond the art-making itself, much of the value lies in the human connections built through the shared challenges and achievements of creating together.
In 2024, I was inspired to collaborate with local grief counselors when I reached the age at which my sister had passed away from cancer. It was during her illness that I witnessed the vital importance of support services for end-of-life patients and their families. As a studio artist, it has been deeply meaningful to explore alongside trained counselors how the visual arts can facilitate healing.
Drawing on my background in printmaking and specialized studies in Japan, I introduce image-making techniques that provide a level of guaranteed success for everyone, regardless of prior artistic experience. At the same time, the processes I encourage naturally invite happy accidents and creative surprises. Communally making art based on the camp themes fosters a supportive space for vulnerable conversation, allowing participants to comfortably share thoughts and memories.
There is a very personally rewarding component to these art workshops in that I derive great joy from the smiles and triumphs of the campers as they engage in the creative process. I have learned many things from the young artists’ off-handed comments as well as the insights they offer through the reflections that occur with the sensitive guidance of the counselors. One important lesson was shared by a young camper as he described the sunset concept for his cardboard boat design: how surprising it is that there can be beauty even after experiencing tragedy.
I look forward to continuing to discover new ways of conducting art workshops that help participants process grief and experience joy through creation. I am grateful to the Chameleon’s Journey community for offering us all an opportunity to grow together.
To learn more about Chameleon’s Journey Camp or VIA Health Partners, visit www.chameleonsjourney.org or www.viahp.org.
To learn more about Volunteering with VIA Health Partners, visit us at:
About VIA Health Partners
VIA Health Partners began as Hospice at Charlotte, the state’s first hospice, in 1978 and then operated under the name Hospice & Palliative Care Charlotte Region (HPCCR) for decades before its name change to VIA Health Partners in 2023. Today VIA Health Partners serves 3,500 patients each day for hospice and palliative care services. Our service area encompasses 14 counties in North Carolina - Burke, Catawba, Cabarrus, Caldwell, Cleveland, Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln, McDowell, Mecklenburg, Polk, Rutherford, Stanly, and Union. Its service area in South Carolina includes Abbeville, Anderson, Cherokee, Chester, Chesterfield, Fairfield, Greenville, Greenwood, Kershaw, Lancaster, Laurens, Newberry, Oconee, Pickens, Saluda, Spartanburg, Union, and York counties.
