Arts & Community Engagement
A waymarker is a token left on a winding path by someone who walked it before you—a signpost to assure you that you are on the right trail. At Canvas, Crafts, & Compass, I believe our creative journeys are rarely straight lines and rarely travels alone. Through community murals, shared arts in the parks experiences, paint and sip fundraiser events at the local library, and my commitment to providing weekly virtual creative fellowship, my goal is to build waymarkers of joy and connection that help us navigate our artistic paths together. – Lisa
For me, art has never been a solitary journey along a straight path—it is a winding, vibrant trail of connection bringing people and places together. I deeply believe that creativity has the power to inspire and breathe joy into a community. As part of my personal mission to cultivate deep connections and invite others onto their own creative journeys, I am dedicated to providing free, accessible art experiences to my neighbors in the Capital Region. I am proud and honored to guide these ongoing community arts initiatives as we explore, grow, and embrace creativity together.
“You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.” – Maya Angelou
Where the Journey Began
The start for this community-centered work began during the period of isolation during COVID-19. In an attempt to recreate the sense of belonging and connectiveness enjoyed at our in-person sharing of the art, music, and poetry in the evenings during our annual in person conferences, the Creative Expressions series began as an experiment, an attempt to recreate the connections made during our in-person sharing to a virtual platform. That experiment was such an amazing first experience that I pledged to keep it going as the only immediately foreseeable way to keep my friends, students, and colleagues at Empire State University connected when we had to stay apart.
For 30 weeks on Thursday nights, I hosted the Creative Expressions Weekly Virtual Arts Series from my family room computer. A total of 89 individuals – 34 staff/faculty presenters and 56 student/alumni/guest presenters shared their creative talents at least once as part of
the series. Several people returned between 2 to 4 times as part of poetry slams; COVID
ensemble performance pieces; or to share a different aspect of their creative expressions.
I welcomed approximately 790 attendees to the Zoom platform across all 30 sessions.
As we planned the first session, which set the format for all that followed, something I imagined would have a short shelf life took on a life of its own. That session was nothing short of magical. I committed that night to keeping this going week after week until we were able to go out into the physical world, or when I ran out of finding people who would be willing to share their creativity. I found that the collaborations with the presenters and energy from the audience to be pure joy week after week and there was no end in sight. I called Creative Expressions a “sparking place.” For others and me, each presenter sparked joy and ignited the creative spirit in us. Creative Expressions grew, providing warmth, safety, and a place to pause and gather for an hour as protection from the isolation and as a welcoming beacon to shine bright during the time of the pandemic. My hope was realized that each week, those who participated took that spark, that light and creativity back into their lives and homes to safely guide them on their own creative journeys.
Witnessing the community, connections, healing power of weekly virtual gatherings at a time of isolation and fear cemented my desire to make the stories of creativity and acts of creative expressions accessible to all.
Where the community creative expressions expanded to public art
When the world opened back up, my quest to share creative journeys moved from the screen into the sunshine, transforming community spaces into vibrant hubs of face-to-face artistic connection.
In partnership with the Town of East Greenbush and the Community and Recreation Department, I launched the inaugural Arts in the Parks: An East Greenbush Community Arts Experience. This was made possible by the support of the Town Supervisor and a generous grant from the NYS Council on the Arts (NYSCA) Statewide Community Regrants Program, administered by The Arts Center of the Capital Region. The summer of 2023 allowed our East Greenbush community grow together in art and creative expressions of different mediums.
I hosted free public art classes at Hampton Manor Park, a celebratory community-wide Art Show during Community Day, and co-created with high school students and East Greenbush families two beautiful murals that now serve as vibrant waymarkers for neighbors as they go about their daily rhythms on the trail around the lake walking their dogs, getting in their steps, biking, jogging, and enjoying nature.
The “Community Mural,” transcends its role as mere decoration. It intricately weaves together New York State symbols with the colorful handprints of over 80 community members, creating a living map of shared creative expression. Rooted in nature and community, this mural serves as a collaborative canvas, where individuals of all ages united to leave their mark in the form of flowers and butterflies.
The second mural, aptly named the “commUNITY spirit,” embodies the essence of unity through art. Designed by the Deputy Director of Public Works, Meaghan Hart, and crafted by myself, local high school students, Clover Rodgers ’25 and Lyla Maguffin ’27; and Town of East Greenbush employees, Lisa O’Brien, and Donna Millet, this mural showcases the rich identity of East Greenbush. School logos, the town emblem, and elements of local arts and music programs converge to form a vibrant collage, encased within the graceful wings of a butterfly. The very creation of the mural exemplifies the strength that emerges when a community unites in artistic expression.
You can information about the artists and more details about both murals on the East Greenbush Community Murals Site.
The First Annual Community Art Show: Celebrating Local Talent
Our first annual Community Art Show during Community Day was a bright, bustling celebration of the incredible artistic paths winding through our neighborhood. The response from the community was wonderfully robust, bringing together artists ranging in age from 10 to over 70. Local creators submitted a stunning total of 109 entries across two categories: Painting/Drawing and Photography/Digital Art.
With limited physical gallery space to map out the exhibit, our panel of four jurors faced the daunting but inspiring task of narrowing the final collection down to 25 featured images.
To ensure our showcase reflected a truly collaborative and inclusive journey, we worked diligently to ensure a wide variety of local voices were represented. We collectively designed a curatorial approach that limited any single artist to one top placement (first through third designations) within each category and age group, while also highlighting several exceptional honorable mentions.
I want to extend my deepest gratitude to all the incredible creators who shared their work with us, and to our dedicated panel of judges:
- Donna Millet (East Greenbush Community and Recreation Representative)
- Ryan Gottcent (Art Teacher)
- Tony D’Adamo (Professional Artist)
Their tireless hard work in evaluating submissions and assisting me with the curation made this beautiful milestone possible. This gallery stands as an open invitation to celebrate the vibrant talents of our friends, families, and neighbors.
In 2024, to keep that beautiful creative spark alive, the program transitioned into an independent, grassroots chapter. Operating on a smaller scale due to some family health issues and without the larger grant funding, the Town of East Greenbush provided the funding for art supplies, and I offered a smaller scale of art free art classes in an Arts in August series, ensuring our community remained anchored in creativity.
A Purposeful Pause in 2025 and a Deepened Purpose
While 2025 required a necessary and intentional pause in my summer public programming so I could provide home hospice care for my beloved father and lifetime artistic inspiration, Anthony “Tony” D’Adamo, it also brought a profound, deeper connection to my artwork. The quiet, comforting peace my D’Ad and I found by leaning into art side-by-side during his final months completely redefined my perspective. His legacy has ignited a joyful, bright resolve within me to return to this work and continue sharing the transformative power of creativity with you.
The Road Ahead: Forthcoming 2026 Initiatives
- Arts in the Parks: This summer, I am thrilled to step back out onto the path with the local Community and Recreation Department to bring free art classes back to Hampton Manor Park, culminating in an Art Show as part of Community Day! Explore our schedule on the public Arts in the Parks Google Site or follow along with our live Community Experience Roadmap.
- Craft & Chat Fridays: Prefer a virtual stop along the way? Join our warm, inclusive weekly community spaces on Zoom. Bring whatever project you are working on, pull up a cozy chair, and enjoy supportive, creative fellowship.
A Pause for Love, A Return to Purpose
While 2025 required a necessary and sacred pause in my public programming so that I could focus on family and provide home hospice care for my beloved father and artistic inspiration, Anthony “Tony” D’Adamo, 2026 marks a joyful return to our collective creative journey. The peace we found through doing art together in his final months has only strengthened my resolve to bring the calming, transformative power of art to you.
Current & Forthcoming 2026 Initiatives
- Arts in the Parks: This summer, I am thrilled to partner with the local Community and Recreation Department to bring free art classes to Hampton Manor Park, culminating in an celebratory Art Show as part of Community Day! You can explore our community schedule on the public Arts in the Parks Google Site or view the ongoing Community Experience Roadmap for further updates.
- Craft & Chat Fridays: Want to create from the comfort of home? Join our inclusive, weekly virtual community spaces on Zoom. Bring whatever project you are working on, pull up a chair, and enjoy casual, supportive creative fellowship. Sign-up to have access to the calendar and get the Zoom link.
Art is for everyone. Let’s navigate our creative paths together!