Each evening at I AM ART Camp in Guatemala, after a full day of serving and creating with students, the team gathered for something just for them—a sacred space to become the artists, learners, and storytellers. In this unique behind-the-scenes workshop, team members stepped into the very process they lead: reflection, conflict, vulnerability, and restoration. No longer facilitators, they became the ones willing to be seen, stretched, and transformed—rediscovering their own identity and purpose through art, community, and faith.
Remembering Through Watercolor
Each team member began by selecting a personal photograph—an image filled with meaning, memory, or emotion.
Using watercolor, they reinterpreted these snapshots, letting color flow freely across the page.
As they painted, they reflected on:
- Where they’ve come from
- Who they are becoming
- And how their stories shape their identity
These weren’t just paintings—they were acts of remembrance and honor.
Creating in the Unknown
On Conflict Day, everything shifted.
With eyes blindfolded, each person received an unfamiliar material—first an oil pastel, then a rough rock.
They were invited to respond to their artwork without sight or control.
What emerged wasn’t about perfection.
It was about presence.
What does it feel like to create when you can’t see the outcome?
When the tools aren’t what you expected?
This exercise became a living metaphor for real-life conflict—the kind we don’t see coming, the kind that leaves us disoriented.
Later, in discussion, the team shared their confusion and frustration—but also a profound realization:
Even in the dark, art happened.
Even without clarity, beauty found a way through.
Transparent Healing
On Restoration Day, the team returned to their artwork with a new material: delicate tissue paper.
Its transparency symbolized scars—not hidden, but honored.
They gently layered the fragile pieces onto their work, creating a visual reminder:
We are broken and healing.
We see the damage and still choose beauty.
This moment became a quiet but powerful practice:
Seeing through the pain—and continuing to create.
Restoration in Community
On the final day, each person passed their artwork to someone else for completion.
It was a moment of release. Of trust.
Because healing isn’t something we do alone.
Because redemption often comes through others.
This final act reminded the team that in art, as in life, we are co-creators in one another’s restoration.
What the Team Learned
This workshop became a living reflection of the full I AM ART journey:
I am known.
My story and starting point matter.
I am broken.
Conflict will come—often when I least expect it.
I am seen.
Even in pain, beauty and meaning can emerge.
I AM ART.
My life, like my art, is an evolving masterpiece—restored in community.
