Adult Acrylic Mixed Media Class

Mosaic Class Reveals the Healing Power of Art

On April 10, Monroe Area Council for the Arts (MACA) hosted a free mosaic art class that brought together community members for an afternoon of creativity, connection, and something deeper than expected.

What began as a simple art workshop quickly became a meaningful reminder of how powerful and personal the arts can be.

More Than an Artist: A Guide and Advocate

The class was led by dedicated teaching artist Veronica Miller whose journey with art began in childhood. Today, she creates intricate wildlife paintings on turkey feathers. However her greatest passion has evolved into something even more impactful: sharing art with others.

“It is my pleasure, and I am very fortunate to be a part of MACA,” she shared. “I’ve been an artist since I was a youngster… but now that I facilitate classes for MACA, it is more fulfilling to share art with someone else than to paint for myself.”

Her approach goes beyond instruction. Each class is intentionally designed not only to teach artistic techniques, but also to build confidence, connection, and even reinforce foundational learning.

Art as Connection and Growth

While participants come for the creativity, many leave with something much more meaningful.

“Participants are always grateful for the opportunity for zero-cost classes,” she said. “But I didn’t realize how therapeutic it is for them.”

Over time, stories began to emerge:

One participant who struggles with anxiety finds the classes help her comfortably socialize with others.
A gentleman attends faithfully after his doctor encouraged him to engage in activities that support memory and cognitive health.
Another participant was encouraged to join simply to reconnect after becoming increasingly isolated.

These moments have reshaped Veronica’s perspective as much as the participants’.

“I realized that there are people out there who have ailments other than myself… MACA has given me more confidence and self-worth, because I too am not perfect.”

Learning Beyond the Canvas

Each class is structured to engage both creativity and cognition. Lessons can incorporate foundational educational concepts in accessible, hands-on ways:

Measuring and design using rulers
Exploring geometry through radius, diameter, and circumference
Building precision and coordination through beadwork and putty
Understanding artistic processes like oxidation and evaporation in oil painting

Participants are encouraged to listen, follow multi-step instruction, and stay engaged. This makes the experience both mentally stimulating and creatively fulfilling.

While some classes are more complex than others, that challenge is part of the appeal.

“The oil classes are more complex, my tutorial is lengthy. However, the oil classes are the largest and most popular!”

A Room Full of Unexpected Joy

Like any creative space, the mosaic class was filled with laughter, experimentation, and a few surprises. Designs evolved in unexpected ways, pieces didn’t always go as planned, and participants found themselves embracing imperfections. This allowed them to discover something even better in the process.

The True Impact of Accessible Arts

What makes MACA’s programming impactful is its accessibility. Thanks to SafePath Monroe County and TN Arts Commission funding and MACA these classes open the doors for individuals who may otherwise never step into a creative space.

But what happens inside that space is what truly matters.

Connection forms, confidence grows and art becomes a pathway to learning, and belonging.

Join Us

If you are curious about trying something new and connecting with others Veronica is delivering a free American Indian acrylic paint class on Friday, April 24th at Cora Veal Senior Center. The class is free thanks to SafePath Monroe County.

Call Veronica at 724.689.6732 to sign up.

“MACA has been a blessing,” Veronica reflected. “I enjoy planning for classes and helping each artist one on one.”