On October 20th, Urban ArtWorks gathered community members, artists, and supporters at Washington Hall for Brush & Brunch, an exciting event that celebrated the impact of art and community connection. Together, we painted, celebrated, and raised support for future programs and projects that engage youth, artists, and communities. We enjoyed a memorable afternoon filled with creativity, and connection shared among friends and supporters.

Our featured speakers included current Base Crew youth artists Laura Garcia, Raven Carroll, and Tassanee Hill, as well as current Board Chair Kim “Kimfer” Flanery-Rye, incoming Board Chair Elizabeth Hodges, and Executive Director Amanda Hashagen. The speakers and our Board members shared stories of transformation and the lasting impact of our work. Alex Nason, Project Director, also joined us on stage to help present the Volunteer of the Year Award to Katy Basnaw!

We were particularly inspired by the insights shared by our youth panelists. Panel moderator Amanda Hashagen asked the youth to describe the a mural that is most meaningful or impactful, Raven Carroll shared:

“I have to say the mural I’m currently working on, which is a mural down in West Seattle under the bridge…one of the more fun and interesting things about that mural is the fact that a lot of people have stopped and they’ve helped paint, they’ve talked to us, we’ve had people honking at us because they like what we’ve been doing. I think somebody on the bus pulled down the window, on a bus, to shout, ‘You guys are doing amazing!’ So, I think the community aspect is one of my favorite parts about it.” – Raven Carroll

In response to the question, “Why do you all think that it’s important for programs like this to exist for teens?” Laura and Tassanee shared:

“The main places I was hanging out [were], school, and home and maybe work. Third spaces are so important, and it’s a place where you can exist….It’s also a place where you can cultivate yourself, and being able to go to the studio and drawn and talk to other people who like to create and share ideas, is like – it’s so fulfilling, and definitely something everyone should be able to be involved in.” – Laura Garcia

“There’s programs for sports and all that, but when it comes to creatives and artists, there’s not really free things to do. So I think that Urban ArtWorks is really good for the community because there’s a lot of youth that are creative but they just think that there’s really nothing to do with the creativity that they have, and this program gives creative youth a platform to show everybody what they can do.” – Tassanee Hill

Brush & Brunch also included an opportunity for everyone to pick up a paintbrush and work on a project designed by youth. Together, we painted two pieces designed by Base Crew youth artists Laura Garcia and Raven Carroll, who also spoke on the youth panel. We’re excited to show you the final artworks.

The event featured a lively social hour, a live auction with Auctioneer & Emcee Sasha Summer Cousineau of Revel Rouser Events, an online silent auction featuring artworks by local artists, unique items and experiences from local businesses, and refreshments provided by Kuma Coffee and Gourmondo.

A huge thank-you to our amazing partners and supporters who helped make the day unforgettable!

We hope you’ll join us for Brush & Brunch next year! In the meantime, we’d love to see you at upcoming paint days where you’ll have the chance to paint murals and create impactful public art with Urban ArtWorks.