Event Agenda:

Screening of Brush Strokes (9-minute runtime)
Q&A with the filmmakers
Group Breathwork + Art Activity (45 minutes): A guided, therapeutic art session to reduce anxiety and explore creativity for both caregivers and those receiving care

All participants will receive free art materials, with accommodations made for different mobility needs. Attendees are invited to take their artwork home as part of the healing journey.

Events are free and open to the public, and light refreshments will be available at select locations.

Brush Strokes

Screening & Therapeutic Art Workshop

Brush Strokes, a poignant short documentary film by award-winning director Obed Lamy, is launching a 3-stop film screening and therapeutic art workshop across Arkansas this spring.

Audiences are invited to join a powerful 2-hour experience that blends storytelling, healing, and creativity, centered around the true story of Larry Harper, a 75-year-old stroke survivor who rediscovers his lifelong dream of becoming an artist through art therapy.

Screening & Workshop Dates:
Friday, May 30 | 4–6 PM
Mosaic Templars Cultural Center (Little Rock, AR)
REGISTER HERE

Friday, June 6 | 4–6 PM
The Blossoms (Stamps, AR)

Sunday, July 20 | 2–4 PM Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art (Bentonville, AR) Special Guest Speaker: Joi McGowan, Licensed Professional Counselor

About the Film

Title: Brush Strokes
Running Time: 9:03
Directed by: Obed Lamy

Synopsis:
In 2015, Larry Harper experienced a stroke that left him with limited speech and mobility. A retired factory worker, Larry turned to painting as both physical and emotional therapy. Brush Strokes offers an intimate look at his journey of resilience, revealing the often-overlooked power of creative expression in stroke recovery, aging, and reclaiming lost dreams.

About the Director

Obed Lamy is a Haitian journalist and filmmaker whose work explores collective memory, forgotten histories, and community resilience. A Fulbright Scholar and recipient of a Student Emmy, his films have screened nationally and internationally at festivals and institutions including the Smithsonian, the Toronto Black Film Festival, and Crystal Bridges Museum.

This campaign is made possible through generous support from the Mid-America Arts Alliance, National Endowment for the Arts, True Soul Media, and our community partners.