TINY
CREATIVE HABITS
GALLERY TAKEOVER EXHIBITION IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH CREATIVE SPARK
JANUARY 9 - MARCH 13, 2025
Tiny Creative Habits allow our communities to uncover the profound impact of small changes on a path to fulfillment. Discover how investing in tiny habits of creativity can enrich our lives and lead to significant transformation. Explore the magic that occurs when ordinary moments are ignited with creative sparks!
Tiny Creative Habits is part of Gallery Takeover, an annual collaborative project. Throughout the year, Ruth’s Table and Creative Spark work with many community partners to implement meaningful, arts-based experiences that culminate in a community-led exhibit. This interactive program serves as a platform for every participant, regardless of age or ability, to create, share, and connect through art.
Virtual Opening Celebration
January 9, 2025
2-3pm PST
Online via ZoomExhibition Dates
January 9 - March 13, 2025
Ruth’s Table Gallery
PARTNERS
Ruth’s Table and Creative Spark offer an inclusive program of creative explorations tailored to the diverse needs and abilities of our participants. The culminating Gallery Takeover exhibition aims to create an inclusive gallery experience that represents the diverse voices of our communities. We would like to express our endless thanks to all of this year’s participants and partners, including:
Beacons
Bethany Center*
Carlsbad Senior Center
Front Porch Community Services Staff
KQED Fest 2024 Attendees
* Front Porch Community
** Front Porch Community Services Program
Accessibility
Each artwork in this exhibition is accompanied by written and audio artwork descriptions available through "Audio Description" links below. In gallery, artwork descriptions are available via QR codes on the wall labels. Explore the complete playlist of recordings here →
OUR SPOKEN WORDS
About 20 Creative Reuse workshop participants created these individual posters inspired by the Amos Paul Kennedy exhibition at Letterform Archive in San Francisco. Each artist chose a saying or words that they made up or a favorite saying from someone else. The artists used hand-cut letters, rubber stamps, and magazine letters, or painted their words. Monoprints were repurposed from earlier art projects to create colorful, dynamic backgrounds. Some of the influence came from the group’s many discussions on women's rights, the election outcome and discussions of empowering ourselves with positive affirmations. This project was led by Teaching Artist Monica Lee.
Diorama of Aspirations
Imagine a place where you go to relax, feel connected, and be renewed! Communities created a mini-mental vacation with messages and images that inspired them. This Tiny Habit helps us take charge of our mindset and find peace within.
GUIDE STONES
Guide Stones represent tiny habits you would like to embrace in your life. Let these Guide Stones created by participants at Webster House carry the weight of change and act as a constant reminder of the strength you have within.
“Live in harmony with the earth; Land, sea and sky”
- Webster House Artist
SHAPE YOUR INTUITION
Trusting our intuition can come from bringing the Tiny Creative Habit of play into our lives. This collage exercise encouraged participants to go with their gut and have fun. The act of drawing simple patterns onto shapes can become a tiny, self-care habit that quiets our minds and encourages us to play and get in touch with our inner voice.
GRATITUDE FEATHERS
Acknowledging what we’re thankful for feels good, is good for us, and can help us feel more connected to our communities. For this collaborative project, feathers were constructed into large wings to symbolize how our collective gratitude can uplift us as a community. Together we soar!
GRATITUDE PASSES THROUGH YOU
Participants in Wisconsin engaged through the Alzheimer's Association created these paper feather paintings to acknowledge gratitude and what they were thankful for. The following poem was read before each art session:
Gratitude passes through you
like the clouds of mood,
like rain turning to sleet
or gray skies breaking into blue.
It is only gratefulness that stays,
holding your trembling hand
beneath the hospital sheet
as you count each breath,
or jumping up and down
when you hear good news.
It is the faithful companion
we have always been seeking,
this feeling of fullness
that follows us everywhere
we go, less like a shadow
trailing the body, and more
like a glimmer held in the heart
that promises never to leave.
DIA DE LOS MUERTOS
Our 2024 Día de Los Muertos altar installation has been made possible through the collective efforts of many, and we wish to thank everyone who contributed their time, creativity, and love.
Creative Re-Use classes led by Monica Lee & Aiko Cuneo brought together participants who painted calaveras (skulls) and frames with images of loved ones, created miniature table ofrendas, handcrafted flowers, printed decorative paper, cut papel picado, and molded plaster calaveras. We are also grateful to the students of Nomad Middle School, who joined us on a field trip to make paper calaveras.
Our ofrenda (altar) is a tribute to those we’ve loved and lost, a collective space of remembrance, and a symbol of loving support for one another. Thank you for being part of this meaningful journey.
CREATIVE CARTOGRAPHY
Maps mark beginnings and endings. They are an illustration of a route we take. Participants made these paper bag maps following prompts that guided their journey to find their creative selves.
postcards of inspiration created by dorot
Each postcard, whether delivered via US Post or email, serves as a tangible bridge between imagination and creativity. These works capture participants' observations, poetic discoveries, and unique points of view, translating deeply personal and imaginative spaces into evocative visuals and heartfelt messages. This collection is a testament to the power of art to articulate meaning, foster connection, and inspire mindfulness in everyday life.
Art of Discovery: Rhythms of Renewal
This group process explored rhythm, sound, impulse, and emotion through three distinct musical rhythms played during the creative act. Participants crafted linear structures enhanced by color, texture, and the use of positive and negative space, translating these sensory and emotional experiences into personal artistic expressions. Led by Teaching Artist dAniel Alvarado-Arias.
PRIDE PENNANT INSTALLATION: COMMUNITY WISHES & AFFIRMATIONS
This vibrant installation was created during a two-hour workshop with 30 older adult participants from San Francisco's Shanti Project and Curry Senior Center's LGBTQ+ affinity groups. Each pennant flag is adorned with heartfelt messages of hope, dreams, and affirmations, reflecting the collective strength, diversity, and resilience of our local LGBTQ+ community. Together, these flags embody the power of art to unite, inspire, and foster inclusivity. This project was led by Teaching Artist Mario Pires Cordeiro.
Tiny Creative Habits in action!
FULL EXHIBITION
This online exhibition presents a selection of the artwork in Tiny Creative Habits. Explore the full exhibition in person at RT gallery from January 9 - March 13, 2025.
GALLERY TAKEOVER
Tiny Creative Habits is a part of our Gallery Takeover program, a series of annual exhibitions that display the resulting works created through programs led by Creative Spark and Ruth’s Table.
SUPPORT RT
Ruth’s Table thanks our generous donors for ongoing support. Your support is vital and every gift matters.
