Photo: AlexanderM | Pixabay
In front of Natalya Sheddan’s cottage in Laguna Beach, CA, stacks of brightly colored bricks line a picket fence. Some have delicate and intricate designs, others handprints, cartoon animals, and messages like “Live in gratitude.” They’ve been painted by local residents, and passersby are encouraged to take blank bricks home to adorn and add to the exhibit. Sheddan was in a “trying new things” phase of her life in 2022, exploring everything from surfing to painting. As part of her process, she tried expressing herself in a public way, which didn’t demand excellence – brick painting. Finding the experience liberating, she was soon encouraging others to try it. “This is not about the bricks or even the art,” she emphasized. “This is about human connections, a connection to yourself and a connection to others. We have a basic human need to express ourselves, feel heard, and to be a part of a community. The bricks are just a way to accomplish all that.”
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