Dear friends,
As we have shared, The Helis Foundation John Scott Center recently sustained damage to the facade of our building that has forced us to temporarily close the center. While our building may have been impacted, our spirits remain firmly grounded. This moment is but a footnote in the larger story of the John Scott Center—a story of resilience, creativity, and community.
Rest assured, the work will not stop. Our programming and initiatives to share the legacy of John Scott and uplift our community will continue to thrive. We remain committed to telling the powerful stories that inspire us all, finding creative ways to engage and connect as we navigate this chapter.
Your continued support means the world to us, and we look forward to seeing you at one of our upcoming programs soon. Together, we’ll carry forward John Scott’s vision with unwavering dedication.”
--Brandon V. Lewis, director of The Helis Foundation John Scott Center
Want to stay on top of the center's busy spring schedule? Sign up to receive emails from us and stay in the loop on all of our events, updates, and more at our link in bio. #johntscott #passiton #johnscottcenter #artforall
A mil gracias to my friend and artist Brandon V. Lewis, Director of the @johnscottcenter for Saturday's free workshop, Novice Papermaking: Handmade Cards, with teaching artist @miaisabel_pons . Our enthusiastic, multi-generational group were able to get hands-on (and very wet) almost immediately while we learned about Western sheet paper forming techniques.
And Mia's instruction included advice on how to find affordable or free materials to keep our artistic practice going at home with mindful, earth-friendly and sustainable intentions. We worked with a pulp blend Mia called her "Louisiana Mix": recycled cotton, water hyacinth, willow, bamboo and banana bark/stems.
Those who follow me, know that this is the second time this week I've shared a learning about what can be done with our city's abundant banana plants. Y'all, I love it vey much when community art classes are so deeply rooted in our special coastal Louisiana cultural landscape.
I also know from my days of organizing indigo dying community programs how much Gen X and Millennial women of color are a key audience for hands-on, traditional culture and maker workshops in the South, so I was not surprised that they filled the room. Take note museum world.
Thanks Brandon and Mia.
#HelisFoundationJohnScottCenter
#LouisianaEndowmentfortheHumanities
#LEH
This morning at the CAC, the Helis Foundation John Scott Center hosted a Novice Papermaking workshop focused on handmade cards.
Participants learned how to pull sheets from prepared pulp and transform them into unique handmade works. A great morning of learning, creating, and passing it on!!!
Ready for our next workshop??? Join us on Saturday, May 16, from 10 a.m. to noon for "Novice Papermaking: Handmade Cards," where you'll learn how to pull handmade sheets from prepared pulp. Using traditional papermaking tools and techniques, participants will create beautiful handmade papers that can be transformed into personalized cards and keepsakes.
Secure your spot at tinyurl.com/JSCpaper
#johnscottcenter #neworleansartworkshop
Today’s Beginning Relief: Stamp Making workshop was an incredible success, bringing together creativity, curiosity, and hands-on exploration in a truly inspiring way. Participants immersed themselves in the art of relief printing, learning to design and carve their own stamps while discovering the beauty of translating simple ideas into bold, expressive prints.
Beyond the technical skills, the experience deepened everyone’s appreciation for John Scott’s genius and innovative spirit. #PassItOn
Mark your calendars for one of our upcoming workshops! We're currently registering for our April 18 "Beginning Relief: Stamp Making" workshop, where you'll design and carve your own stamp. Visit tinyurl.com/JSCstamps to sign up.
To be notified when registration opens for our other workshops:
🎨 Follow us on Facebook at The Helis Foundation John Scott Center and Instagram @johnscottcenter
🎨 Follow us on Eventbrite: tinyurl.com/JSCenter
🎨 Sign up for our email list: tinyurl.com/JSCemail
Registration is now open for our next workshop, "Beginning Relief: Stamp Making," taking place on Saturday, April 18. Participants will learn how to design and carve their own stamp while exploring the basics of relief printing and creating unique designs that can be printed on paper and other surfaces.
Register for this free workshop at tinyurl.com/JSCstamps
Thank you to everyone who came out to today’s kitchen lithography workshop at the Contemporary Arts Center in New Orleans. The event went very well, and the room was full of creativity and curiosity as participants explored lithography techniques using everyday household materials.
Thank you to the CAC (@cacnola ) for continuing this meaningful partnership. We are already looking forward to our next program in April.
We still have a few spots left for our Kitchen Lithography workshop this Saturday at the Contemporary Arts Center in New Orleans. This is going to be a fun one, using everyday household objects to create unique pieces of art. Register at tinyurl.com/JSClitho
#johnscottcenter #neworleansartworkshop
In the Southern Black church tradition—whether Baptist or Catholic—worship is never quiet or colorless. It is vibrant, expressive, and adorned. Hats become theology. Posture becomes testimony.
"Hail Mary, Girl, look who just walked in the door" carries a playful wink born from that culture, where reverence and personality sit side by side on the same pew. It feels like a whisper passed down a wooden row: "Hail Mary... look who just walked in." Equal parts humor and homage.
The piece, by our very own The Helis Foundation John Scott Center Director Brandon V. Lewis, is one of four up for bids in our Bright Lights Awards Auction. Proceeds from the auction benefit Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities' programs such as The Helis Foundation John Scott Center.
Bid now: tinyurl.com/BLauction
#brightlightsawards #johnscottcenter
Join us Saturday, March 28, at the @cacnola for a fun workshop using everyday household materials to create striking prints! This workshop offers an introduction to the principles of lithography while encouraging experimentation and creativity in a relaxed studio setting.
The workshop is free, but please register in advance at tinyurl.com/JSClitho
#johnscottcenter #nolaartclasses
