CREATIVE MATTER

Creative Matter is a monthly arts and crafts program open to everyone in our community. Participants are sent all the supplies they need to join this fun, interactive, family friendly, online workshop.

Creative Matter began as an arts initiative founded by freelance artist, Jeremiah McCarthy and K-12 special education teacher, Riley Smith, who are both brain tumor survivors and mentors. Creative Matter instructors are members of the community who engage survivors and families in meaningful ways. The goal of the program is to foster creativity and help survivors and families find new ways to express themselves in a supportive environment.

Contact Kayla Giacin at kgiacin@cbtf.org for more information.

CREATIVE MATTER PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS

Marshall Fine

Paint & Sip Participant

Kate Murphy

Luciana Leeman

Connor Durkee

Ellory Branan

Kai Brown

Katie Nickerson

Niraj and Ariha Shah

Marshall Fine

OTHER CBTF ARTS & CREATIVE PROGRAMING FOR SURVIVORS AND FAMILIES

CBTF Arts and Creative Programming is designed to foster creativity and give survivors and family members new outlets for self-expression. Below are some examples of past programs.

See our monthly Events & Activities Newsletter for program updates.

PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOPS

Led by CBTF’s Social Media and Marketing Manager and survivor, Steven R. Hazlett, these special workshops teach teen and young adult survivors and their siblings to view every day objects creatively through the lens of a camera.

CBTF COOKS

CBTF Cooks is a monthly program designed to teach survivors and families about basic cooking skills and nutrition, all while having fun! Each month Chef Andrew Cover shares his knowledge and favorite recipes with the brain tumor community.

READ TO DOGS

In CBTF’s Read to a Dog Program, elementary and middle school age survivors and siblings spend time reading out loud to an attentive, non-judgmental dog. It’s all about gaining confidence and having fun. This program is done in partnership with People Animals Love (PAL).

POETRY

CBTF poetry workshops help young adult survivors put into their own words the many complex emotions they might have as a part of their journey. Led by teachers, professional poets and poetry lovers, these workshops are introspective and engaging.

DANCING

In collaboration with Passdoor, teen and young adult survivors learned to dance in a non-judgmental space with Broadway performers. Participants were invited to bring their interests and requests as part of the lessons.

THEATER

During the pandemic, CBTF and our friends at Camp Mak-A-Dream launched our first virtual play which allowed teen survivors and their siblings to shine! We completed our third play at the 2023 Holiday Webathon.

MEET THE FOUNDERS OF CREATIVE MATTER

Jeremiah McCarthy

I’m Jeremiah McCarthy, co-creator and co-founder of Creative Matter. Art has always been a part of my life but once I was diagnosed, it became a bigger outlet throughout my cancer treatment and now, my after treatment years. It started with drawing and now I’ve done everything from painting to metal sculptures. It’s an amazing feeling to create something.

When give the opportunity to teach art class for CBTF during quarantine, it was a great time and we had a lot of great feedback. It gave us a starting point to start Creative Matter and bring that amazing feeling of creating something to the CBTF Community.

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Riley Smith

My name is Riley Smith and I am the co-founder of Creative Matter. As a survivor myself, I have found art to be a creative outlet and a safe space to let my mind wander.

Art is also open to interpretation creating conversation starters and leaving no room for judgment. At the beginning of 2020, I joined one of my partners, Jeremiah’s art classes (co-founder). It inspired me to do more art and reminded me why I enjoyed it so much. My love for helping people, mixed with a little creative art therapy, our new virtual reality, and shared goals is when and how Creative Matter was born.

Your art is unique just like you!

Creative Matter is made possible through funding from the Jenna’s Rainbow Foundation.

Thank you for bringing the arts to brain tumor families across the country!