Students, staff, faculty, and the public are invited to explore the intersections of creativity, vulnerability, and emotional healing through art on Friday, Oct. 31, from 8:30-10 a.m. CDT, for the latest CreativeMornings event at Adler University in Chicago. Registration opens Oct. 24.
This month, CreativeMornings welcomes Sirimas Benz Amatayakul, a multidisciplinary artist, psychotherapist-in-training, and founder of The Dear Artists Project — a platform dedicated to normalizing conversations about mental and emotional health within the art community.
The event is the second of three talks Adler is hosting this fall in partnership with CreativeMornings, a global breakfast lecture series that celebrates imagination, connection, and purpose.
Since its founding in 2018, The Dear Artists Project has featured over 150 artists and artists-in-residence, sharing stories of resilience and amplifying the messages “You are not alone in your mental health struggles” and “Recovery is possible.”
Based in Oak Park, Illinois, Amatayakul brings a unique perspective that blends art, psychology, and community engagement. Rooted in painting, her creative practice centers on the pursuit of beauty and emotional resonance, inviting viewers into moments of reflection and connection.
First created in 2008 by Brooklyn-based designer Tina Roth Eisenberg, CreativeMornings emerged from a desire for an ongoing, accessible event for New York’s creative community. The concept was simple: a free talk and breakfast one Friday morning a month.
Today, CreativeMornings has expanded to cities around the world, with volunteer hosts and their teams organizing local chapters that not only celebrate a city’s creative talent but also create an open space to connect with other creative individuals. It’s now the world’s largest face-to-face creative community, hosting local events every Friday, virtual FieldTrips every week, and jobs postings via the CreativeGuild.
Last month, the University welcomed Tara Levy, founding executive director of the Liberated Arts Movement. Following Amatayakul’s talk, Adler University will host one additional CreativeMornings event this fall on Nov. 14, continuing the University’s partnership in celebrating creativity across Chicago.