We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Rawan Ita-Diaz. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Rawan below.

Rawan, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today One of the most important things small businesses can do, in our view, is to serve underserved communities that are ignored by giant corporations who often are just creating mass-market, one-size-fits-all solutions. Talk to us about how you serve an underserved community.

The Art Spread provides a healthy creative outlet for artists with adversity and underserved communities by using artistic storytelling to build empathy and spread awareness. We immerse our artists and their work in communities through welcoming, inclusive events, making art accessible to people of all socioeconomic backgrounds. Our artists and the communities we serve engage with one another in virtual and in-person events.

At The Art Spread, every person has an opportunity to take part and share their story, creating an inviting, relatable, and supportive environment for all.

Our diverse collective of artists and members includes immigrants from repressive countries, people with disabilities, and other marginalized citizens whose creative voices have been silenced. Additionally, we partner with professional guest speakers and licensed therapists who share expertise and insight to promote self-awareness and societal wellness, showing how art can foster healthy growth and expression.

Rawan, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

As a Detroit-based creative with a Master’s Degree from Lawrence Technological University in Architecture & Design, I work in creative capacities to represent people with diverse-abilities and build a more inclusive culture.

I co-founded The Art Spread to let people living with adversity know that they are not alone. I entered the role of advocate and artist after a traumatic accident changed my life. My experience with trauma, pain, and solitude encouraged me to seek help and in turn, support others in need. The Art Spread represents those who feel lost and helpless, just as I did.

At The Art Spread, we lead artists with adversity to success and build a supportive community for everyone experiencing mental, physical, and societal challenges.

We provide a path for artists with adversity to success and financial stability. These goals are accomplished through deep mentorship and by equipping each artist to tell their stories through art.

I am proud of the work we do to make art accessible and promote wellness through art. We invite everyone to paint with us at our Art-and-Adversity Awareness Workshops which are accessible through in-person and virtual attendance. We curate Adversity Awareness Art Exhibitions that showcase our artists’ work and provide resources to the community.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

After a traumatic and life-changing car accident that caused lasting injuries, I lost my strength and independence. I felt hopeless and unworthy. All I had worked for came to a startling halt and I was forced to adjust to a new version of my life.

I was desperate to find ways to cope with anxiety, depression, and PTSD. I began exploring creative outlets that my body could physically tolerate. I discovered fluid art, particularly a technique that involved pouring paint from large cups which did not require much use of my fine motor skills. I began making mess after mess and fell in love with the therapeutic creative process. My paintings are a raw expression of my life experiences. Some pieces are haunting while others are joyous. Each piece has a story to tell.

I realized I was not alone in my pain and that other people had stories of overcoming adversity. I wanted to support them as they found their voice and bravely shared their story.

Through faith and perseverance, I found my purpose in art and thus, The Art Spread was formed.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

The Art Spread wants to inspire every artist to achieve their goals, provide access to the arts for every community, and bring awareness to every art piece telling a story of adversity.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://theartspread.org/
• Instagram: @The.Art.Spread
• Facebook: The Art Spread
• Linkedin: The Art Spread
• Youtube: The Art Spread
• Other: Email: [email protected]

Image Credits
Photo Credit: Peter Kim, Manny Olmedo