We Can Hear U

The WE CAN HEAR U Mission:

Our goal is to create safe spaces that encourage us as individuals to reconnect with ourselves. We utilize a simple form of artistic expression (finger paints) to “show” rather than “say” how we feel. These individual and group experiences foster a greater empathy for ourselves and others and model how powerful advocacy can be for the individual and the community. These expressions of personal creativity and communication can be kept private or shared here (online) with our international community to engage and inspire others.

The WE CAN HEAR U experience:

At our live events we create a safe, non-judgmental and sacred space. We provide the tools for your interactive art experience - paints/mirror/guided meditation & music, etc. You reconnect with yourself and express how you’re feeling with the body paints using your body as your canvas. You have the option to share your experience with us and our online community through photos/videos and possibly a recap interview.

You leave the experience feeling more grounded, more centered and more in touch with yourself. We’ve found that by being kind to ourselves we tend to be more kind, more empathetic and more connected to everyone else … and that.. can make the world a better place.

How YOU can participate:

• Attend an event near you - we will be announcing a variety of themed live events in 2021-2022 as the world reopens from the Covid crisis.

• Buy safe non-toxic body paints and create your own experience. Be sure to hashtag us and you may be featured on our social media/website.
  We’d love to hear (written or video testimonial) as to how the experience positively impacted you. #wecanhearu

The “WE CAN HEAR U” Backstory

Life can be difficult.

I'd been struggling with chronic pain since a car wreck in October 2017, and dealt daily with pain, frustration and depression. I had trouble putting into words the depths of the darkness I felt. So... I started exploring other ways to communicate - with myself and with others - and challenged myself to listen more closely to those around me to see if I can "hear" things they emote, but can't quite form the words for.

The original idea for We Can Hear U was to provide a group of "friends" with a sacred space and some bright colored body paints to "express" something they have had trouble putting into words. Being a filmmaker, I knew this could create an opportunity for stunning visuals that might inspire others as well.

So, I asked my dear friend (and little sister) from New Orleans, Nicole Lovince, to help me produce this project and we were able to convince some very courageous people to contribute. We shot the first test project in the very warm attic of the beautiful historic Women's City Club of Pasadena and were amazed at how the heat of the attic and the passion of our participants created an almost spiritual “sweat lodge” experience for all of us. (A big THANK YOU to our contributing "artists" - Elisabeth Fenning (IG: @lizfenningactorperson), Marquest Blalark (IG: @HollywoodQuest), Jeff Gold (IG: @jeffgoldmx) and Mitch Salem.)

We created a short video piece from the first live event matched to a beautiful new song called Watercolors by Jeff Gold, but I’ve also developed the idea much further. I am currently sharing the idea to find sponsorship to continue with a series of live events targeting specific people groups like abuse/assault survivors, individuals living with chronic pain, children or adults working their way through grief, as well as members of the LGBTQ community. I would also like to create a documentary created from real-life participant stories and an interactive online platform that encourages global participation. If you know someone who can help us reach out goal, please let us know.

Keep watching for upcoming LIVE events in your area, or if you’d like to host an event, please feel free to Contact Us.

Sincerely, Shanna Forrestall