Fostering a sense of community among residents, the recent Coffee and Canvas Program at Bernard Hall provided students with a chance to connect with their peers while indulging in artistic expression.

On Nov. 28, a handful of Bernard Hall residents participated in this creative social event. 

The first eight residents to arrive were rewarded with free Starbucks frappuccinos and all participants had the opportunity to paint.

The Coffee and Canvas event centered on the theme of nature, and had an underlying theme of recycling and being eco-friendly to care for the environment.

Lyric Williams, a resident adviser at Bernard Hall, said, “We’re trying to raise awareness on sustainability and recycling on campus.”

Residents were prompted to create a nature scene on a 5-by-7-inch canvas, using a vibrant array of paint colors and an assortment of paintbrush shapes.

Participants dove right into the painting and created a variety of nature scenes including Christmas trees, forest scenes, flowers and sunsets. 

Bernard resident Kirara Matsubara painted a scene of one tree split into two seasons. 

The left side showed orange and red leaves falling in front of an orange sky. 

The right side showed a pink Japanese cherry blossom blooming before a blue sky. 

Matsubara said events like these are enjoyable because she enjoys painting and it provides her an opportunity to meet with new people. 

For Amelie Zammit, another Bernard resident, painting while away from home is difficult because she doesn’t have the supplies, but the Canvas and Coffee event creates a space where she can do what she loves without needing to spend any extra money. 

She highlighted that having a set schedule for events like these is helpful for her. 

“Sometimes I don’t have enough money or time,” Zammit said. 

Zammit said having one scheduled hour dedicated to painting allows her to take a reasonable and relaxing break from school. 

Lyric Williams said that events like these are important for students living on UCA’s campus because “It gives them something to do outside of just work,” she said. “It’s also good for networking and meeting new people.” 

Throughout the event, conversations flourished as each person there learned something new about the people around them.

Many international students were present and shared their experiences of visiting the United States for the first time and the tedious and expensive processes that had to be completed to attend UCA.

“I just hope that they [students] meet new people and develop a sense of belonging,” Williams said.