Art Cellar Brings Light to Mental Health Community in Greensburg with Help from Seton Hill

Ron Weaver had the idea for the Art Cellar for years and - with the help of Seton Hill students - clients of Mental Health America of Southwestern Pennsylvania (MHA-SWPA) now have a bright, happy space to express themselves.

Weaver’s vision, along with grant funding from the Staunton Farm Foundation, turned a former print shop basement in the renovated schoolhouse that MHA-SWPA calls home from a dark industrial space to a welcoming, cozy place for creating.

Renovations of the 2,000 square foot area in South Greensburg began in 2017 with support from the Community Foundation of Westmoreland County, with later funding from the Staunton Farm Foundation expanding the scope of the project to renovating the entire basement and making the space fully accessible. After COVID-related delays, renovations were completed in early 2024.

While a community group art program had existed at MHA-SWPA’s drop in center in Latrobe, the space was multi-purpose, with limited storage for art-making supplies. Seton Hill has had an ongoing relationship with MHA-SWPA and the undergraduate pre-art therapy program for more than a decade. When Peyton Corsetti ’24 completed her fieldwork in 2023 at the Latrobe drop-in space, she kept hearing about the Art Cellar project.

The staff of MHA-SWPA and Peyton had a great connection and when it came time to stock and fit out the space this past summer, Weaver asked Peyton if she would like to come back and help launch the Art Cellar project. Even though Peyton has had a full schedule since graduating, she managed to squeeze in time to help launch the project she’d been hearing about.

“They liked what I did during my time there and we had kept in contact,” Peyton said. “When I came back, I heard ‘Peyton, it’s nice to see you again’ from the clients.”

Thanks to a key program grant from Westmoreland Human Services, Inc., Peyton had a budget to buy the supplies she thought would be the best choice for the initiative and allow for a range of different activities, as well as the opportunity to work with MHA-SWPA clients in the Art Cellar first to figure out what items she wanted. Knowing that the Seton Hill art therapy space works well for creating art, she organized the Art Cellar similarly so that the next Seton Hill student would be welcomed into the space and have an immediate sense of familiarity.

“The Art Cellar would not be possible without Peyton,” said Weaver. “She took the space we created and made it come to life.”

Another aspect that Peyton was conscious of was decorating the space.

“My goal was to make the space feel lived in and showcase the clients’ personalities in how we decorated the room. I wanted them to see their art when they came in,” Peyton said. “These clients are often told ‘no’ or ‘do this’ in their daily lives. By providing this space and allowing them a choice of the supplies, it aids in promoting their autonomy and building their confidence.”

While the initial space transformed from a dark cellar to a clean white canvas, after the summer’s sessions colorful art can now be found throughout - with paper lanterns hanging from the ceiling and large canvases made as group projects filling the walls.

“Looking back, I’m very proud of how the space came to be,” she said. “Having this type of space provides a sense of dignity and a place where people can feel respected.”

Peyton was happy to work with Weaver and his staff this summer while her schedule permitted and bring something she had been hearing about for years into practice. At the end of her contract, she returned to her full-time job - and full-time graduate studies - this fall but hopes to work with the Art Cellar again as availability permits.

Following in Peyton’s footsteps, senior Lauren Sauka is leading programming twice a week at the Art Cellar throughout the fall semester.

As the first Seton Hill pre-art therapy student to conduct fieldwork in the new space, Lauren is using the knowledge she gained in the five preparatory classes taught by art therapists as part of her major to guide her. She has also been letting the clients and the materials at hand give her direction.

“I’ve learned to go with the flow. It was intimidating at first but I’ve become more calm and confident as the semester has gone on,” Lauren said. “I am amazed with the available resources and the space. The Art Cellar is an incredible resource and a real benefit to the community.”

Fieldwork Takes Classroom Knowledge to Real-World Settings

Currently Seton Hill has more requests for undergraduate pre-art therapy student placements than they are able to fulfill, giving students a choice of where they would like to complete their fieldwork. Students typically interview with the organizations they are considering in the spring and complete their fieldwork in the fall of their senior year, with some students staying on through the spring depending on the situation.

The fieldwork class meets weekly during the semester. In a workshop format, students bring the challenges and success from their experiences to the group, working with Assistant Professor of Art Therapy Jennifer Beasley and their classmates to process what is happening with their work, see what might be applicable from others’ experiences to their own site, and offer suggestions about the challenges their fellow students are facing.

Fieldwork is an important part of the undergraduate curriculum, taking the knowledge students have acquired in the classroom for the previous three years and putting it into practice in an independent setting. Fieldwork also allows undergraduates to see if they might want to pursue a graduate degree in art therapy.

“There’s a difference between making art and making art with people,” said Beasley. “Our coursework adds building blocks in a gradual way and fieldwork gives our students space to test and use the theories they have learned in the classroom. They can also see if they might want to continue their studies to pursue art facilitation in a clinical setting.”