EMBER: What's Quietly Burning Inside You - And What Will It Ignite?
Our theme for April was EMBER. It was chosen by our Poulsbo chapter in Washington and illustrated by Sarah Gordon.
The literal meaning of ember is a small piece of burning or glowing coal or wood in a dying fire. But as a metaphor, it means so much more.
Our Poulsbo chapter had this to say about the significance of this month's theme:
👉“Embers represent the quiet, enduring remnants of fire—what remains after the intensity fades. They carry a smoldering potential, a subtle strength that holds heat long after the flames have gone. As a quieter community outside the city, we may not always burn the brightest, but we never burn out. Our spark lives in reflection, resilience, and the space we have to pause, think, and grow."
Here at St. Louis CreativeMornings we were thrilled to welcome Charlie Farrell of Counterpublic as our guest speaker for April!
📸: Justin Solomon
We met at MADE Makerspace and followed Charlie's talk with a tour of their space.
Charlie is a curator, researcher, and writer based in St. Louis, currently serving as the Assistant Curator of Counterpublic. A firm believer in the transformative power of the arts, she is dedicated to supporting artists through thoughtful scholarship and impactful programming.
Most recently, Charlie was the 2022–2024 Romare Bearden Graduate Museum Fellow at the Saint Louis Art Museum, where she collaborated across departments on major projects—including curating Wangechi Mutu: My Cave Call and Romare Bearden: Resonances, both opening in 2024.
Her experience also spans institutions like the Miami Museum of Contemporary Art of the African Diaspora and the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art.
Follow Charlie: https://www.instagram.com/artfully.thought/
More about Counterpublic: Located in St. Louis, Counterpublic connects art with lasting impact by bringing together bold ideas and the region’s most pressing challenges through artist_commissions, convenings, editions, and civic_initiatives.
Follow Counterpublic: https://www.instagram.com/counterpublic/
Many thanks to our Partner MADE Makerspace, home to The Front Room Store: MADE Makerspace is where St. Louis creates and connects—offering education, shared resources, and a collaborative community that provides a space to build and belong.
Follow MADE: https://www.instagram.com/made_makerspace/
CreativeMornings St. Louis gathers monthly on the last Friday to connect St. Louis's creative community around a shared theme.
🗓️ Next event: May 29
🕘 9-10am.
Theme: CREATE.
Location & Speaker to be announced.
Everyone is creative.
Everyone is welcome.
We'll see you there.
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If you are interested in volunteering, nominating a speaker, have food/beverage donation ideas, or any other inspirations, please reach out to us via email at stlouis@creativemornings.com.
