Dreamseeds at Gallery CA | Move Slowly | Events | Hannah Brancato | Ama Chandra

Dreamseeds is a visionary exhibition and community healing space, co-created by Hannah Brancato and Sanahara Ama Chandra.

Welcome to Dreamseeds: where you are invited to dream in times of chaos.

Created by Hannah Brancato and Sanahara Ama Chandra, Dreamseeds is a space for making art that moves people from isolation to collective experiences by working with old histories and materials to imagine something new. Dreamseeds cultivates space for visionary and just futures. This socially engaged artistic project and workshop is grounded in our belief that both individual and collective pain and bliss can spark new ideas. These are the seeds with which people can create a more just world.

This project, includes an ever changing series of elements, from various hands on processes like paper making and basket making, a visual art installation, workshop series, sound art, and card deck. Each are avenues to learn from those dreaming and fighting their way into freedom.  It is an homage to their persistence, vision and power.

Dreamseeds launched in 2021 and is inspired by five interviews between Hannah Brancato and anti-sexual violence activists Ignacio Rivera, Jadelynn St Dre, Alexis Flanagan, Sanahara Ama Chandra and Nuala Cabral, and conversations from a series of workshops in Baltimore.

Project History

Dreamseeds began as a series of conversations. In 2020, Hannah interviewed five anti-sexual violence activists to learn about what sustains them in social movements. From these conversations with Nuala Cabral, Ama Chandra, Alexis Flanagan, Ignacio Rivera, and Jadelynn St Dre, and a series of reflective conversations between Hannah and Ama, the collaborators realized that visions for the future were the most important piece of wisdom that each person shared. Scan the QR code below to hear those original interviews.

In 2021, Hannah and Ama joined together to create the vision for Dreamseeds. It would be a socially engaged project that, through visual art, sound healing, and workshops, was designed for dreaming. That year, they were honored to receive the Rubys Artist Grant, which is a program of the Robert W. Deutsch Foundation. This funding made it possible for the two artists to launch their collaboration, Dreamseeds, in an exhibition at Gallery CA featuring a paper making and sound healing workshop series, soundscapes, audio interviews, portraits of the original five activists, and a response wall made of recycled paper. Building on the themes of learning from the past and composting the old into the new. 

Dreamseeds Reflection Cards

The Dreamseeds reflection cards are finally here! These cards feature quotes and questions that invite you to reflect on your own dreams and the relationship between these visions and a more just world.

Each deck includes 31 cards printed on a high quality, coated paper. They are 2.75x4.75", the size of a deck of Tarot cards. Visit us here to place your order.

Images from our 2022 Move Slowly: Dreamseeds Exhibition

Move Slowly: Dreamseeds features visual and sound “portraits” of five anti-sexual violence activists: Ignacio Rivera, Jadelynn St Dre, Alexis Flanagan, Sanahara Ama Chandra, and Nuala Cabral; and workshop participants from a series of five community workshops in Baltimore. These pieces create a heart filling homage to those who are dreaming and fighting their way into freedom, and a roadmap to help us head in that direction.

You are invited to witness these stories and be part of an immersive and warm installation of textiles, sound, interactive components, and workshops, sharing your own reflections and visions for the future. During this exhibition, Gallery CA will be activated by an interactive installation, holistic healing workshops, art and music making, meditation, and other experiences centered on creating and sharing visions for a more just future.

Move Slowly: Dreamseeds is the launch of a new and ongoing collaboration between Sanahara Ama Chandra and Hannah Brancato. Updates about workshop programming and more will be at: dreamseeds.art.

Featuring artworks and music from our workshop series, created by:

1st and 2nd Graders from the Summer Arts and Learning Academy at Moravia Park Elementary School, Abby Becker, Amelia, Darlene Williams, Elaine Lee, Emily Wisniewski, Floyd Vines, Inol R., James Mcleod, Jennifer Folayan, Joanne Adelung, Katie O'Keefe, Kawanda Williams, Linwood Ransome, Llewelyn Butler, Mae Lee Brown, Martin Singleton, Melissa Foss, Mya Green, Nova R., Phillip Campbell, Quan Harris-Thorton, Quon Jones, Ranzinka Manning, Ronald Bailey, Sarah Bowman, Sharon Simms, Valeska Populoh, Vivian Dunbar.

The original concept and creation of Dreamseeds was made possible with the generous support of the 2021 Ruby’s Artist Grant.