A Study of Love, Courage, and Happiness

By Mallory Shotwell, Lake Edge resident and Founder of Madison Community Discourse

Moving into the Lake Edge neighborhood in March, Mallory, her fiancé Chad, and her son Liam found themselves loving it right away.  They quickly got busy planting vegetable gardens, walking their dog, and riding down the long hills.  People often describe their house as living inside a treehouse, as the view from the top of the hill is incredible. 

Mallory is happy, not only because she loves the new neighborhood, but because she is studying it this year with her nonprofit Madison Community Discourse. She is the founder and executive director of this community arts nonprofit that connects community through art and discourse.  She believes that art and discourse are the solutions for change in the community, and connecting through that makes an incredible difference.  One less stranger and one more friend creates this stronger sense of belonging in our community. 

Founded in 2013, Madison Community Discourse (MCD) has studied a theme to connect people.  In the past, they have studied love and courage, and this year it is happiness.  It is an open-ended, universal experience that we can all share.  One neighbor’s happiness is different than another’s, but we can connect to that because we both had that moment.  MCD connects and strengthens community in three ways: interviews, community art workshops, and an exhibition at the end of the year.  They are conducting interviews this year to create a ‘portrait’ of what happiness is in the community.  Every age, race, gender, orientation, and background is included in this process.   

There are two workshops every month.  One is a hands-on art workshop, where visitors become participants as they engage in art and their own thoughts on happiness.  The other is a philosophical discussion group called ‘Happy Hour’ where everyone is invited to share in larger questions on what happiness is in our lives.  The exhibition is a multi-media interactive installation art show, where everyone who attends is invited to play, touch, create, and engage in the art.  While there are some 2d art pieces, most of the pieces are interactive in that they are not completed until people actively engage with it.  Artists will invite participants to ride on a bicycle to ‘light up your life’ (a light bulb installation that lights up with the user’s movements), typewriters on tables, video projections, headphones on the wall to listen to the interviews, and so much more.

MCD Exhibition Event

They are hosting the following workshops in November/December:

• Happy Hour: Discussion Group: Wednesday, November 16 at Harmony Bar and Grill, 6pm-8pm
• Thanks Making Art Workshop: Sunday, November 20 at Polka Press, from 1pm-4pm
• Happiness Interviews:  Saturday, December 10 at Java Cat, from 9am-12pm

Please visit their Facebook page or website to learn more about the events, activities, or to see the stories of happiness all over the city.