Last week I gave a presentation at Sophiella Gallery in Mobile, AL. It’s a stunning showroom right on Dauphin Street in the heart of Old Town. My student’s artwork was on display most of the month of January because this is the FIRST annual ART in Recovery month.
I have teamed up with the Drug Education Council to bring awareness to the fact that ART is a powerful tool in the recovery process. Hence…
The 3 people in the picture above are Virginia Guy, Director of the Drug Education Council, Kim Kelly, owner of the Sophiella Gallery, and David Grayson, who lost a daughter to an opioid overdose. The art piece that was selected to represent this initiative was a past student’s, who titled her finger painting “HOPE”.
The word RECOVERY is all encompassing. It covers addictions (alcohol, drugs, opioids), abuse (mental, verbal, physical, sexual), brain injuries, eating disorders, bullying, etc. ART helps us to see ourselves clearly. When we step back and observe our situation we have a better understanding of what is really happening. NOW & FUTURE is the FIRST art lesson I have with my students in recovery. All ages can benefit from this lesson.
I have found in my 40+ years of teaching art that when we have a visual of where we want to go and who we want to be… our way there becomes easier.
ART is a visual, clear and precise.
If we can imagine it… we can get there.
I will be giving my last presentation of the month this Wednesday at 3pm in the Fairhope Public Library.
Stay tuned.
