As the Voices project took shape last year, many of the participants found a space to express their unspoken history of struggle, pain, and loss. These veterans have found it difficult to return to civilian life after risking their lives to serve our country, and some battle with alcohol or prescription drugs. But the Voices…
Recently, 75 Arizona high school kids participated in one of the Healing in Arts workshops. After watching The Scarlet Cord film, the students created paintings for their own exhibit on sex trafficking. They also invited family members and friends to write healing messages on 750 wooden hearts. The inspiring notes will be given to survivors…
A decade ago, a group of beautiful women from Congo caught my attention with their brightly colored dresses. When I went over to meet them. I introduced myself as an artist. Immediately, their American sponsor asked if I would be willing to paint their portraits and tell their stories for ArtPrize. This yearly art event…
As an artist without borders, my work demonstrates how art can engage participants by activating new creative spaces. In November, I traveled to Austin, Texas, to present my interactive art at the Christians in the Visual Arts (CIVA) conference. My presentation and workshop showed fellow artists how to connect with an audience through a collaborative…
Healing Imprint: This multi-media collage series embodies the history, suffering, and grief of our neighbors, while exploring cultural conflict in a new way. The scattered placement of random forms on the raw canvas portrays the disconnect. In life and in art, our personal narratives define us. But strangers’ stories also matter, because they are part…
Throughout 2020, we faced a pandemic with prolonged isolation. But the Yellow Ribbon project proved to be an important opportunity to help galvanize the West Michigan veteran community. Everyone appreciated the chance to be part of something bigger than themselves. While we learned new lessons about resilience, one of our Gulf War vets lost his…