Just a few years ago, Mental Health Connecticut’s Independence Center (IC) in Waterbury would host a casual meet up of 3-4 individuals who showed an interest in the Arts. With the support of the Connecticut Community Foundation, today the program known as Mending Art reaches over 140 participants at the IC and hundreds more in the community. This year, MHC is expanding Mending Art to reach program participants in Stamford, Bridgeport, Danbury, Torrington, and West Hartford!
No one could predict that an art program would grow so quickly. Well, no one except for its creator, Amy Smith.
Amy believes there is an artist in each of us. She also believes that art has the power to change everything. Art is a gateway for our own healing and resiliency, it’s a bridge to building connection with others, and it’s a way to show the world that anything is possible.
“When an artist puts a body of their work together they are doing more than sharing their stories, they are sharing themselves. Art allows them to share visually. The art is the vehicle to the story that they might not have felt safe enough to share otherwise,” said Amy. “There is so much confidentiality in our field but it appears through art, people want their stories to be seen, heard, and felt by the larger community. They want to be known and they are proud and willing to be known through their art.”
Numerous studies and research prove how art is linked to wellness and recovery. For many living with a mental health condition, Mending Art has been a stepping stone towards rejoining the workforce, going back to school, reconnecting with family and friends, and becoming active in the community.
Mending Art is also helping to demystify what it’s like to live with a mental health condition. Support from the Connecticut Community Foundation has allowed MHC to expand Mending Art to more program participants, and to work with Boys and Girls Club of Greater Waterbury, MHC partners in the community mental health system, other MHC programs, nursing homes, libraries, coffee shops, galleries, and more.
Today, we are bringing awareness to the Power of the Arts. The Mending Art program is proof of that impact.
“When I was little I couldn’t talk very well. Drawing was a way of communication, I could use it to express myself. I was born in the United States but raised in Puerto Rico. I have been drawing forever. Drawing is peaceful and helps motivate me. I mostly use pencils and markers. I like to dance too. I like the salsa and merengue, I enjoy Latino and American music. I have been a member of the Independence Center for about nine months and I work in the art studio when I come in. I meet other people in the art studio, we talk about each other’s art. I enjoy other people’s art because it helps me to get more ideas! I like Picasso’s work because it gives you wisdom.” – Luis R.
“I like being able to express myself and show others that people are more than just their mental illness, we are sharing a gift. It’s fun and it makes me happy to be working on art. It is rewarding to finish a piece of art! I can’t believe my art is going to be in the Mending Art exhibit in Hartford, that’s a big thing!” – Bridget O.
“A big part of Mending Art for me is connecting with people. I’ve enjoyed talking with other artists in the studio, going on group visits to museums, meeting guest artists, and helping lead Mending Art groups at Waterbury Boys and Girls Club. It’s great to meet and talk with others about art in between shows. My art being received and appreciated by others in my community, encourages my spirit to avoid isolation; to ‘reach out,’ to hear and be heard, to see and be seen. I love the conversation that comes out of showing my work to others. I hope viewers will be encouraged to ask questions and engage in dialogue when they see my work.” – Frank R.
Donate to Mending Art
Through workshops, an open studio, trips to museums, learning from guest artists, community projects, and more, MHC’s artists find their own unique connection to art. We have new program participants joining every day. To ensure our artists have what they need to stay engaged, we need your support!
With your support, this program will continue to provide a safe environment for artistic expression for our program participants. Please give today! Your dollars will go directly to art supplies, educational materials, and other costs associated with this program. To make a donation, visit https://mhconn.networkforgood.com/projects/59251-mending-art
Thanks to our friends at the Amazon Smile Foundation, you also now have the option of making an in-kind donation to our program by purchasing art supplies on Amazon and having them shipped directly to the IC! (Note: You will need to log into your personal amazon account to view the wish list.)
Show us your support for the Arts and tell us how being creative helps you in your healing! Use the hashtag #31DaysofWellness and tag us at @mentalhealthCT on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
