The McCoy Gallery space at Community Creative Center in Fayetteville currently holds an extraordinary collection of works.
Peace at Home Family Shelter and Life Styles Inc. have teamed up to present two installations that will be viewable through the end of the month. The Peace at Home collection presents works by women and children who have escaped abusive relationships by taking refuge at the shelter.
FAQ
‘I’m a Survivor and I want you to know about…’
And ‘Selected Works’
WHEN — 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Saturday through March 30
WHERE — Community Creative Center at the Walton Arts Center’s Nadine Baum Studios in Fayetteville
COST — Free
INFO — 571-2706
FYI
‘Tree of Growth’
By Anita C.
“This is my own personal tree and tells the story of my life so far. The yellow for the roots and bottom of the tree represents the lack of nourishment and roots early in my life. I am the only daughter of two alcoholic, drug addicted parents. They had nothing within themselves to pass along to me. But as I got older and began school, I received acceptance and love from my teachers, hence the orange and red colors which show the tree attempting to come alive. The purple represents when I was an older teenager and into my 20s when I began getting help in therapy. I was still very ill, but I was learning about myself and making sense of where I came from. Blue represents my 30s and into my 40s and how much I have blossomed during those years. I am, and have been, seeing a very special therapist who has helped me to bloom and flourish into a self-sufficient woman. She has seen me grow flowers within myself and learn to love myself and accept myself just as I am. The blue sparkly birds are the winds I have grown to be able to fly and become independent of the abusers in my life. Notice on the tree there is still plenty of growth and change. Finally, the flowers on the bottom of the tree represent the gifts I am learning to give myself — love, acceptance, self-care.”
"These pieces were made by the Survivor Art Circle during their art therapy," says Barbara Putman, executive director of Community Creative Center. "It's a representation of our healing process. They have had such pain in their lives."
The works are divided into three sections: "I Didn't Know It Was Abuse," "Before and After" and "Hope and Healing." Through these subjects, the artists explore their journey through the terror and sadness of domestic abuse in to the freedom of escaping it.
"These works really make you think," Putman says. "Some of these works are representational, others are abstract. But they all come next to their artist statement. When you read their artist statement, it becomes hard to realize what these individuals have been through. These statements don't necessarily make you feel good."
One such artist statement is written by Anita, a woman still healing from years of domestic abuse as a child and adult, and hangs alongside her work titled "Tree of Growth."
"The artist who has created this tree did so because she was showing the different parts of her life," Putman says. "It struck me how much thought and care went into this piece. It's very representative of her healing."
Another group of artists, disabled clients of Life Styles Inc., are presenting their work as well.
"These artists are great," says Putman. "They have their own art group and access to art. This exhibition features some of their larger works."
Although many of larger works have only one artist, others are made through teamwork.
"Some of these are created by individuals, but many are done as a collaboration," she says. "This allows the artists to really work together on one piece." These collaborative efforts give the artists an accomplishment together, she says, uniting them and allowing them to share emotions that otherwise they may have trouble expressing.
"Many of these pieces are bold and colorful," Putman says. "They really make you feel good. I am so proud they could put them in our gallery. So proud to have both exhibitions. They're very inspiring, the pieces and the artists."
NAN What's Up on 03/14/2014