At Shalom House we offer a variety of classes that appeal to the beginner as well as those who are looking to further their knowledge and skills. The diverse projects engage the clients’ visual and physical abilities and expand their sense of personal and creative potential. The benefits are many and varied as each individual brings a distinct perspective and life experience to their involvement with art. For some, attending the classes provides an ongoing therapeutic effect that helps lessen the intensity of their mental illness.

Artist: Frank Merrill Title: Mandalas Description: Oil Pastel on Paper

Many clients have attested to the benefits of this program in their lives, offering personal testimonials as to how an art class has helped them in very specific ways. The following quotes are a sample of the observations we’ve heard over the years:

• “The art program has helped me to discover where I fit in. I feel like a part of something for the first time in a long time.”
• “The class has given me something to get up in the morning for, I used to sleep all day.”
• “I have more motivation, since being in the classes I’ve been able to go back to a book project that I set aside and start writing again.”
  (Now works as a Peer Educator and Advocate)
• “Thank you for opening me up to try new and different things. I didn’t think I was capable of doing [this project] but since you were confident that I could do it, I figured I must be able to!”
• “I used to be an engineer and used my hands all the time, but since taking medications they shake so much I can’t do anything. The art classes have helped to calm my nerves and I’m surprised at how much I can accomplish now. (Went on to attend cooking school and now works in a restaurant)
• “I never thought that anyone would be interested in seeing something that I did.” (After participating in a public art exhibition)
• “Art is as much to me as living and breathing. Art class is a safe place. It’s all I’ve got.”
• “Thank God for art.”

Several participants in the Shalom House classes have continued to pursue their interest in art through Adult Education and at the Maine College of Art. Others have become involved with the local TV access channel and learned how to make videos that were then shown on the community station.

Over the years, Shalom House has continued to organize group shows where clients have the opportunity to exhibit and sell their work. These include “Discovering the Mask” at The Portland Public Library and “Celebrating the Heart and Mind” at the former Danforth Gallery. Shalom House artists participated in a juried group exhibition at the Space Gallery.

These examples illustrate the far-reaching and positive effects the Art Program can have on our clients. The opportunity to learn new skills and to explore one’s creative potential through self-expression can have powerful and lasting results. For an individual living with a psychiatric disability art can be an avenue for self-recovery, a tangible example of what is possible in their lives.