SEPTEMBER 2014
NEWSLETTER
HEALING ART BOXES - DELIVERY TO 1,000 UNDERPRIVILEGED CHILDREN
Mission
Supporting emotional healing through art & creative expression for those living with pain, grief, fear or stress.
23011 Moulton Parkway, Suite I-5, Laguna Hills, CA 92653 Ph: 949.367.1902 | Fx: 949.367.1904 info@art4healing.org | www.art4healing.org
Every year ACFH coordinates Art Box donations and supplies for 1,000 Healing Art Boxes for Underprivileged Children
Click Here to Visit Our Fundraising Leader Page
A “Healing Art Box” is a special shoebox filled with 10 different art supplies distributed to a child 6-14 years old experiencing hardship such as death of a loved one, divorce in the family, numerous deployments in a military family, chronic illness or the stress of economic hardship. Through drawing, painting, and creative expression these children can say things they often have no words for.
• American Family Housing Shelter (homeless children)
• Camp Pendleton
(children of the deployed)
• CHOC Hospital
(children in long-term care and their siblings)
• FaCT Program - Orangewood Children’s Foundation
(families experiencing economic hardship)
• Illumination Foundation
(homeless children and their families)
• OC Rescue Mission
(homeless children and their families)
• Project Hope Alliance (homeless children)
• Someone Cares Soup Kitchen (homeless children)
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About Art & Creativity for Healing Founded in 2000, Art & Creativity for Healing, Inc. is a nonprofit organization committed to helping children and adults process their feelings of pain, grief, fear or stress using the medium of painting on canvas. Art & Creativity for Healing provides classes taught by Founder/Director Laurie Zagon and her team of highly-qualified facilitators at our studio and on-site at nonprofit community organizations. Through programs offered in collaboration with more than 35 hospitals, schools, military bases, treatment facilities and nonprofit agencies, Art & Creativity for Healing has facilitated Art4Healing® workshops for more than 40,000 children and adults in the Southern California region since it was founded. The Art4Healing® method was originally developed by Zagon in New York City in 1987 as a workshop designed to help busy executives deal with stress. Zagon and Art & Creativity for Healing’s Board of Directors actively raise funds throughout the year by soliciting individuals, corporations and foundations for gifts and donations. For more information, please call (949) 367-1902 or visit our website at www.art4healing.org
EXECUTIVE BOARD Matthew B. Burnias Board Treasurer Financial Associate, Thrivent Financial Don Goodwin Board Vice President Executive Vice President, Goodwin Co. Sue Stinson Board Chair Volunteer for community programs
Claudia Galambos Board Member OptumRx Manager, Quality Management, OpX
Laurie Zagon-Sorrentino Board Member Founder/Director Art & Creativity for Healing, Inc. Artist/Educator/Author
Erica Jones Board Member Associate Director, Workforce Development Operations and Analytics, Verizon Wireless
STAFF
BOARD MEMBERS
Casey Kindiger Board Member Generation e Holdings/ Board Member
Sharlene Baker Board Member Educator and Arts Advocate
Michelle Moreno Board Member Operations Manager, Zumysas
Sandra Bohi Board Member Business Owner/ Entrepreneur
Jennifer Boles Sanders Board Member Community Advocate
Sherri Elgas Board Member Community Advocate and Speaker
Laurie Zagon Founder/Director Art & Creativity for Healing, Inc. Artist/Educator/Author laurie@art4healing.org Amber Harness Project and Event Manager Art & Creativity for Healing, Inc. amber@art4healing.org
Michelle Stogden Board Member Executive Assistant to the Executive Director of St. Joseph Health Home Health, Hospice, Infusion Pharmacy, Private Duty 3
STUDENT CORNER JESSICa’s STORY A StorY from ONE OF our CAMP PENDLETON MARINE BASE WOUNDED WARRIORS WHO PARTICPATED IN AN ART4HEALING WORKSHOP(S)
The last week of February 2014, I was sent to Camp Pendleton to be attached to MAG-39 (Marine Aircraft Group). My mission was to attend the In/Out Patient program for further recovery. Resistant at first, I just wanted to make it through the eight weeks in the hopes that I would be able to continue on with my career. Attending the counseling sessions and group classes helped, but after having already been through two rehabilitations, obviously something was missing that was not allowing me to continue to heal. When I arrived and began the In/Out Patient program, I was pleased to find out that there were art, dance, yoga, and tai chi classes available each day. Dancing was something I already knew helped me stay balanced since it was my career prior to the Marine Corps. Yoga and tai chi, which also involved the use of connecting the mind and body, was also something I was familiar with and found comfort in doing. Then I discovered the Art4Healing class. I remembered loving art in elementary school, but I hadn’t done anything remotely close to art since I was that young. When I arrived to my first Art4Healing workshop, I found the tables set up in a horse shoe shape. They were covered in plastic and individual place setting for twelve people were already set up. At each place there was a plastic apron, bottle of water, cup, plate, sponges, q-tips, paper towel, and many small containers each with a different color acrylic paint inside. Throughout the class we were instructed to paint with different prompts. We did not have an object to look at to paint—we were to paint our feelings. Sometimes we could use only one or two colors to illustrate the emotions that were brought up inside of us as we listened to each prompt. This is much 4
harder than it sounds. Personally, I found great joy in painting things that were happy or that made me feel good. When asked to paint about fear, pain, sadness, anger, this is where I found difficulty. Coming to this eight week In/Out Patient program I did not want to dig deep into my feelings. I was tired of reliving the past two years over and over again. I only came to make my Command happy. When I was asked to paint these difficult feelings, I found that it was doing no good keeping them shoved down deep inside me. As I would paint these emotions, the memories would surface, the tears would begin to fill in my eyes, and I could feel some of the same sensations as I had when I had gone through those trying times. This then allowed me to open up more in group and let out some of what I was bottling up. After a couple of weeks, I began to realize how great I felt after the Art4Healing classes and decided to stop by Michael’s to pick up some canvas and paint to bring to my room. Practically every day and every weekend I would spend time painting in my room. Although I was not painting feelings, I found that finding images online that would be fun to create or creating my own works brought just as much satisfaction and release. The time spent in front of the canvas gave me time to meditate and lower my anxiety level. I loved being able to go to my room at lunch after a rough morning of sessions or being able to do the same at the end of the day and release it all through the creation of something. By the time my eight weeks were drawing to a close at Camp Pendleton, I had a majority of the space on all four walls covered with my paintings from the Art4Healing classes and with art I had created on my free time. When it was time to go back to Yuma, I was not looking forward to returning. Being removed from reminders such as people, places, and things, had helped but the thought of being plopped right in the middle of all of it again made me sick to my stomach and dread would wash through me with the thought of it. Before arriving in Yuma I had put on a positive mindset and was determined that I could stand taller and stronger there.
The day I arrived back in Yuma, my Command had no idea I was coming back. There was no place in a shop for me and they weren’t sure where I was going to go. I was accused of not contacting the unit while I was away and sat in the Administration office for almost two hours. Needless to say, by that point the positive mindset walked out the door and it felt as though I had never left. All the feelings of hatred, disappointment, sadness, and anxiety crept back in. I hadn’t even been back for half a day and I was already ready to flip a table. Other disappointments and frustrations have surfaced since my return to Yuma, but it’s different now because I have an outlet to express myself through painting. I always make sure that I have paint and canvas on hand. For the first several weeks back in Yuma, I would paint during my lunch break and after work as well. Besides the gym, it has been the only thing to calm me, level me, and help me find a balanced, positive spot in my life. As a couple of months have passed, people began to see my artwork during room inspections or when I would randomly post one on Facebook. I created a few Disney characters for my friend’s children and a couple of other paintings upon request. Several times the question was brought up whether I was starting to make commission on them and that I should because they were very good. Never in my wildest dreams did I think that I would be able to sell art pieces of my own. Then one day I was asked to paint Winnie the Pooh characters for a baby room and that they wanted to pay me for them. I agreed and then really started to wonder if I could do this. I had originally started a blog site for my college class and thought this would also be a great place to display my artwork. I posted paintings and then advertised my blog on Facebook. Within 10 minutes someone already wanted to buy two pieces! I sold more and more and eventually started to receive requests for specific works. So far I have sold twelve pieces and hope that I am able to continue. With the recent paintings sold I have decided to start giving 10% of the profit to the Edith Sanford Breast Cancer Foundation. It only feels right to give something to a good cause with being blessed enough to be able to sell things I’ve created. If it wasn’t for the Art4Healing class in Camp Pendleton, I’m not sure I’d be in the mental and physical shape I am in now. Thank you so much for such a wonderful and rewarding opportunity. I am forever grateful for this healing tool.
Participants in our Art4Healing® workshop held at Camp Pendleton Marine Base.
by Jessica Weisner, Art4Healing® Student 5
FACILITATOR’S CORNER Stories from our Art4Healing® FACILITATORS
Being a facilitator for Art & Creativity for Healing since 2002 has given me many opportunities to work with children, teens, and PTSD military. The venue closest to my heart is Human Options Shelter and the hundreds of women that have passed through our program. They arrive at the shelter with nothing but the clothes on their back–some with children in tow. They are scarred, afraid, and physically and emotionally damaged. The women have ranged in age from 17 to 84 years old and have come from all walks of life–a Judge, a 24 year old pregnant woman with 7 children, an elderly great grandmother in a walker. Many times we have them in our workshop within just 24 hours of arriving to Human Options. Many have bruises and black eyes–all are raw with anger and sadness. Our workshop presents them with a safe way to release pent up emotions built up over years of abuse.
At the beginning of the class, they are painting with lots of black and red symbolizing their feelings of rage being in their situation. As they progress in the 2-3 month stay at the shelter the colors lighten and the painted images change from sadness and anger to hope and plans for their future. Human Options provides them with housing, counseling, job applications, and court counsel. ACFH provides them with a way to express their personal experiences in a creative healing way. They sign and date each canvas. As they progress and are ready to transition out of the shelter they are encouraged by their counselors to review their paintings from their first workshop to the last. They are amazed at the change in colors from darkness to light, images of violence to self-confidence and positive plans for their future. This is always an “ahhh moment” for them and once again proves the success of the basic principles of the Art4Healing method. by Lynne Everett Art4Healing® Facilitator
HUMAN OPTIONS 2014 OUTCOME STATISTICS/REPORT SUMMARY Art & Creativity for Healing, Inc. is thrilled to announce the findings from an Outcome Evaluation Report for our program at Human Options, an Irvinebased women’s shelter that provides a safe haven to abused women and their children. DoctorS Nonprofit Consulting (DNC) completed the evaluation using data collected from 765 workshop questionnaires from 2011-2014. Hispanic/Latino(a) Americans made up 46% and Caucasians made up 35% of program participants. Irvine was the city of residence for most (88%) of the workshop participants due to the location of the shelter. 6
“Expressing Feelings with Color” was the title of 76% of workshops while “Paint to Feel, Paint to Heal” was the title of another 22%. The top two psychological reasons reported by participants for taking a workshop was abuse (87%) followed by depression/ sadness (29%). 84% of participants strongly agreed that the workshop was better than expected, 79.4% strongly agreed that the workshop helped them express their emotions, and 77.7% strongly agreed that they felt better after the workshop. 85% of workshop participants also strongly agreed that the instructor was approachable and seemed to care about them.
96% of participants were satisfied with their workshop. 82% of the participants strongly agreed that they would refer a friend or family member to this workshop. 80% strongly agreed that they themselves would take another workshop from the program. The evaluations indicated an overall agreement that the Art & Creativity for Healing instructors are caring and that participants are overall satisfied with the workshops. To read full report please click here or visit http://www.art4healing.org/about/ researc-reports/
Upcoming Workshops Sept., OCt., Nov., & Dec. 2014 Expressing Feelings with Color
Art4Healing® Disappointment & Loss
Sunday, September 28, 2014 - 2:00 - 5:00 PM Sunday, October 26, 2014 - 2:00 - 5:00 PM Sunday, November 23, 2014 - 2:00 - 5:00 PM Sunday, December 28, 2014 - 2:00 - 5:00 PM
Saturday, October 11, 2014 - 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
This monthly 3-hour workshop teaches participants how to express their feelings with color on canvas, using the Zagon Method of Art4Healing®, while learning about color, composition and other elements of art. Fee: $55 (includes art materials)
Paint Your Way to Inner Peace
This ½ day workshop is a creative and soothing way to express personal feelings through abstract art. Participation in an Expressing Feelings with Color workshop is recommended but not required. Fee: $55 (includes art materials) Saturday, September 6, 2014 - 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
This 2-3 hour workshop uses color to identify and process stress. Participants will use abstract painting on canvas as a tool to express the ups and downs in their daily lives. No previous art experience necessary! Fee: $55, (includes all materials)
Painting Prayer
In this 3-hour workshop you will learn to pray with paint using scriptures and music, ideal for those seeking clarity of calling and direction in life. Participation in an Expressing Feelings with Color workshop is recommended but not required. No previous art experience necessary! Fee: $55, (includes all materials) Saturday, November 8, 2014 - 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Painting from your Soul
This 3-hour workshop is especially designed for individuals that are interested in learning techniques to express their faith with colors using acrylic paints on canvas. (No Previous Art Experience Necessary!) Fee: $55, (includes art materials)
This 3-hour workshop is especially designed for individuals that are interested in revealing their soul through painting. You will be encouraged to reveal the real you by using abstract color on canvas as a vehicle for this expression. No previous art experience necessary! Fee: $55, (includes all materials)
Saturday, September 13, 2014 - 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Saturday, December 6, 2014 - 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
The Language of Colors
Bereavement 4-week Workshop Series:
Expressions of Faith in Color
An introductory workshop for anyone wanting to experience the Art4Healing® method. No previous art experience necessary! Fee: $55, (includes all materials)
Dealing with the loss of a loved one. This Art4Healing® workshop series designed for children and adults. Teaches participants creative methods to help process grief through color and expression.
Saturday, September 20, 2014 - 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
CHILDREN: FREE for children (6-12 years) Wednesdays, October 15th, 22nd, 29th, & Nov. 5th Time: 3:45-5:45 PM
Having it All
A workshop that focuses on what it means to have it all. Each participant will be guided through a series of signature exercises that focus on our deepest desires in pursuit of peace and happiness. This creative approach taps in to what is most meaningful in our lives. Fee: $55, (includes all art materials) Saturday, September 27, 2014 - 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Painting from the Heart
A workshop that focuses on abstract painting from the heart. Each participant will be guided through a series of signature exercises that focus on the lightness and darkness within all of us. This creative approach teaches participants a way to say things with color and paint when there are no words. No previous art experience necessary. Fee: $55, (includes all materials) Saturday, October 4, 2014 - 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
ADULTS & TEENS: Fee: $135 (includes art materials) Thursdays, October 16th, 23rd, 30th and Nov. 6th Time: 7:00-9:00 PM
Upcoming 2015 Workshops
(visit www.art4healing.org for detail information) Volunteer Orientation
Sunday, January 11, 2014 – 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM Art4Healing Revealed Saturday, January 17, 2014 – 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
All workshops are held at our Laguna Hills Studio 23011 Moulton Parkway, Suite I-5 Laguna Hills, CA 92653 To register please call 949.367.1902 or enroll online at: www.art4healing.org
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UPCOMING ACFH EVENTS FESTIVAL OF CHILDREN
During every Saturday and Sunday in September from 12:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. ACFH will be hosting a booth for the Festival of Children Foundation event at South Coast Plaza’s Carousel Court. All children attending the Festival are invited to participate in our Kids Compassion Art Project, which involves them creating 2 art tiles: one to take home and one to be GIVEN AWAY as a gesture of caring. Feel free to stop by for this fun community event!
GUILD MEMBER POTLUCK BRUNCH
On Thursday, September 25th from 10:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., The Women’s HeArts for Healing Guild will be hosting their annual New Member Potluck Brunch at the ACFH Studio in Laguna Hills. Must RSVP. Space is limited!
VOLUNTEER ORIENTATION
The last Volunteer Orientation of the year will be held on Sunday, October 5th from 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. at the ACFH Studio in Laguna Hills. Must RSVP. Space is limited! Register online at art4healing.org
HOLIDAY CHOCOLATE FOUNTAIN PARTY On Sunday, December 7th from 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m., ACFH will be hosting a Holiday Chocolate Fountain Party for children 6-12 years old that have had a difficult year. There will be gifts, chocolate galore, holiday ornament painting, and of course, a special appearance by you know who! By Invitation Only! You can learn more about these events at our website, www.art4healing.org
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