Under the Surface is a Healing in Arts collaboration with Noorthoek Academy, servicing adults with learning challenges and other intellectual disabilities. For this project, eighty Noorthoek students and Dr. Jeffrey Frank, a U.S. military veteran and Academy board member, will take part in the gigantic art mystery collage. But participants won’t be painting in the usual sort of way, with paint brushes. Instead, they will paint with their forearms. After loading up their arms with paint from wrist to elbow, the students will swipe or bounce their arms across the surface of the tiles. Each ind ..read more

Last summer, I had the privilege of leading two Healing in Arts workshops with military families. The first one took place at Naval Air Station Pensacola in Pensacola, Florida, and the second one at the Coast Guard Base in Kodiak, Alaska. For both art mystery projects, each participant painted a small wooden tile with Sharpie markers without knowing the final design. These projects invited a diverse range of people of any age to express themselves through art. The collaborative nature of the art workshops added an exciting element to the creative process. Everyone contributed to form a rich ..read more

The magical atmosphere of wild Alaska has the unique ability to inspire artistic expression. In this immersive writing experience last August, I joined a group of authors for a week of critiques on my next book. As part of our once-in-a-lifetime adventure, we traveled by seaplane across vast, green terrain before reaching picturesque Harvester Island near Kodiak. The veteran pilot told us the plane dates back to the 1950s. He said, “We keep up these old planes because they are no longer manufactured.” During the flight, I spotted some duct tape holding together parts of the aircraft. I th ..read more

A 2019 Veterans Affairs study found that approximately twenty-two veterans commit suicide every day. Our veterans need support and community to help them move forward. As a social practice artist, veteran spouse, and Navy mother, I’ve learned that art has potential to bring healing to anyone. In 2019, for the international ArtPrize event hosted in Grand Rapids, I met with Kent County Veteran Services to discuss art initiatives aimed at helping veterans heal from the trauma they experienced while serving our country. YELLOW RIBBON Inspired by the tradition of tying yellow ribbons to trees as ..read more

When put together end-to-end-to-end, three straight lines form a triangle shape. Triangles can represent the union of body, mind, and spirit. In Christianity, the triangle depicts the triune God. For session one of our Three Straight Lines project, participants selected three words that represented different aspects of their lives. Next, each person painted a visual representation of their words on a triangle-shaped panel. The creative exercise provided a way for individuals to explore and share their experiences. In the second workshop, participants shared their artwork and told the ..read more

A Healing in Arts collaboration with Marshall Elementary School The Painted Wings art piece showcases the beauty and potential found in every child. For this project, the special needs students at Marshall Elementary School helped create the artwork on the 3-foot butterfly shape donated by PlexiCase Inc. Using sponges and acrylic paint, students designed each section of the butterfly’s wings. Art has the power to convey messages, emotions, and stories that words alone sometimes cannot express. At Healing in Arts, our healing-based projects celebrate the unique qualities and potential within ..read more

When someone experiences a personal crisis, it is common for them to withdraw and isolate. As depression and anxiety increase, life can turn dark and overwhelming. Healing in Arts seeks to reach individuals in crisis by drawing them back into community. In our art programs, people learn to express themselves in unique ways, make new friends, and experience hope. Consider the story of Laszlo Szalay, USMC veteran: “Three years ago, I lost Emperor, my K-9 partner and Navy SEAL Team-3 war dog. When Pamela Alderman invited me to be part of the art exhibit created specifically for veterans, I was ..read more

I first met Pamela Alderman, the founder of Healing in Arts, at our church six years ago. Being a left-brained individual, and not acquainted with the artistic process, I was curious, fascinated, intrigued. Pamela’s creativity is mind boggling to me! Her energy and passion for reaching the under-served is unmatched. It makes me weary just thinking about all the activity she does each week, at a time in her life when most of us would be winding down toward retirement. As our friendship grew, I had opportunities to assist with various Healing in Arts projects behind the scenes, which included ..read more

The Mosaic Within project, by Healing in Arts in collaboration with Mel Trotter Ministries, offered a wonderful and impactful way to engage the community. The healing project brought together individuals from diverse backgrounds to create art while fostering a sense of belonging. This interactive work involved more than 40 individuals and demonstrated a commitment to unify local communities through art. Such initiatives can break down social barriers and create new connections with people from different walks of life. The summer workshops, where participants painted Plexiglas tiles with acryl ..read more

Mrs. Etsuko Shimada, a Japanese artist from Tokyo, hand-painted the kanji symbols shown in my book, Sushi the Cat, with a soft brush and black ink. These kanji symbols represent the idea of respect. Respect for parents. Respect for friends. Respect for all people. We would like to thank Mrs. Etsuko Shimada for her kindness in sharing her beautiful art. Through her painting, Mrs. Etsuko Shimada reminds us of the importance of showing others honor, respect, and value. Buy Sushi the Cat    Book a Presentation Leave a Review See Sushi the Cat at ArtPrize September 14 to Octobe ..read more