Fresh A.I.R. (Artists In Recovery) Gallery

Gallery Links:


pARTicipate:
Donating artists to the Art of Recovery
click here to fill out a submission form.

 

 

 


Fresh A.I.R. Gallery exhibits the works of individuals affected by mental illness and/or substance abuse disorders. Through art, we educate the community and work to break down the stigma of mental illness and substance abuse by bringing focus to the artistic vision. The gallery exists to address stigma about mental illness and to create a venue for artists affected by mental illness or substance abuse disorders to display their work. Recovery is the journey away from stigma and towards healing. Fresh A.I.R Gallery sponsors between five and eight exhibits a year. In addition to the exhibitions, the gallery hosts a monthly Artists Circle, which is an informal gathering of artists connected to gallery and in the community. The focus of the Artists Circle is to unite artists to gain knowledge and inspiration from one another.

 

Current Exhibition


 

Fresh A.I.R. Gallery presents

PhotoVoice II
Voicing our Individual and Collective Experience

April 17 – May 31, 2013

 

Fresh A.I.R. Gallery (Artists in Recovery) presents PhotoVoice II Voicing our Individual and Collective Experience.

COVA (Center of Vocational Alternatives) empowered eight participants each with a camera to document their personal struggles with mental health issues and stigma. The 24 photo essays exhibit their persistence and hope on their roads to recovery.  PhotoVoice II is a powerful tool to convey the humanity of an often overlooked population and to confront stigma through personal reflection and community awareness. It enables participants to see themselves and their recovery from new perspectives as they learn a skill which can enhance their lives. PhotoVoice not only helps participants cope with stigma but also confronts stigma through advocacy and education. The project is a public platform for people in recovery from mental illness-an opportunity to celebrate the photographers' artistry and educate the public about mental illness and the recovery process. 

PhotoVoice, a participatory photography and digital storytelling method, is an empowering tool, used internationally in a variety of settings and among different constituencies. COVA learned about and brought the process to Columbus from the Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation at Boston University, which uses PhotoVoice to combat the stigma people with mental illness face.  PhotoVoice II: Voicing Our Individual and Collective Experience is a reprisal of COVA's 2009 art and advocacy project. Our 2012 participants created photo essays reflecting the issues of their recovery-their progress, areas of strength, aspirations and vision for their lives. They then wrote essays reflecting on the photos and what they communicate about their personal stories of struggle, persistence and hope.   Tom Etter, a professional photographer, taught photography, guided participants as they took their photographs and assisted them in choosing works for the exhibition over a ten-week period.

Amy Beavis, COVA clinical staff member, led the program, guiding and assisting participants as they went through an often painful telling of their recovery stories.

 The original artworks in the exhibition will not be for sale, but prints will be available for purchase on our website at http://www.cova.org/photovoice.  

Opening Reception:
Wednesday April 17, 2013
5:30pm - 7:00pm


131 N. High Street
Columbus, OH 43215
614.744.8110
Map »


Gallery hours:
Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m - 5:30 p.m.

Gallery Contact:

Kim Webb, (614) 394-4159

PR Contact:
Myken Pullins, (614) 225-0980


©2013 · Southeast, Inc. · 16 West Long Street · Columbus, Ohio 43215 · Phone: (614) 225-0990 · Fax: (614) 225-0988

Southeast Privacy Notice · FOH Privacy Notice · Fresh A.I.R. Privacy Notice · Joint Commission Public Notice