Call for Artists: 16th Annual "The Art of Recovery" Exhibition

Deadline for Entries: Monday, April 1

Opening Reception: Friday, May 1

Exhibition Dates: May 1–May 31

 Fredericksburg, Virginia – Rappahannock Area Community Services Board seeks entries for the 16th Annual “The Art of Recovery” exhibit. The art show features original artwork by adults with mental health challenges. The show is organized by members of Kenmore Club, RACSB’s psychosocial clubhouse for adults with severe and persistent mental illness. The exhibit will open Friday, May 1 at PONSHOP Studio and Gallery (712 Caroline Street) in Fredericksburg, Virginia. The opening reception is from 5-9pm and corresponds with Fredericksburg’s ‘First Fridays’ event calendar. The exhibit runs through May 31 and coincides with National Mental Health Month.

The Art of Recovery provides a forum for artists living with mental illness to gain confidence in their abilities, address misconceptions surrounding mental illness and experience community support.

 The RACSB is accepting original 2-Dimensional drawings, paintings, prints, and mixed media. Artwork should be submitted by April 1. Visit rappahannockareacsb.org for an entry form and display instructions. Entries must be accompanied by a completed entry form with the following requested information: name of the artist; year of completion (if known); locale of the artist; dimensions; medium; and sale price. PONSHOP will apply a reasonable commission on all artwork sold.

For details or to submit artwork, contact Amy Jindra at 540-373-7737 or artofrecovery[at]rappahannockareacsb.org

Submissions may also be mailed to:

RACSB, Attn: Art of Recovery, 600 Jackson St., Fredericksburg, VA 22401.

Founded in 1970, the Rappahannock Area Community Services Board (RACSB) provides public mental health, developmental disability, substance abuse and prevention/early intervention services to the residents of the City of Fredericksburg and the counties of Caroline, King George, Spotsylvania and Stafford. To learn more, visit www.rappahannockareacsb.org.

14th Annual The Art of Recovery Exhibition Announced

Fredericksburg, Virginia–Recovery is messy, and it looks different to each person. When substance abuse and mental health therapists ask individuals to paint their journey to recovery, some use a bright palette to create a vision of hope. Others sketch their demons. For each, art offers a way to express the struggles that accompany mental illness.

Each year, Rappahannock Area Community Services Board honors the role creativity plays in mental wellness by holding the Art of Recovery exhibit. The 14th annual art show will open May 4 at PONSHOP Studio and Gallery in Fredericksburg. A “First Friday” opening night event will be held Friday, May 4, from 5-9 p.m. A reception featuring live music, poetry, and readings will begin at 6:30 p.m. in the gallery’s courtyard.

The show is organized by members of Kenmore Club, a psychosocial rehabilitation program operated by RACSB. The exhibit coincides with National Mental Health Month and will be on display through May 27.  

The Art of Recovery will feature 45 pieces from 40 artists. Artwork includes original drawings, acrylic and oil paintings on canvas, as well as mixed media and ceramics. All of the pieces will be available for purchase.

The Art of Recovery provides a forum for artists living with mental illness to gain confidence in their abilities, address misconceptions surrounding mental illness, and experience community support.

“Art can be so healing,” said John Butler, coordinator of RACSB’s crisis stabilization services. “Art is a method of journaling, to share life experiences. It provides a safe haven for expression of feelings, hopes and dreams. Although art can be judged, art doesn’t judge. The Art of Recovery helps society in general to look at people beyond their disability and for folks with disabilities to not be defined by those disabilities.”

The Art of Recovery

Opening Reception: Friday, May 5 from 5-9pm
Exhibition Dates: May 5-29, 2017

 Fredericksburg, Virginia –A flower reaching for the sun, a bucolic landscape, a colorful tapestry. For people with mental illness, recovery is a very personal experience. Art allows individuals to create a path to recovery and capture what recovery means to them, and each year the Rappahannock Area Community Services Board showcases these visions of healing during its Art of Recovery exhibit.

This year, RACSB will hold the 13th annual Art of Recovery exhibit May 5 through May 29 at PONSHOP Studio and Gallery in Fredericksburg and will coincide with National Mental Health Month. The opening reception for the exhibit will be held Friday, May 5, from 5-9 p.m., featuring live music, poetry readings, and performance art in the gallery’s courtyard. The “Art, Expression, Light” portion of the exhibit will take place at 7:30pm during the First Friday reception.

The Art of Recovery exhibit is organized by members of the Kenmore Club, a psychosocial rehabilitation program operated by the RACSB. The exhibit will feature over 30 pieces from artists working in a variety of art mediums. Artwork includes original drawings on paper, acrylic and oil paintings on canvas, as well as mixed media and video.  All of the pieces will be available for purchase.

The Art of Recovery provides a forum for artists living with mental illness to gain confidence in their abilities, address misconceptions surrounding mental illness, and experience community support.

“One gentleman told me that he had gotten out of the hospital a few weeks ago and was contemplating taking his own life,” said Amy Jindra, program manager of Kenmore Club.  “But then he saw the paperwork for the Art of Recovery and decided it was a new opportunity.” 

PONSHOP Studio and Gallery is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.

For details, contact Helen Conley at 540/373-7737 or artofrecovery@rappahannockareacsb.org.  Or learn more online at www.rappahannockareacsb.org.

Founded in 1970, the Rappahannock Area Community Services Board provides public mental health, developmental disability, substance abuse and prevention/early intervention services to the residents of the City of Fredericksburg and the counties of Caroline, King George, Spotsylvania and Stafford. RACSB provides  individual, group and family therapy; specialized counseling and case management services; psychological assessment; 24-hour crisis intervention; medication management services; residential services; crisis stabilization respite care; day support for adults with developmental disabilities; and medication-assisted treatment for opioid addictions. .Programs of RACSB include Kenmore Club, Rappahannock Adult Activities, Inc., Project LINK, Program for Teen Parents, Rappahannock Area Kids on the Block, DARE To Be You – Rappahannock Area, Second Step, Too Good for Drugs, Healthy Families – Rappahannock Area, and Mental Health First Aid. To learn more, visit www.rappahannockareacsb.org.