Art as therapy

Art as therapy
Art lovers will “fall” in love with Keri’s autumn leaves.

ROCKWALL, TX (March 23, 2014) It is said a picture is worth a thousand words – and nothing proves that old adage to be true more than art therapy.

Just ask members of the Rockwall Art League, an organization created in 2000 to heighten awareness of fine arts.

In 2012, the 80-member group organized ArtReach – art classes for people with special needs designed to develop their artistic talents and self expression. It was an immediate success.

“It’s a rewarding project for all involved,” Art League member Betty Hoagland said. “They (the students) are so receptive. We get great reactions – it’s smiles all around.”

Daniel has drawn a colorful sombrero for Cinco de Mayo.

ArtReach students have different degrees of challenges and last year ranged in age from 24 to 50. Classes first met at the Lakes Regional Mental Health Mental Rehabilitation Center in Royse City beginning in the spring of 2012. Unfortunately, they stopped in August 2013 when MHMR lost their lease, but classes resume this spring when the new MHMR facility opens in Rockwall on John King Blvd.

“It’s going to be fabulous! We’re all so excited,” said Darlene Dittoe, a program coordinator along with Betty Foster and Ginny Hibbard. “We’re chomping at the bit to get back to the students. They surprise the daylights out of you – they really do. We all believe that what we’re teaching them they may not have been exposed to.”

Students are selected for the program by MHMR from their clients.

Sarah displays her Cinco de Mayo-themed drawing.

Foster, a retired art teacher with a background in psychology, said ArtReach is the only outlet for some students. Many, said Hibbard, did art projects in high school but after that, “there was nothing for them.”

This year, three league volunteers will conduct a one hour class of six to 10 students on Thursdays from now until Memorial Day and from Labor Day until mid-December.

Art League provides each student a canvas bag, which they decorate themselves, loaded with art supplies. Students are responsible for keeping their supplies together. Some have no experience in painting and some have natural abilities but no training, said Dittoe. “It’s amazing the creativity that comes from these students,” she said.

While ArtReach students express themselves on paper, they have painted on gourds (that became bird houses), sombreros (in celebration of Cinco de Mayo) and paper mache Christmas ornaments – all provided by individual members. They also painted duck decoys that Hoagland donated. The results, she said, “were very expressive with lots of color. They looked so professional.”

Before starting the decoy project, students were shown photos of different ways to color them, said Dittoe. Then they were provided a drawing of a duck and asked to plan how to color it using colored pencils before working on the actual decoy.

ArtReach students enjoyed the duck decoy and birdhouse projects.

Some of their work was displayed at The Harbor last fall for the league’s first art show and, Dittoe said, they were “so proud to be a part of an art exhibit.”

The three enthusiastic program organizers agreed the results from students are amazing.

“The majority have no background in painting…They have no ability to express their talents…They want to learn art,” said Dittoe.

“I think (ArtReach) is a fabulous program. Some students are very, very good – really talented. I love the program, and everyone that volunteers comes away with so much,” said Hibbard.

“I can’t tell you how good I feel when I leave there. I’m overjoyed,” Foster said. “Now we’re ready to go full blast!”

Scott works on his leaf project.

ArtReach was organized after members learned from a guest speaker – Sherry Wacsey, Executive Director of The Arc of Collin,DallasandRockwallCounties- at anAlliancefor the Arts meeting that there were 2,700 mentally handicapped people underserved in this area.

“That to me was disturbing,” said Foster.

They invited Wacsey to speak at an Art League meeting. She suggested they contact MHMR before starting the program, said Hibbard.

The Arc supports people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to improve their quality of life. Local organizations AMICA, Rockwall Women’s League and Rockwall Noon Rotary help fund ArtReach.

For more information on Rockwall Art League or to volunteer for ArtReach, call Ginny Hibbard, 972-771-2784.

By Judy Evans, Blue Ribbon News contributing writer. She is an award-winning journalist who spent her career in Rockwall as a reporter, editor and columnist working with The Rockwall Success/Rowlett Record and The Dallas Morning News. Photos submitted by Darlene Dittoe.