RISE Healthy Housing and Support Services is proud to announce the launch of the Saratoga Art Pantry, a place to collect and store art supplies in an effort to advance art therapy. Studies have shown that art can help people through mental health difficulties, coping with stress, and feelings of isolation.
On Thursday March 5, 2020 RISE Housing and Support Services hosted a launch party to collect donations and highlight the collaborative art from Rain House and Edgewood House. The RISE offices were transformed on the night of the Art Pantry Launch. Drawings lined the hallways and the boardroom was turned into a gallery with over 40 pieces on display including additional artwork from individuals served by RISE.
“Art is just such an amazing way to allow people to express themselves and to work through things that are sometimes not so easy to talk about,” ~ Sybil Newell, RISE Executive Director.
The Saratoga Art Pantry was founded from a request for art supplies by a counselor at Edgewood House, one of RISE’s community residences. And the pieces on display in the board room were completed by nine of residents of TSA’s Edgewood House. The counselor who made the requests, had begun to encourage residents during her Saturday shift at Edgewood House to participate in collaborative art projects. She says, “I had actually found a bunch of canvases next to a dumpster. And I grabbed them up and I brought them in and I started a Saturday art program with the folks.”
The residents came to anticipate art sessions on Saturdays. However, staff continued to struggle to find supplies. They were using leftover caulk and white glue to augment what little paint they had. And the collaborations were amazing and residents were coming together and looking forward to it each week. The purpose was to bring residents out of their rooms to help them socialize and relieve feelings of isolation and boredom, all very common among people with mental health diagnoses. The counselor running the art group, shares, ” it would get them out of their rooms, and I just watched as they would light up with excitement with the finished product that they’d created.”
Currently, the pantry is empty and money and supplies are needed. RISE will continue to collect new or used art supplies and monetary donations at their administrative offices at 127 Union Street between 8 am and 5 pm, Monday – Friday. Donations may include, but are not limited to, acrylic paint, white glue, canvases and even home repair supplies such as caulk and spray paint.
In addition to traditional therapies, art is just such an amazing way to allow people to express themselves and to work through things that are sometimes not so easy to talk about. The Saratoga Art Pantry is seeking to make a difference in the lives of anyone, perhaps everyone, who needs some art therapy.