May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Art Impact Project and Lake County Government partnered to announce an Art in Public Places exhibit entitled "Making Impact: How Art Enhances Emotional Wellness". On display through the end of June, this exhibit features artwork created by adolescents and adults who have benefited from Art Impact Project’s supportive group programming. Art Impact Project's Vickie Marasco and Beth McKenna curated the show, with help from David Motley. The Art Impact Project exhibit is on display in the main lobby of the Lake County administration building located at 18 N. County Street in Downtown Waukegan, Monday through Friday from 8:30am until 4:30pm. The exhibit is free and open to the public with free two-hour parking available in the county's main parking garage. To read Lake County's official press release and for more information about the exhibit, go to lakecountyil.gov/art.

Mask Project With our return to in-person programming, we are connecting with our new participants through our distinctive Mask Project. Both introspective and interactive, this project helps the makers express themselves in a unique way.  Using collage technique, they place words and images on the inside and outside of their masks to represent how they feel about themselves. An important part of the Mask Project involves sharing the finished masks with the group, giving all a chance to voice their self-reflection.

Haiku Project Connecting poetry and the power of words with visual imagery, we led our new Haiku Project with participants at Curt’s Cafe, A Safe Place Teens Group and NICASA Bridge House. For this project, we created one Haiku poem about a photo we liked and another by selecting a photo, writing about it and cutting the picture and rearranging it. We observed if the words still rang true in relation to the image.

Butterfly Project Participants from Bridge House made two pieces of art as part of our Butterfly Project! They first started by creating a chrysalis representing themselves and what they wish to shed as they (the butterfly) are being formed, then how they see themselves as they move forward as a free butterfly.

Our Partners A Safe Place Curt's Cafe Neal Math & Science Academy's Fresh Start Program Nicasa's Bridge House

Did you miss The Impact Exchange event featuring Catherine Game and Dr. Martha Twaddle from the Brushwood Center at Ryerson Woods? We recorded it to share the impactful conversation we had on Earth Day about art and healing in nature. Check it out!

CLICK HERE TO WATCH PAST SPEAKER SERIES EVENTS ON OUR YOUTUBE

Wellbeing Wednesday is a monthly interactive, virtual gathering. The Wellbeing Wednesday project this month is “Scribble” on Wednesday, May 19 from 5:30pm to 6:30pm CST. In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, we will create an uncomplicated yet mindful art project using just a blank piece of paper and whatever supplies you wish - a black marker then crayon, colored pencils, paint, pastels - or a combination! SIGN UP HERE

Meet Art Advocate Sophie Marasco Sophie Marasco has dedicated her time to Art Impact Project in many ways over the years - helping with the Mask Project at LFHS, packing and delivering at home art kits, assisting with events and helping to create project samples.

How long have you been an Art Advocate for Art Impact Project? I have been an AIP Art Advocate since the beginning! Favorite binge watch during Covid? Overall favorite binge watch is Peaky Blinders on Netflix What has been a favorite experience as an Art Advocate? Meeting everyone during the Mask projects and hopefully making an impact in their day! Does art making help with your emotional wellness? In what way? Yes, art calms me down and takes my mind off of things. What has been a silver lining for you during the pandemic? Spending quality time with family.  As we prepare to go in-person with much of our programming, we look forward to reconnecting and involving our extended team of Art Advocates! If you'd like to join our team and assist us in helping people to cope, email us at info@artimpactproject.org. We'd love to have your help!

The Libertyville Sunrise Rotary Club learned about how Art Impact Project has stayed relevant during the pandemic and how our programming is needed now more than ever due to the profound mental and emotional effects the pandemic has had on our communities.

Vickie Marasco, our Founder and Executive Director, was invited to speak to Artists on the Bluff where she spoke about our mission, who we serve, and how we all understand the power of art making for emotional well-being.

Paws for Patrick has offered an initiative for Mental Health Awareness Month featuring daily video clips of people expressing why “it’s OK to Not be OK”. Watch the video message from Art Impact Project: https://bit.ly/3uMRPuf.

"Art is something that makes you breathe a different kind of happiness." - Anni Albers

Art Impact Project is a 501(c)3 non profit organization Enhancing Emotional Wellness Through Creative Expression

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Art Impact Project 104 E. Scranton Avenue  Lake Bluff, IL 60044 info@artimpactproject.org artimpactproject.org