RICHMOND —
At times, everyone wears a mask to portray a certain image, said Karen Bailey, public information and projects director for Kentucky River Foothills Development Council, Inc.
“We put things on the outside for others to see, but only we can see what lies deep inside,” she said.
The clients at Liberty Place Recovery Center for Women are exploring that idea by participating in an art therapy project known as “Masks of Change” as part of their journey of recovery from drug and alcohol addiction. The intent of the project is to allow clients to express the duality of their feelings by creating two-sided paper masks.
The front section of each mask represents how the client wants to be perceived by others, Bailey said, while the inside of the mask depicts how the clients view themselves. Upon completion of their mask, each client explains why they chose the images portrayed on the masks.
“The ladies feel a great sense of pride their work,” said Jeri Allison, director of Liberty Place. “The masks help build self-esteem, and show the women how they want to grow and evolve. The masks help them to see their growth, and to visualize that next benchmark in the recovery process.”
Funding for the program is provided by a grant through Art Meets Activism, a program sponsored by the Louisville-based Kentucky Foundation for Women.
“The Kentucky Foundation for Women is a spectacular group. They really made a difference in a lot of lives through this project,” Allison said.
“The Masks of Change program is a great example of an Art Meets Activism grant because in this program, through making art together, women can see themselves in new ways and begin to take charge of their lives. The Art Meets Activism grant supports feminist artists in artmaking that can change the personal lives of women and girls and bring about social change, because when women and girls advance, so does Kentucky,” said Rae Strobel, KFW program officer.
An important part of the “Masks of Change” project is exposing the public to the artwork collection. The collection is on display at Pattie A. Clay Regional Medical Center.
An anonymous story accompanies each of the 10 masks on display, giving onlookers an intimate understanding of the artist and the life experiences behind their creations.
“We wanted to make this project as personal as possible while still protecting our clients’ confidentiality,” Allison said.
Liberty Place Recovery Center for Women is one of 10 such facilities operating in Kentucky, with four more scheduled to open within the next few years. The program at Liberty Place is modeled after The Hope Center in Lexington and The Healing Place in Louisville.
“Recovering from addiction is a lifelong process,” Bailey said. “Our program is designed to let clients move at their own pace, earning privileges as they progress through each step.”
Clients who transition out of the program often return to Liberty Place to attend community support meetings and to be sponsors and mentors, providing valuable support and advice. It is vital to bring a level of understanding to the disease of addiction, Bailey said.
“The ladies can lean on each other, and know they are not alone, others share the same struggles,” she said. “The clients are breaking walls down, changing behavior and promoting new ways of thinking. They are learning how to break the cycle of addiction.”
Nita Grubb can be reached at 624-6694.
Local News
Related Photos
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The “Masks of Change” exhibit is on display at Pattie A. Clay Regional Medical Center in the emergency room waiting area and hallway. The masks are an art therapy project created by clients at Liberty Place Recovery Center for Women as part of their journey of recovery from drug and alcohol addiction. Nancy Taggart/The Register
‘Masks of Change’
Liberty Place residents participate in art therapy
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