Credit: Erich Martin/Levittownnow.com
The Eleven Eleven Arts Foundation is working to bridge the gap between personal health and art.
“We work to heal the wounds with art when words aren’t enough” is the non-profit’s motto. To this end, the foundation runs classes geared towards mental health out of Bristol Borough’s Centre for the Arts on Mill Street.
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The Eleven Eleven Arts Foundation was founded by John Krawczyk to help himself and others through the power of artwork.
To showcase the work of some of the foundation’s members, the Eleven Eleven Arts Foundation and the Center for the Arts are holding a “Synchronicity Art Show” through Sunday, March 4.
The artwork on display will be up for sale to benefit the program. The work will benefit the Eleven Eleven Arts Foundation and their programs
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Monica Powers, Jay Traverse and Theodore Tihansky are the featured artists for the show.
“Art brings people together just like music does,” said Tahinksy, who teaches the foundation’s classes on Tuesday and Wednesday nights.
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“It isn’t a one-stop shop, it isn’t a magic pill,” explained Krawczyk.
Everyone has a different journey to healing, but he hopes that expression through art can act like a crutch for some people. Giving people an outlet, even for a short amount of time, can help people, Krawczyk explained.
“Everyone has a bit of a different journey,” he went on.
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The “Healing Through Art”class is especially aimed towards helping people through some kind of trauma. The class begins with a guided meditation and is free for veterans to participate in.
Krawczyk founded the foundation when he was stuck in a rut. Krawczyk’s sister, Jessie, passed away during childbirth. Jessie was an artist and John wanted to display her work in some way. A brainstorm of ideas led John to invite Tahinsky, Jessie’s uncle, to live with him and produce art for a potential gallery. One thing led to the next and the Eleven Eleven Arts Foundation became what it is today.
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The biggest struggle the foundation has is getting people to sign up for classes and stick with the lessons, Krawczyk said.
“There is no judgement, just come in and have fun,” Krawczyk said.
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The classes are intended to be therapeutic, not stressful.
This week’s show is meant to give the featured artists a place to show their work, as well as bring awareness to the foundation as a whole.
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“It really can potentially bring awareness,” Tihansky said, adding the show is a great opportunity to show the potential for healing through art.
“Every stroke of our brush is a story of us,” said Powers.
“Everyone’s story for Eleven Eleven is a little bit different, but I think that it has helped to move people in a positive direction,” Krawczyk said. “I have seen so many people touched in so many ways that I know this works.”
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Traverse explains that the foundation and art is about dealing with hardships and things that need to be dealt with in life.
“For me, it has been a kind of personal journey,” Powers said. She went on to explain that she found art during troubled times and that it helped her to work through them.
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“I also think that this is a platform to help others,” Powers said.
The foundation and programs like it show that everyone has a chance and can get help, she went on.
The show will run from noon to 6 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and noon until 3 p.m. Sunday.
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