“Thank you!  Coming into the Village, I never expected to do any art, let alone enjoy doing the art.  I thought I would never be able to create anything good but today I can say I have created some great work.  I’m proud of my art pieces and have hung them in my room here at the Village.  This class helped boost my self-esteem and make me see I can do great things if I really try.  You were a great teacher.  Thank you.  Love, M. ”

 

“You showed us how to be creative.  I learned I could have fun creating in art class. My favorite was doing the trees and my shading (blending) with the paper towels.  Nothing was hard about this class.  It was exciting. It was fun working with other people showing that we could have fun in recovery.  Showing me that I could draw and do art work that I never done before in my act of addiction.  Now I got the skills to do it.  Love you, Miss Ann.  Love, M.”

 

“I found this class to be calming and a way for me to clear my head from everything except for the task at hand.  I found I could express my emotions through the artwork I was creating.  I also found that not everything has to be perfect, it just has to be mine.  And it’s NOT the destination that makes the person, it’s the journey…  Some days I was close-minded and did not want to learn anything new in this class, or I was too lazy and felt like anything I made would be a failure, BUT in the end, I’d feel relieved that I’d left some of my emotional trash in my artwork, and I’d leave light-hearted.  Art class has helped support me in my recovery because it has helped me get in touch with what I was feeling and showed me a new way to release my emotional baggage.  I enjoyed the multiple person artwork that we did- that was my favorite.  Ann, you’re amazing.  You helped me appreciate my artwork and realize it’s beautiful because it’s mine. “ (unsigned)

 

“Happy New Year!  I really want to thank you for all that you do for us girls at Horizon Village.  I really look forward to the Friday art sessions.  You’ve helped me to look deeper at things and (taught me) how to express myself in a fun relaxing way.  I truly wish I was here for more art.  You are, in my eyes, one of God’s working angels.  I pray that you are able to return before my journey is over here.  I know that there is a lot more I can learn from you.  I wish you a very happy new year and once again thank you for all you do and for just being you.  Your friend, C. ”

 

“I remember having thought that I enjoyed art class when I was younger but I always felt lousy about my work.  Initially, when I began this class, those same thoughts crept into my mind… ‘not good enough’, ‘what’s the point’, ‘everyone will laugh at my work’.  Being here, at Horizon Village, I have been reminded not to talk to myself so poorly.  Today I am working on being good enough with who I am.  There is no right way or wrong way.  Perfectionism is a difficult thing to live up to.  Ann let me know and helped me believe that my work is my work and is just an expression of me.  Once I accepted that, I began to enjoy art and have created some beautiful things.  Being able to sit and create with myself and others brought much pleasure.  I have found this time to be relaxing and it has brought on good feelings about me.  I’ve also taken notice of the amazing talent my peers possess and how their work encourages me.  I really enjoyed working on the project together.  Once I let go of my fears, everything turned out much better than I could have imagined.  Thank you for joining me during this journey, Ann.  You have been like a flower in this path that I hope to encounter more of.  Thank you, K. ”

 

“Ann, I’ve enjoyed all of my time here.  You are a wonderful open caring person with a wonderful spirit.  I adore you.  You make Fridays great.  Love, T.”

 

“Ann, I want to thank you for coming here and teaching us.  I am not a talented person when it comes to art but you made it fun, even when you bossed us around- ha ha!  The thing I liked most about this class was the artwork we did all together.  The reason I liked it is because what we can do when we work together.  I felt that art class supported my recovery by just letting my mind wander and try to be creative and to see something in my artwork that no one else could see.  Thanks again for all your creativity, L.”

 

“Thank you.  I have to say how much I really enjoyed this class.  I started out not really interested but as time went on, my interest in art came back.  What I learned about is I don’t have to be great to make good artwork.  I enjoyed it most when everyone worked on one piece.  For me, it showed the meaning of recovery.  At the end of each group I had a sense of pride.  I always left with something.  From now on, I am going to continue to draw because it was relaxing and it took my mind off other  things for a while.  I’m going to continue to use what I have done in these groups.  Thanks again, J.”

 

(from one of the men who wanted to write, too)“This art class was very therapeutic and functional for me these past months.  Therapeutic in the sense that I was able to express myself- how I was feeling- in a tangible form.  Functional in the sense that I was able to use the art pieces that I created to decorate my very sterile living quarters.  Made this facility a bit more cheery.  My only concern is that the full two hours were available only to the women.  Men were allowed only to share in the last hour.  Men like art, too.  I, as a man, looked forward to art class every Friday and I will miss it.  Thank you for this opportunity to do something different in my recovery.  Something that I can take with me when I leave, aside from thoughts and teachings.  -T.”

 

“Ann, Thank you sooo very much.  For the short time I’ve known you , you have really gave me great enthusiasm for art.  I have learn how to make something out of nothing.  I was always told that I have always made something out of nothing and I didn’t understand.  But your art class has helped me understand exactly what that meant.  Thank you, S.”

 

“Ann, thank you so much for taking the time and patience with our group and expanding our artistic horizons.  Your gentle yet effectual approach made it such a joy, and always something to look forward to on a Friday afternoon.  I remember times when I was feeling very low just before class and somehow by the end, after I had re-focused my attention and created something, I felt uplifted and surprisingly better.  I enjoyed all the projects we worked on and seeing them hanging on the walls of my room always brought me much happiness.  You’re a very kind soul whose ability to connect to others is evident and shows through in your instruction.  Again, thanks for all you do and thanks for touching all our lives.  -A.”