Artwork by Mental Health Community to be Showcased at ArtsWestchester’s Gallery in White Plains.

Artwork by Mental Health Community to be Showcased at ArtsWestchester’s Gallery in White Plains.

Visions 2019: Art Defined? will be on view September 6-12, 2019.

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. (Month Date, 2019) – Beginning Thursday, September 5, Westchester County’s Department of Community Mental Health, Rockland Psychiatric Center and ArtsWestchester will present Visions 2019: Art Defined?, an exhibition that features original artworks by more than 60 artists who are recipients of mental health services in Westchester County.

“Westchester County is extremely grateful to the team at ArtsWestchester for providing art services and residencies to so many individuals who have benefitted from many forms of art and expression,” says Michael Orth, Commissioner, Westchester County Department of Community Mental Health.

Visions 2019: Art Defined? is free and open to the public, and will be held in ArtsWestchester’s Shenkman Gallery at 31 Mamaroneck Avenue in downtown White Plains. The exhibit will be on view from 12-5 pm on Tuesday-Friday and from 12-6 pm on Saturday beginning Friday, September 6 through Thursday, September 12.  An opening reception will take place on Thursday, September 5, from 5:30–7pm. For more information, please call (914) 428-4220 or visit artswestchester.org.

For more than 35 years, ArtsWestchester’s partnership with Westchester County's Department of Community Mental Health has provided art services and residencies to people with chronic mental illnesses, allowing them the opportunity to participate in hands-on art workshops and to enjoy live performances.

“The activities are designed to be outside the therapeutic framework, enabling those who participate to tap their imaginations, express their creativity, develop new skills, and to fully integrate into the community,” says Janet Langsam, CEO of ArtsWestchester.* 

Many of those who take art workshops – whether painting, creative writing and poetry, ceramics, mosaics or jewelry making – find that they have an affinity for the work. These programs are a bridge to the community. The Visions 2019 exhibition not only shows the community that recipients of mental health services are gifted and talented, but it demonstrates that recipients are capable of engaging in challenging art-making experiences. In turn, a sense of pride, accomplishment, positive self-worth and public acceptance, validates the goal of these partnerships.

Visions 2019: Art Defined? is a partnership between ArtsWestchester and Rockland Psychiatric Center. This exhibition is made possible with funding from Westchester County Department of Community Mental Health and Rockland Psychiatric Center.

Participating agencies include Rockland Psychiatric Center, HDSW/Hope House, Mental Health Association of Westchester /Sterling Community Center, Westchester Jewish Community Center – Peekskill and New York Presbyterian Hospital /Westchester Division.  Artists not affiliated with these agencies will also participate in this event.

About ArtsWestchester: For over 50 years, ArtsWestchester has been the community’s connection to the arts. Founded in 1965, it is the largest, private, not-for-profit arts council in New York State. Its mission is to provide leadership, vision, and support, to ensure the availability, accessibility, and diversity of the arts. ArtsWestchester provides programs and services that enrich the lives of everyone in Westchester County. ArtsWestchester helps fund concerts, exhibitions and plays through grants; brings artists into schools and community centers; advocates for the arts; and builds audiences through diverse marketing initiatives. In 1998, ArtsWestchester purchased the nine-story neo-classical bank building at 31 Mamaroneck Avenue which has since been transformed into a multi-use resource for artists, cultural organizations, and the community. A two-story gallery is located on the first floor of ArtsWestchester’s historic building on Mamaroneck Avenue.

 Rockland Psychiatric Center (RPC) provides treatment, rehabilitation, and support to adults 18 and older with severe and complex mental illness. The focus is on treatment and rehabilitation, with the goal of assisting recipients to live   in his or her community of choice. RPC emphasizes recovery, symptom management, rehabilitation, support and activities that build social, vocational and educational skills. Aftercare planning and developing networks of support help recipients accomplish their personal goals.