Devereux Texas young adults showcase their creative talents during art show

Individuals who receive services at Devereux Texas’ League City campus recently showcased their talent and passion for art at the organization’s eighth annual art show.

Young adults enrolled in Devereux Texas’ residential program voted on a theme - “Visual Poetry” - and spent several months creating artwork or writing poems to share with team members, as well as their peers.

Actor and playwright Harvey Fierstein once said, “Art has the power to transform, to illuminate, to educate, inspire and motivate.”

Individuals who receive services at Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health Texas’ League City campus recently showcased their talent and passion for art at the organization’s eighth annual art show.

Young adults enrolled in Devereux Texas’ residential program voted on a theme – “Visual Poetry” – and spent several months creating artwork or writing poems to share with team members, as well as their peers.

“This year’s art show was amazing! We are incredibly proud of our individuals who worked so hard to produce beautiful and meaningful works of art and craft inspiring poems,” said Devereux Texas Executive Director Pam Reed. “Our staff was thrilled to have an opportunity to bid on the artwork during a silent auction. All of the funds raised will go toward the purchase art supplies or other materials for the program.”

Expressing emotions through art

Devereux Texas Clinical Therapist Tiina Anttila LPC, RPT, who organized the art show with her co-therapist, David Castele, LMSW, says she has seen the positive impact of therapeutic art activities on the individuals she serves.

“Therapeutic art activities encourage individuals to express and understand emotions through the creative process,” Anttila explained. “Many of our young adults have experienced some form of trauma or loss in their young lives. Therapeutic art offers these individuals a safe outlet to reveal their thoughts and feelings, and provide them with a deeper understanding of themselves.

Anttila says the individuals she serves fully immersed themselves in producing artwork and poetry for the art show.

“There is no right or wrong way to make art. I asked my individuals to put their perfectionism aside and be gentle with themselves and others.” Anttila noted. “Everyone has a story, and every story is unique. Our young adults were eager to share the stories behind their artwork. We held the art show in our cafeteria, and one individual was so excited, he asked all those who walked by to come inside and see what he and his peers had created.”

Learn more about Devereux Texas, and learn more about Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health.

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