Peer Recovery focuses on the art of healing
When difficult economic times fall on a community, some of the hardest hit are those who already were struggling, said John Black, CEO of Peer Recovery Art Project. So when he and others who helped form the nonprofit saw downtown Modesto “deteriorating,” they thought those most affected should be the ones to come together for a solution.
“We have a certain reputation – alcoholics and people with mental illness,” said the longtime Modesto events promoter, who has battled schizophrenia. “We’re the ones always wanting something. ‘Give me shelter, give me food, give me clothing, give me services.’ So we thought at Peer Recovery: What if we had a place where everyone could mix together but we weren’t (trying) to get anything, but we were to give back?
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“So we harnessed those gifts that all those individuals have, and we happened to do it around a vehicle that incorporated arts and music, because that attracts everybody. We became a service organization that works to revive downtown areas and rural areas and school areas.”
In order to be successful in any job, any opportunity, you have to get away from that stuff like you’re not good enough. You have to know inside your heart you’re equally good enough to do anything you’re big enough to get yourself into.
John Black
Peer Recovery, which began in 2007 and obtained its 501(c)(3) status in 2009, aims to fight the stigma felt by those recovering from mental illness, alcoholism and addictions and to help those people find self-worth through their contributions to revitalize the community. It does so in a variety of ways: offering art classes, operating a consignment gallery, collaborating on public murals, presenting art and music events, using a mobile gallery to take art to those who might not otherwise be exposed to it.
“We just wanted to put art into the middle of downtown, where people would come downtown to see it. That’s how we were born,” Black said. “And we just had a couple of easels and started putting them at events and setting up on the street anywhere we could.”
Peer Recovery’s gallery at 1222 J St. opened in November 2011 with an innovation grant from Behavioral Health. Looking over third-quarter 2015 stats, Black said that in July, 122 artists showed 290 pieces there; in August, 97 artists showed 318 pieces; and in September, 129 artists showed 379 pieces.
“We have a lot of artists who didn’t know they were artists, but as soon as they sell a few pieces, they get their Etsy account, start promoting and selling their artwork,” he said. “Then, instead of saying, ‘I have nothing,’ they can say, ‘I’m an artist; I have a way to increase my income.’ ”
There’s no empowerment without employment. We want people getting trained here to get to the next level of independence … get them hireable or able to work at a volunteer level for someone besides us.
John Black
In that same July-September period, Black said, volunteers with Peer Recovery worked 1,804 volunteer hours – greeting people to the gallery, to the adjacent Mod Spot space where small businesses incubate, setting up and operating events, painting murals and more.
Through its Classic Community Murals project, volunteers including James Devlin have been able to work with and learn from accomplished painters, he said.
As Black sat and talked in the gallery recently, Devlin painted a landscape close by. “This place saved me, man. I don’t know what I’d do if there wasn’t places like this,” said Devlin, a veteran who served in Afghanistan.
Without getting into his personal struggles, he added, “What would have happened to me is I probably would have been in jail or a mental institution. I wouldn’t be out here painting on buildings, even thinking about doing service work for the community. That would have been the farthest thing from my mind.”
Donations from A Book of Dreams can help Peer Recovery in several ways, Black said. They would go toward offering more art classes, toward getting its mobile art gallery van out to more locations and toward the incentives the nonprofit provides its volunteers, such as grocery store gift cards, art supply gift cards and help with rent and utilities.
“I’d like it if we could take the van out to three more locations than we did this year, if we could produce five more art classes than we have in the past and if we could produce one more big community event. On the plaza this year, we did one Art & Music Extravaganza, and we want to do another.”
About the agency
Address: 1222 J St., Modesto, 95354
Website: www.peerrecoveryartproject.org
Fields of interest: Arts and culture, health and human services, neighborhoods and communities, youths
Mission: End stigma and discrimination surrounding mental illness by supporting an all-inclusive and healthier community through art. PRAP supports mental wellness through art displays by group artists at the gallery, mobile art displays and cultural events where artists connect with communities.
Program list
Art classes that promote mental wellness
Funding needs
- Art classes
- Provide meeting spaces at the gallery for community use, support groups, general gathering area for consumers
- Serve as a clearinghouse that offers collaboration on city- and countywide projects
This story was originally published November 22, 2015 at 5:55 AM with the headline "Peer Recovery focuses on the art of healing."