The piece titled “Seascape” reminds artist Frederick Smith of American author Marjorie Stoneman Douglas, showing him that "all we need, really, is a change from a near frigid to a tropical attitude of mind," he said.
The Hope Works Exhibition, organized by the domestic violence center Peaceful Paths, is showcasing the artistic achievements of local creators and collectors, many of whom are also survivors of domestic violence.
The display commemorates 50 years of Peaceful Paths’ work building hope across Alachua, Bradford and Union counties. The exhibition hopes to help further the organization’s mission through community support, to continue offering a path for survivors and their children to seek a new life.
“Art expresses hope, perhaps without words,” said Ilene Silverman-Budd, member of the Hope Works Committee. “But the word hope shows us that artists and survivors feel a connection with that expression of hope through art — which is what Peaceful Paths is all about.”
Alongside the artwork, the exhibition featured survivors’ stories. The artist’s catalog goes along with a piece of their statement and explains why it inspires them, why it’s important in their life or why they created it for the show.
Heather Justice, a survivor of domestic violence, shared her personal story: “People in the community can see that people who have dealt with domestic violence can still come back from these situations and have hope and still build a beautiful life,” Justice said, explaining the importance of artistic expression for survivors.
Domestic violence remains a serious issue: Over 2,500 adult and child survivors seek services annually from Peaceful Paths across the three counties, according to the group. By creatively communicating their stories, survivors can encourage others.
“In many ways [the survivors’] stories are very explicit, and there's a lot of emotion for people as they’ve been through a lot,” said Aleidys Lopez Romero, community outreach liaison at Peaceful Paths.
“With Hope Works, we believe they can express those feelings and be hopeful,” Romero said.
Some of the showcased artists are children. Under the guidance of Peaceful Paths, these young artists used their experiences as a medium for artistic expression.
“The most impactful pieces I’ve seen so far have actually been made by kids,” said Mallika Jain, a visitor supporting the work. “Through the art you can see the situations they’ve been in, and how they are able to express themselves is really moving.”
In addition to spreading awareness through art, Hope Works $150,000 from this show, which would go toward supporting Peaceful Path’s services and initiatives.
The art show is located at the Peaceful Paths Outreach Office at 2100 NW 53rd Ave. in Gainesville and runs through May 5.
