Jewish Chronicle Layout - Painting

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THE JEWISH CHRONICLE AUGUST 9, 2007

Style of paint Jewish artist creates mural for recovering women BY SUSAN JACOBS Associate Editor

Sheri Sable stands back to assess the mural she has been working on. “I think she needs to lose weight,” she says of the female figure she has painted in the outdoor landscape. Sable then sets about outlining the latex and acrylic figure with shades of green to help the woman blend into the background and slim down. The mural, with its green grass and trees and blue river, represents the happy memories of the female residents of POWER, a residential facility in Swissvale for women recovering from substance abuse. But the mural, which Sable has been working on since April, also depicts their hopes for the future, as they identify the negative forces that led them to abuse drugs and alcohol, and work on rebuilding their lives. When women move in to POWER, they often are seeking comfort and stability that they have not found previously. The facility, housed in a former convent, has a leafy garden courtyard and a porch with graceful arches, as well as stained glass windows and carved wooden banisters, all of which help to create an atmosphere that promotes personal contemplation and optimism for the future. One of the building’s common areas, designated as a place for residents to visit with their children, had a large empty wall space. A visitor with the teachers’ organization Delta Kappa Gamma suggested

finding an artist to paint a mural, and the group offered a small grant to cover the cost of materials. “For the longest time we thought it was one of those ideas that will never happen,” said Karen Clark, volunteer coordi-

the scenes.” Sable and Coufal met with a group of POWER residents to discuss what should be included in the mural. As their discussion developed, the residents were asked to recall happy memories with their mothers, or positive interactions they wished they had had. Many of the women spoke about being outdoors, on hilltops and near rivers. One recalled picnicking with her mother, and that memory led Sable to include a motherly figure and children in the mural. The figures are somewhat abstract — it is unclear what race they are or even if the children are boys or girls. That was intentional, as the scene was designed to have universal meaning. The mural is now close to completion, and Coufal sees it as another tool to help the women of POWER change their lives in positive ways. “People understand that art has a place in spiritual life,” she said. “We can bring it to others who need sanctuary.” The painting fits in well with the former residence for nuns, which is a serene and comforting place. “It’s a pleasant place,” said Clark. “It’s nice it was a residence for women and has stayed a residence for women.” As many as 25 women live in the facility at a time. POWER is a nonsectarian organization, but it rents the former convent from Word of God parish. Chronicle photo by Susan Jacobs “It’s been a really good relationChronicle art by Jane Muder ship,” said Clark. The connection Top: Mural close-up to the parish helped the recovery Bottom: Sheri Sable painting a mural facility to find acceptance in the surrounding community. And, said Clark, POWER is “full of little miracles in a way” as the women transform their lives. As worked has progressed on the mural, Sable has had some informal feedback from POWER residents. At one point, the mural included a waterfall, but Sable removed it after one woman said the water looked too turbulent. Another woman found the natural landscape to be calming. When it’s finished, the mural — out of necessity — will have a limited audience, since POWER admits few visitors to the facility. But that doesn’t bother Sable. “It’s nice for an artist to know there will be people experiencing and interacting with the artwork on some level,” she said. nator for POWER, which stands for Pennsylvania Organization for Women in Early Recovery. Enter Sable. The local artist and massage therapist learned about the work of POWER after the social action committee of her congregation, Dor Hadash, invited POWER co-founder Terry Miller to speak about the organization’s work. In addition to the Swissvale facility, POWER runs several other recoveryrelated programs for women. Wendy Osher, social action chair for Dor Hadash, asked Sable and Donna Coufal to work on the mural. Coufal, a psychologist, dabbles in various forms of art. She has also used art in therapy with mentally ill patients. “This was a way to use my interest in art,” said Coufal. “It’s a different way of giving back — being an artist instead of just being behind

(Susan Jacobs can be reached at [email protected].)

Want to help? If you know someone who would benefit from the services offered by POWER, or are interested in getting involved as a volunteer, more information is available at www.powerrecovery.com.