News From Arts Habitat 
Young Adults in Foster Care Learn Life Skills Through Collaborative
Art-Making
Salinas, Ca, April, 2009
On Tuesday, April 28, 2009 at 5:45 p.m., Arts Habitat will unveil three new artworks from the Houses Art project at Hartnell College during an Independent Living Program Workshop.
In January 2009 Arts Habitat launched the second phase of Houses Art in partnership with the Independent Living Program (ILP) of Monterey County. ILP helps foster youth, ages 16 to 19, "map the road to independence," and learn life skills during their transition out of foster care. 
Three large, house-shaped paintings were created in collaboration by foster youth and young adults from ILP and their Transitional Housing Program called PATH. Led by community artist Sue Ann Hillyer, these young artists brainstormed ideas about the environment in a home or a community where they would feel safe to express their own creativity. The artworks reflect ideas that include images of their hopes, fears and realities.
Raymond Gonzales, the Coordinator for Transitional Youth Services reflected, "I learned that if you give them [young adults] a challenge, they will step up to the plate, and you should always push that, because that's what they need." He also mentioned that he had seen a lot [come] from them and that he hopes they will take this process as a life lesson.
The artworks will be in the window displays at 1000 S. Main St. in the Quadrangle Building, home to the Independent Living Program in May 2009. Additional exhibition locations will be announced at www.artshabitat.org. |
is a non-profit organization dedicated to fostering a vibrant arts community with affordable living and working spaces for artists and arts organizations at the new town of East Garrison on the former Fort Ord. Houses Art helps us to build our community through creative alliances with artists, arts educators and organizations. 