Drawn and Quartered by Susan

Most of my days are spent at the Krasman Centre. It's a drop-in place for anyone who has dealings with mental health and/or addictions. It is based on the peer support premise: nobody understands better than someone who's been there. This organization has been my lifeline and gave me purpose when I had none. It gave me a safe place to go, to force myself up and out the door every day no matter how lousy I felt. This summer has brought an opportunity to return something to the people who took such a vested interest in helping me as I worked my way to recovery. I volunteered to run a "How to Draw" class. This is new to me and makes me think deeply about the process I go through when creating an image. Even to the point of being aware of how I hold my pencil. Most importantly I've discovered is sharing how I look at things; how I break them down into shapes and shades. Training the pencil means training the eye. I celebrate the courage of these wonderful people. They have cast off the past discouragements at the hands of well meaning teachers and parents who told them they would never be an artist. I celebrate their willingness to step outside their comfort zone to explore a whole other world. Most of all. I celebrate their joy as they.toss the lies into the Black River. "Therefor with lovingkindness have I drawn you. Again I will build you and you shall be rebuilt." Jer 31:3