The rainbow of pictures and motivational quotes drawn in chalk on downtown’s Heritage Plaza Wednesday evening was part of ArtsAltoona’s Empowering Arts for Men in Recovery program.

One participant dotted encouragements like “I wear my heart on my sleeve” and “do the next right thing” around the circle of the mandala. He said he uses them to keep himself positive and wanted to share them with the community.

“It’s very calming. It’s a good way to get out of the house and express myself,” he said.

About a dozen men in recovery from addiction gathered at the plaza to create a mandala, the Sanskrit word for circle. It typically consists of shapes and colors moving outward from a center point. The artwork stretched across the plaza in a rainbow of pictures and motivational quotes as the men collaborated on designs and praised each other’s work.

Mirror photo by Linden Markley Participants trace each others hands with chalk at Heritage Plaza on Wednesday evening as part of the Empowering Arts for Men in Recovery program at ArtsAltoona.

Wednesday’s chalk event was just one of a series hosted by ArtsAltoona and aims to help participants build skills, like confidence and self-esteem, through artistic creation. The men are encouraged to communicate their emotions and relieve stress with art as part of their addiction recovery, according to the program’s description.

ArtsAltoona partnered with the Pyramid Healthcare Gratitude House in Altoona to teach some of its residents about art and allow them to create their own during free weekly programs.

Sherry Dilling, an AmeriCorps member at ArtsAltoona who also created the Empowering Arts program, said she has enjoyed watching the program grow over the last few years and seeing the art the participants make.

“The willingness to try things is awesome,” Dilling said. “Everyone will find a way to express themselves in their own way.”

The art medium is different each week, Dilling said, giving the participants an opportunity to work in sculpting, painting, mosaics and more. She starts the session with a conversation on topics like self-confidence, healing or positive affirmations, which can be useful to those recovering from addiction.

Mirror photo by Linden Markley A participants draws a colorful message reading “Broken crayons still color” onto the pavement at Heritage Plaza on Wednesday evening as part of the Empowering Arts for Men in Recovery program at ArtsAltoona.

About a dozen residents of the Gratitude House participated throughout the six-week program, Dilling said. The art allows them to express themselves or work through an issue they are going through in a positive environment.

“It did improve their confidence,” Dilling said. “That feeling of connection is really important.”

Some of the men said they are artists on their own and have experience outside the Empowering Art program, with one even receiving an education in digital art. They drew images of people from their lives, nature scenes and logos from brands and sports teams.

Using the chalk, one participant traced the hands of the others, creating colorful outlines of outstretched fingers.

“This means something,” another man in recovery said jokingly. “We’re having a moment together.”

Mirror photo by Linden Markley Participants draw a colorful message reading "let them" onto the pavement at Heritage Plaza on Wednesday evening as part of the Empowering Arts for Men in Recovery program at ArtsAltoona.

While drawing bubbles on the pavement, another participant said it was his first week at an Empowering Arts event, and it felt like a positive way to show off his creativity.

“I mostly paint and draw,” he said. “But I definitely want to come back again.”

Support and expansion

ArtsAltoona received a $1,400 grant from Operation Our Town in 2022, which was put toward the Empowering Arts for Men in Recovery program. Dilling led a sister program in the fall for women in recovery, but this is the first session for men at the Pyramid Healthcare Gratitude House.

The chalk mandala event is an extension of the six-week program, as there was continued interest by the men at the house, Dilling said. Next week, the group will tour the Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art’s Altoona location and view the Donald M. Robinson Photography Biennial exhibition.

Dilling said these types of programs cost less money or are free, so as long as she is available to volunteer, they can continue meeting.

“My dream is that it can be an ongoing program so that it would go without interruptions,” Dilling said.

But for the program to expand into a year-round opportunity, Dilling said more sponsorships and community support would be needed. She said she is looking into partnerships with other local groups like Altoona Community Theatre, to offer more ways for the participants to learn about art.

In past Empowering Art sessions, local artists have taught the participants in workshops of their medium. Recently, local illustrator Brian Middleton taught the men how to create a three-panel comic strip.

“It’s been really awesome to have the community support the project in that way,” Dilling said.

Beyond the support from Operation Our Town last year, the women’s program received financial support from WISE Women of Blair County and the FirstEnergy Foundation. This allowed ArtsAltoona to expand the women’s program to almost all members of the women’s house and offer the men’s program for the first time this year.

Dilling said she also hopes to eventually introduce a co-ed Empowering Arts program that is open to the wider Altoona community. She said she has seen an interest through her volunteer work and that art can help anyone who is struggling with addiction or just needs support.

“Recovery is a lot more common than you might think,” Dilling said.

Mirror Staff Writer Linden Markley is at 814-946-7520.