Therapeutic Art Class

Therapeutic Art classes are offered to men enrolled in the Allentown Rescue Mission’s Transformation Program or who are working for the Clean Team Workforce. 

Bi-monthly classes allow participants to embark on a painting adventure with an on-staff instructor. Learning different art and painting techniques is just the beginning of what the men can take away from the class. In addition to creating a beautiful painting, the classes provide a creative outlet for the men to express themselves positively, relieve stress and anxiety, increase confidence, and cultivate life skills such as encouragement and camaraderie. 

Many men have discovered a talent and source of enjoyment they never knew they had but were brought out during the class.

While the men might be painting the same scene, no individual painting ends up the same because of the unique vision and abilities of each man in the class bringing their own background, experiences, and personality into their work. 

“The daily problems these men came to the mission with were briefly swept away with one simple stroke of the brush. Without knowing it, they put their blinders on and only focused on what was right in front of them. Nothing else mattered. They each saw something different in the picture, and they made it their own.

The men get to forget about their problems for 2 hours and focus on something totally different than their everyday problems. I have come to appreciate the transition from the daily grind to painting and focusing on something different myself. Maybe this class is as much for me as it is for the men.”  -Wendy Navarre, Art Class Instructor