Free Arts for Abused Children of Arizona (Free Arts) is pleased to announce The Soul of My Roots/El Alma de Mis Raices will be on exhibit at the Wolfsinkel Education Center at Phoenix Art Museum, located at 1625 N. Central Ave. in Phoenix from Aug. 30-Nov. 14. The exhibit was created as part of Free Arts Professional Artist Series, in collaboration with Phoenix Art Museum and Phoenix-based teaching artist, Emily Costello. The exhibit will be on display and open to the public for free during the Museum’s business hours (http://bit.ly/PhxArtHours).
During the series, teenage boys from a local shelter for unaccompanied minors visited Phoenix Art Museum to draw inspiration from the exhibition, Border Crossing: Mexico and the American Southwest. They shared observations and interpretations, practice sketching, and learned painting techniques. The results are rich narratives that demonstrate how each young artist connects with their roots.
“The boys worked very hard on their projects and each tells an amazing story,” said Alicia Sutton Campbell, executive director of Free Arts for Abused Children of Arizona. “We’re thrilled to be partnering with Phoenix Art Museum to showcase their work. This is one of the programs The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation recently help fund with its $2.5 million donation to Free Arts. They have been longtime supports of Free Arts and we appreciate their commitment to our programs.”
The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation have granted more than $3 million to Free Arts over the past six years. The two programs specifically supported by their recent grant are the Free Arts Camp and Professional Artist Series. The organization hopes this gift will inspire others to support Free Arts as they work to raise an additional $700,000 to complete the capital campaign. To learn more about the work of Free Arts or how you can get involved, visit freeartsaz.org.
About Free Arts for Abused Children of Arizona
Founded in 1993, Free Arts for Abused Children of Arizona is a non-profit organization which heals homeless and abused children through artistic expression. Free Arts programs include creative elements that promote safety, self-expression and a sense of belonging. Free Arts programs are delivered by 900 volunteer mentors and artists who serve more than 8,000 children annually through partnerships with 43 social service child welfare agencies at 100+ sites across Maricopa County. For more information on Free Arts, visit: www.freeartsaz.org.
About Phoenix Art Museum
Phoenix Art Museum has provided access to visual arts and educational programs in Arizona for more than 50 years and is the largest art museum in the Southwestern United States. Critically acclaimed national and international exhibitions are shown alongside the Museum’s permanent collection of more than 18,000 works of American, Asian, European, Latin American, Western American, modern and contemporary art, and fashion design. The Museum also presents festivals, a comprehensive film program, live performances and educational programs designed to enlighten, entertain and stimulate visitors of all ages. Visitors also enjoy vibrant photography exhibitions through the Museum’s landmark partnership with the Center for Creative Photography, University of Arizona. To learn more about Phoenix Art Museum, visit www.PhxArt.org.