Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Reception: November 11, 5:30 - 7:30 pm

Lyons Wier Gallery
175 Seventh Avenue (at West 20th Street)

NEW YORK, October 05, 2009 - The MPS Art Therapy Department at the School of Visual Arts (SVA) presents “Tears Dried Solid,” an exhibition of artwork by the Women Veterans Art Therapy Group. In commemoration of Veterans Day the exhibition will be on view Wednesday, November 11, 2009, 10am to 8pm at Lyons Wier Gallery, at 175 Seventh Avenue, New York City. A reception will be held on November 11 from 5:30pm to 7:30pm. For more information, please contact the MPS Art Therapy Department at 212.592.2610.

The MPS Art Therapy Department at SVA has been running the Women Veterans Art Therapy group since January 2008. The 10 female participants range in age from their 20s to 50s and have served in the United States Army and United States Air Force in deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as Desert Storm. Each week, the women are given a safe space to process issues related to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and to externalize memories and emotions that are difficult to put into words. They work freely with a range of artistic techniques such as linoleum block prints, mixed media collage, painting and drawing. Participating in the group helps the veterans to re-establish social connections. As one participant describes her experience, it was “a mixture of emotions when I first returned home. The group gave me the courage to express these feelings. I am not alone.”

Art therapy is a specialized way of using the power of the creative process as a vehicle for healing, communication, self-expression and personal development.  It is a recognized clinical profession proven effective in hospitals, schools, treatment centers, community programs, correctional facilities and a variety of other diverse settings.

Exhibition space was donated by Lyons Wier Gallery and the gallery is accessible by wheelchair. “Tears Dried Solid” is curated by Val Sereno, art therapist and special projects and programs coordinator for the MPS Art Therapy Department, and made possible with generous support from anonymous donors.

The MPS Art Therapy Department at SVA equips students with a strong clinical foundation, combined with intensive training in studio art, art therapy principles and practices, contemporary theories of psychological development and the nature of creativity. Fundamental to the program is the concept that the art therapist and client work together and thus can affect each other’s growth.

School of Visual Arts (SVA) in New York City is an established leader and innovator in the education of artists. From its inception in 1947, the faculty has been comprised of professionals working in the arts and art-related fields. SVA provides an environment that nurtures creativity, inventiveness and experimentation, enabling students to develop a strong sense of identity and a clear direction of purpose.

Media Contact: For more information, please contact John Wyszniewski, assistant director of communication, at 212.592.2209 or jwyszniewski@sva.edu.