“The purpose of art is nothing less than
ASPIRATIO This quote from Pope John Paul II, my love for people in recovery, and a generous grant from The Joe W. and Dorothy Dorsett Brown Foundation fueled the creation of Ursuline Academy’s “Aspirational Art.” The idea: The current addiction crisis in our nation, and more specifically in New Orleans, was at the top of my list. Having been part of a family in crisis and recovery, I have gained intimate knowledge of the recovery process and the strength that comes from being connected to and supported by others. My goal was to send pieces of love and encouragement to those in our city who were fighting the battle of addiction. I also hoped that we could offer this to a women’s facility to “uplift” our sisters in this battle. Through prayer and reflection, the idea took form and the next step was to find such a facility that was in need of our services. Mrs Natalie
Vitrano and I put our creative heads together and came up with a number of concepts. Partnership with Grace House: The only long term treatment facility for women seeking sobriety that I had heard of in New Orleans was Grace House. The CEO Else Peterson was a constant support. Strangely enough, when I made my first contact with Grace House, they were moving into a new facility that had blank walls and a need for art. God has been present in this process from beginning to end. The collaboration with Grace House has continued for the last two years and has been amazing. We are a true partnership in every aspect. The learning: The goal of this project was to demystify the recovery process, teach the students about the steps and slogans of Alcoholics Anonymous, prevent addiction through education, and learn how to create
