JCAP Art Show Will Share Personal Journeys of Overcoming Addictions

The event happens July 10 at the Lawrenceburg Public Library.

Rocks by Ashley Draffen and Phoenix by Daniel Dunn. Photos provided.

(Lawrenceburg, Ind.) - While participating in the Dearborn County JCAP (Jail Chemical Additions Program), art is a way participants can begin to heal.

It is an outlet for a lot of people in recovery. It also can be a glimpse of what is going on in someone’s head, said Ashley Draffen, JCAP alumni.

“It is relaxing considering the circumstances,” said Daniel Dunn, now a JCAP alumni, who created art while going through the program.

Both Draffen and Dunn will have art pieces displayed during the Dearborn County JCAP Alumni’s Project Hope Art Show 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, July 10, at the Lawrenceburg Main Library. Light refreshments will be served and an awards ceremony will be held at noon. Everyone is welcome to attend.

Previously Dunn had dabbled in one-time painting classes, but it was not something he did on a regular basis.

But when the time came to draw something of his own, he knew what he wanted to do.

“At the time I was reading a lot of different books, and I was reading this book called Addiction Manifesto. The front cover was like a phoenix rising from the ashes, so that is what I chose to do- like a new birth- this new way of life. It inspired me to replicate one of those,” said Dunn, who is proud of the way it turned out.

Draffen joined other program alumni painting rocks that will be on display during the show. People can then take some of the rocks to place throughout the community. The rocks include inspirational messages of kindness and growth.

She hopes the rocks inspire people or makes their day better. She knows first-hand how much that can mean.

“Being in recovery some days are tough, I want people to know if they’re struggling they can reach out to us,” said Draffen.

“Community art projects are a great way for participants to connect to the community and give back. …  I wanted this project to be unique in that we had individuals create a piece of artwork while in JCAP about their personal recovery journey and had JCAP alumni working on rock art and other forms of art to share with the community,” said Tisha Linzy, Program Director Dearborn County JCAP.

“I am very grateful for the JCAP program. It gave me the skills I need to help overcome some of my negative thinking. The one-on-one counseling was really great to help me work through some of those things in my past that had continued to keep me in my addition,” said Dunn.

He hopes people walk away from the art show understanding more about what they were going though at the time and see how they have chosen a path to overcome their past, he said.

“There is obviously a stigma of people going to jail so I don’t think the community knows just how tough JCAP is to get through and a lot of us are doing great things now,” said Draffen, who recently graduated with a degree in communications from Indiana University. She hopes the art show is a way to display that to the community.