Spotlight: Ali

Today we are spotlighting Ali!  We first met Ali as a client at one of our Knitting in Recovery classes.  Now Ali has been clean and sober for over a year, and she is one of our teachers for Knitting in Recovery!

Over the summer, Ali submitted several pieces to the Ventura County Fair and won three 3rd place, one 2nd place, and one 1st place ribbons!

Ali is currently teaching for Knitting in Recovery at one facility and will be starting at a few new facilities in the coming months.  We are also hoping to start a knitting and crochet group at the VC Arts Collective in the Pacific View Mall, which Ali will teach.

Ali has several pieces on display and available for purchase at the VC Arts Collective, including several beanies slouchy beanies and adorable clutch purses.

She has finished several recent commissions including leg warmers, beanies, and blankets, and she is currently working on a king-sized blanket for a family friend.  She is already planning on making beanies in sports team and school colors to have for sale at the mall space, such as black and gold for Ventura High School.

Thank you, Ali, for helping our program grow and better serve our community.

 

Reentry through the Arts Grant

Knitting in Recovery recently received a grant for Reentry through the Arts (RTA) from the California Arts Council (CAC).

Reentry Through the Arts is a new, two-year pilot grant program rooted in the California Arts Council’s belief that the arts are a powerful vehicle for positive change in people, communities and society.  The grant supports high quality arts programs for people who have been convicted of a criminal offense and have served time in correctional institutions. The proposed grant project must have the arts as a central component of a holistic and integrated approach to reentry that also identifies other community-based support services including but not limited to job skills training, job placement, mental health and wellness, drug treatment, and/or case management.

Knitting in Recovery, in collaboration with the Ventura County Arts Council (VCAC), is using this grant to provide workforce training to one of our clients who is on probation and has been clean and sober for over a year.  She lives with her infant son and is a talented crocheter.  Now, she is able to serve others by teaching Knitting in Recovery classes at several of our facilities.

Through the grant, she is able to work at the VCAC Arts Collective in the Pacific View Mall.  At the Arts Collective, she is learning customer service, inventory, point of sale, merchandising, event-planning, and other valuable workplace skills.

Knitting in Recovery at the Pacific View Mall

For over a year, Knitting in Recovery has partnered with the Ventura County Arts Council (VCAC), a non-profit that serves the whole of Ventura County with arts education and advocacy.  VCAC runs a space in the Pacific View Mall called the VC Arts Collective.  The space acts as part gallery, part retail space, and part art studio and classroom.

 

Knitting in Recovery is very excited to be featured in this space.  Currently, we have a permanent display case full of work made by our clients.  We also have some pieces hanging along the display wall including a fantastic granny-square blanket and small pom-pom wall-hanging.  Our teachers and clients engage in workforce training and help to staff the space.

In the near future, we hope to establish knitting and crochet classes in the space and have an Arts in Recovery exhibition (including reception) including work from our knitting and crochet classes, visual art classes, and poetry classes taught at recovery centers.

We are excited about the opportunities the Arts Collective provides for our program and our clients.  Many thanks to the Ventura County Arts Council for their collaboration.

The VC Arts Collective is located at:
The Pacific View Mall
3301 E Main St, Suite 2167
Ventura, CA 93003

Knitting in Recovery at Arts Stars Event

October 11, 2017- Knitting in Recovery was represented at the Ventura County Arts Council‘s (VCAC) Art Stars award ceremony.  VCAC’s mission is to advocate for artists and the arts across Ventura County.  The bi-annual Arts Stars award ceremony is VCAC’s way of honoring local organizations, government agencies, and business people that are exceptional advocates of the arts.

Knitting in Recovery staff were invited to attend the event for their phenomenal work using art as healing in the addiction/recovery, mental-health, homeless, and abuse survivor communities.

Knitting in Recovery founder, Lise Solvang (L), and administrative assistant/social media expert, Emily Wages (R)

Artist and poet, Kat, opened the night with her poem “Call me an Artist.”  Kat is a poet with Kidling Studios, which serves adult artists with special needs.  VCAC has partnered with Kindling Studios on several projects.

Probation and Juvenile Hall receiving award for Community Support of the Arts.  Knitting in Recovery will be starting classes at the Juvenile Hall beginning in December.

2017 Art Stars award recipients with one-of-a-kind awards from glass artist Aya Oki.

Many thanks to the Ventura County Arts Council for having us and to Levity Live for use of their venue and great service throughout the event.