Painting a Picture of Health & Wellbeing...

 Painting a Picture of Health & Wellbeing

On May 26^th, the National Art Honor Society of Northbridge High School presented and hung a mural to enhance the new children's waiting area of Family Continuity's Whitinsville Mental Health Clinic located at 76 Church Street.  The art work, a bright and whimsical oil rendition of beloved cartoon characters waiting to talk to a counselor, was funded through a grant from the Northbridge Cultural Council, a local agency supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council.  Clinic Director, Craig Maxim, was looking for a way to utilize community resources to create a child friendly atmosphere in a clinical setting and found the perfect vehicle for doing so through a group of gifted, willing students and their teachers in the local high school.

The five students: seniors, Amy Branchaud, Katie Duvernay, Olivia Marchi, Briana Bouthillette, and sophomore Sarah Deneault are all members of the National Art Honor Society, an after-school club that seeks to "better the community through art," as explained by art teachers Jennifer Mukerrin and Danielle Pianka.  The project was entirely student directed under the supervision of the two art teachers.  Each student developed a concept, submitted sketches, and together made the final decision of the image that would help children and their families feel more at ease.  Using a rough draft drawn by Amy Branchaud, the students projected the image for reference, stretched their own 4' by 6' canvas and started painting.  Each artist was initially assigned a character to paint; however, individual tasks soon became a truly collaborative effort as each student carved out time from free periods during school hours in addition to the after-school hours normally dedicated to the club activity, resulting in a finished product that is truly an original work of art.  Art teachers Mukerrin and Pianka stated, "These five students went above and beyond what was required of them...dedicating more than 80 hours to bring this project to fruition; we are immensely proud of them."   

Family Continuity is a private, non-profit mental health and social service agency serving Massachusetts from hub offices in Peabody, Lawrence, Whitinsville, Plymouth, and Hyannis.  Demonstrating its motto, "Supporting family success in every community," in Whitinsville since 1985, the local office is currently located at 76 Church Street, housing an Outpatient Mental Health Clinic and Home-based Team.  Family Continuity's Whitinsville Mental Health Clinic utilizes an eclectic, strengths-based client and family-centered approach that addresses the psychological and psychiatric needs of families and individuals throughout the Blackstone Valley.  The Home-Based Team offers clinical and non-clinical outreach to individuals and families.  Services are strengths-based using a child and family-centered approach to home-based support and treatment.  Flexible services are provided in the client's home and individualized to each family's needs, helping to support and stabilize the family.

The mural is a brilliant example of organizations partnering together to meet the needs of individuals and families within our community.  The artists from the Northbridge High National Art Honor Society, the Northbridge Cultural Council, and Family Continuity are committed to providing a safe and pleasant environment in which to improve mental health and wellbeing in the Blackstone Valley.