Art as a Healing Balm in Life’s Journey 

Art for the Journey, based in Midlothian, has as its mission to transform lives through art and community. The organization started small in 2014. Founder Mark Hierholzer had taken up art as a way to bring balance to his life after more than 40 years working in mental health, including 25 years as CEO of Childsavers, a mental health organization for children. He enjoyed art and began teaching art classes. 

“After learning that Mark had been providing communion for incarcerated women, one of Mark’s art students, Jamie Wigginton, suggested that the women could benefit from art classes,” Cindy Paullin, executive director, explains. “I was also a student in that class, so we worked together to form a nonprofit. We first raised money to buy art supplies so we could bring an art class to incarcerated women in Goochland, Virginia.”

“At the same time, I was caring for my mother who had dementia,” Cindy continues. “I was feeling caregiver stress from the fact that I couldn’t save her from this difficult phase of her life. That made me think that perhaps art could help people living with dementia.” Dr. Elizabeth Lokon founded Opening Minds Through Art (OMA), to help people living with dementia. Art for the Journey brought the program to Virginia and recently received a major grant to help scale OMA to dementia patients in nursing homes across Virginia.   

“We also began providing art classes to schools in Richmond that did not have enough funding for art,” Cindy says. “And we have added programs for veterans living with PTSD and women in recovery from drug and alcohol addiction. So, now we are serving all of these populations and we have grown from a small group of artists who were going through something in their own lives and noticed that art gave us a sense of well-being that we wanted to share with others.” Another big event happened during the Covid pandemic when Art for the Journey developed a special public television show, “The Creative Corner, which was picked up by PBSLearning.org and is now a tool available for teachers everywhere. 

Today, Art for the Journey has programs for everyone from young students to seniors. “Our programs, classes, and events are designed to make participants feel calm and comfortable in creating art as individuals,” Cindy says. “We provide all the art supplies needed for expression, but we also bring our empathy and work to ensure everyone is having a positive and joyful experience. I have been able to witness so much hands-on, heartfelt giving of others to others in our community and beyond. By working in a nonprofit organization that is built on the hearts and hands of volunteers, I see at the very core that people want to help others. We provide the opportunity to help those who are underserved by using art and art making.”

Brenda Fulgham from the TowneBank Iron Bridge office is a longtime volunteer with Art for the Journey. “Brenda took a class with us several years ago and has volunteered ever since,” Cindy says. “She is a wonderful artist, and she has a giving heart. She visits veterans with PTSD or combat-related disabilities and helps nurture everyone who is part of that program. Brenda introduced us to Matt Clarke, who opened the door to a partnership with TowneBank. We knew that as we were expanding, we would need a bank that would provide a personal level of customer service and care. We think the world of TowneBank and have expanded our relationship. As we are trying to grow a business that is making a difference in the lives of others, this banking team has been there with us and helped us grow. I cannot state more enthusiastically how much I appreciate TowneBank.”

To learn more about Art for the Journey and their upcoming annual gala, visit ArtfortheJourney.org. Learn about the PBS series The Creative Corner here.