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Thursday, January 1, 2009SOLON SUN
Exhibit shows artists' PLANfor dealing with mental illness
Lisa Chuan-Lee Cheng's art has fairytale-Iike qualities.
By Marjorie PrestonCorrespondent
Lisa Chuan-Lee Cheng hasbeen studying art in Ohio andNew York City since the late'80s. Her brightly-colored,symbolic drawings have afluid, fairy-tale quality. Sheworks in a museum.She also has to manage
mental illness.Those paths will intersect in
a new exhibit.Planned Lifetime Assist-
ance Network of NortheastOhio, a Lyndhurst-based non-profit whose mission is to helpadults challenged by mentalillness, will open a travelingart exhibit Sunday at HeightsArts Studio in ClevelandHeights. It features the workof PLAN members created inart classes, open studios orspecial workshops."I felt it was important to
share my work in that context,to see if it could help otherpeople," Cheng of ClevelandHeights said. "I think it will behelpful in reducing stigma."Cheng does origami and has
taught it in classes at PLAN,but watercolors are her truelabor of love."I've been working with wa-
tercolor pencil drawings withsumi ink for the outlines, andthen I color in with watercolorpencils. Then I dampen thepencil with a damp brush toblend the colors, and then putin a watercolor paint back-ground so it's mostly water-color pencil."Art therapists are there if I
ever need help, like if I have atechnical question. Sometimesthey talk about the work, andit helps me have insight into
what it might mean," Chengsaid.The exhibit includes pastel
drawings, paintings, watercol-ors and sculptures. Some willbe for sale at planneohio.org.Most work will be priced from$25-$75.Art and Poetry Coordinator
Gretchen Miller works onPLAN's Art, Poetry and Men-tal Health Recovery Project."As an art therapist, I know
creative expression can bevery helpful in coping, relaxa-tion and being able to commu-nicate thoughts, words andfeelings that might be difficultto relate verbally," Millersaid."We have a holistic recov-
ery program and a lot of theart in the exhibit comes out ofthat programming," she said.PLAN helps patients and
their families with problemslike depression, bipolar mooddisorders or schizophrenia."We've got people who are
working in the community,volunteering, people who are
going to school or who have amaster's degree and are doingwell in recovery. Others maybe on disability or in a grouphome. Local art therapistshave been helping get peoplemotivated and creating, andthey're looking forward toshowing their art," Millersaid.
"We aim to show how crea-tive expression aids in a mem-ber's recovery and educate thepublic viewing the exhibitabout mental illness," shesaid.
The art will remain on displaythrough Jan. 31 at HeightsArts Studio in the ClevelandHeights-University HeightsMain Library, 2340 Lee Road,Cleveland Heights. Reception2-4 p.m. Sunday. (216)371-3344.The exhibit will travel inFebruary to the CuyahogaCounty Community MentalHealth Board, in March toCSU, in April to Bela Dubby,in May to Ursuline Collegeand in June to Tri-C Metro.
