Milwaukee Youth Present Art As A Gateway To Peace

MILWAUKEE - April 10, 2014 - PRLog -- When the School Sisters of St. Francis learned that Milwaukee youth were making a statement on peace through art, the religious community of Catholic sisters was inspired. These Franciscan sisters, who are centered on the Gospel mission to heal an ailing world through understanding and service, invited the young people’s collection to be shown in their motherhouse convent, St. Joseph Center, in the Alfons Corridor Gallery.

The art exhibit, “Youth and Art:  Gateway to Peace,” by youth participating in the Safe & Sound after-school program will be on display for two weeks in May, starting Monday, May 12. Safe & Sound is a non-profit organization committed to improving neighborhoods and the lives of children and youth. The organization also offers grants to after-school providers throughout Milwaukee.

From May 12 until May 27, “Youth and Art:  Gateway to Peace” will be on view daily from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

A recent initiative to nurture young people’s creative spirits while allowing them to make sense of the world around them led to Safe & Sound’s partnership with The Medical College of Wisconsin’s Violence Prevention Initiative to bring together youth from ArtWorks of Milwaukee, Agape Community Center, and Urban Underground, as well as B&G Fitzsimonds and B&G Mary Ryan (both of which are Boys and Girls Clubs).  Also included are pieces by youth working with Arts@Large, a program that strives to make arts education accessible to all by linking community artist educators with teachers and students. Through art mentoring, these groups have helped the young participants produce an impressive collection of pieces that reminds everyone of the work that has yet to be done for challenged urban neighborhoods, while offering a hopeful vision for tomorrow.

Renderings that call for peace and non-violence are depicted in brilliant hues. Paint, pencil, and photography are the vehicles for messages of hope. Love, peace, faith, and kindness are the pursuits of these youth. Making Milwaukee a place where all people live in mutual trust and respect is the ultimate goal—a better life for one and all.

Through this exhibit, visitors can gain an appreciation for the struggles of urban young people. By sharing their ruminations through “Gateway to Peace,” these young artists have taken the lead in transforming a broken world.

Visitors are also invited to view the Alfons Gallery’s exhibit, “A New Life: Portraits of Refugee Families in Milwaukee. Photographs by John Ruebartsch, from the Here, There, and Elsewhere collaborative project by Sally Kuzma and John Ruebartsch,” until June 22. The gallery is open on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Sundays from noon till 3 p.m.

St. Joseph Center is located at 1501 S. Layton Boulevard (Greenfield Ave. at 27th St.), Milwaukee, WI 53215. All visitors are welcome to view both exhibits free of charge.

         About The School Sisters of St. Francis

The School Sisters of St. Francis are an international community of Catholic sisters who unite with others to build a just and peaceful world. Founded in 1874, they now have sisters, associates, staff, donors and volunteers actively working to address the needs of those who are poor and marginalized by society. Their mission is thriving throughout the United States, Europe, Latin America and India.  In the U.S., School Sisters live and minister in 16 states, addressing needs in education, holistic wellness and healing, pastoral ministry, spiritual growth, social justice, and the arts. For more information about the School Sisters of St. Francis, please visit www.sssf.org.