Art Classes with Richard Boulet

Prosper Place is a program of the Canadian Mental Health Association – Edmonton Region (CMHA Edmonton). With a membership of over 200 active members the program is the only psychosocial rehabilitation centre for people with lived experience of mental illness or addictions challenges in the Edmonton Region.

48 people, members of Prosper Place, with lived experience of a mental illness or addictions challenge will take visual arts classes from an artist who also has lived experience of mental illness and addictions challenges. The instructor, Richard Boulet, lives with schizophrenia and has had a lengthy and successful career in visual and fibre arts. He is well known and respected among the arts community of Edmonton and beyond.

Richard will prepare the lessons and lead the students as they explore, discover, and choose their personal paths of recovery, wellness, and resilience. Art classes will be offered for two hours per week and in blocks of four sessions with eight modules per session. Modules will explore various aspects of visual expression including: colour theory, shape, form, perspective, light, shadow, painting styles, glazing and finishing, and art history. Students learn the fundamentals of visual art expression and grow their skill set. Guest speakers, who are themselves visual artists, will share with the students their own creative processes. Some will share their personal stories of recovery, wellness, and resilience from the challenges they have faced in their lives and the lessons learned from lived experience.

Over the course of the classes, and through interactions with each other, students will become connected, and friendships and acquaintances will develop. A sense of empowerment will grow, and this will contribute to building community at Prosper Place.

Prosper Place will create a gallery space for showing the students artwork and offering it for sale to the community. Students live on low income supports of $1,900 per month and the sale of a few pieces of art can help lift them from the clutches of poverty and give them a great sense of satisfaction, personal accomplishment, and improved confidence.

 “Art Classes with Richard Boulet” will support those with lived experience of a mental illness or addictions challenge by providing visual art classes.

Most major mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, and borderline personality disorder begin to manifest in the late teens or early twenties. This is the time of emerging adulthood, and emotional and social development becomes stunted. Many living with a major mental illness also live with high anxiety and often struggle with multiple addictions. People with lived experience of a mental illness or addictions challenge need the opportunity to become fully fledged adults, and this can happen through skills building and personal growth opportunities. 

People with lived experience of a mental illness or addictions challenge can participate in “Art Classes with Richard Boulet”. This visual art program will offer the opportunity to build expressive arts skills through expert instruction and hands on exploration. The learning and development of skills can give a great sense of satisfaction and build confidence.

Working shoulder to shoulder with other students engaged in exploration and discovery brings people together as they grow and acquire improved social skills. Opportunities for socialization will benefit the students and stimulate personal growth.

Skills building and personal growth opportunities will help to address the high anxiety that many of the students experience on a daily basis.

As students learn and grow, they will feel empowered. Empowering individuals empowers communities. The entire Prosper Place community of people with lived experience will share in the benefits of “Art Classes with Richard Boulet”.