Kristy Worthen's Art Work

Kristy's Artwork - ARTSHOW NEWS BULLETINS

Press Release from the Hawaii Department of Health at http://www.hawaii.gov/doh/about/press/2004/04-33amhd.html

May 5, 2004

MENTAL HEALTH CONSUMERS EXHIBIT AN IMPRESSIVE ART SHOW

HONOLULU - National and Hawai`i artists will exhibit their work at the second annual "Abilities Art Show," an event featuring the work of outstanding artists [touched by] mental illness. The show will open Friday, May 7, 6 p.m. at Studio1 Visual and Performing Arts Gallery, 1 N. King St. (corner of King and Nu‘uanu Street). The gallery is open Tuesday - Saturday, Noon - 5 pm, and [the show] will run until May 28, 2004.

During the month of May, the Department of Health (DOH) recognizes Mental Health Awareness Month. This year, the DOH Adult Mental Health Division (AMHD) and Vision, Strength & Artistic Expression (VSA arts) Hawaii-Pacific are sponsoring a juried exhibit for artists whose lives have been affected by mental illness. The goal of the exhibit is to help reduce negative stigma toward mental illness and to emphasize the human dimension, which is often best expressed through creativity and the arts. The event will feature all visual art forms including drawing, painting, photography, sculpture and mixed media. Each piece has an artist’s statement that shares with the public the artist’s feeling about their work and how the stigma of mental illness has affected them. Show curator, Philippe Gross, award winning photographer and author of The Tao of Photography, commented, "the quality of the work submitted was impressive."

National artist and consumer of mental health services, Kristy Worthen, will be exhibiting two of her pieces in the Abilities 2004 show. Her work has been exhibited at the United Nations and is in the collections of several large corporations. Kristy is traveling the nation with the flag she designed and hand-painted to raise awareness about persons with mental illness and the issues they face. So far, Worthen has had the flag flown over 20 state capitols and the Old District Office in Washington, D.C. Kristy Worthen designed the flag and created the "Mental Health Flag Day." Lt. Governor Duke Aiona will raise Ms. Worthen’s flag at the State Capitol where the flag continues to foster hope and awareness of mental health issues.

"I created my flag as a symbol of hope for all people who have been diagnosed with a mental illness," Worthen said. "It is my desire for the flag to focus attention on each state’s mental health needs. I want to let others know there is hope, and there is help for people who have been diagnosed with a mental illness." Worthen said she is happy and that with treatment she has been able to pursue the work she loves.

Worthen commissioned for Artwork for Informational Flipcharts

Kristy has been commissioned to provide two pieces of artwork which will be displayed in physician's offices around the country. The artwork will be part of an informational flipchart on bipolar disorder. Below are the two pieces of work which will be used on the flipcharts...

Worthen Exhibits at Delaware National Art Museum

The Delaware National Art Museum had a reception for Kristy Worthen on January 5, 2004. The next day a Mental Health Flag Ceremony was held at the state capitol. CLICK HERE for more on the Flag Ceremony.

Wilmington, Delaware's Mayor James M. Baker, Marretta Dantino-Fryer, Rik Fryer, Mary and Kristy Worthen

Lt. Gov. John Carney, Rik Fryer, "Puzzle Pieces of Life" by Kristy Worthen, Kristy Worthen, Marretta Dantonio-Fryer
Kristy Worthen, "Puzzle Pieces of Life" by Kristy Worthen, and Marretta Dantonio-Fryer	Kristy explaining her artwork's symbolism to Wilmington, Delaware's Mayor James M. Baker
This is the banner that flew as a memorial for those lives lost in 9-11. Each square of the banner was created by a different artist. The stars were signed by governors throughout the United States, as well as, President Bush and First Lady Laura Bush.	Kristy Worthen is pointing to the square which she designed on the 9-11 Memorial Banner.

Marretta Dantonio-Fryer and Kristy Worthen unvail the Mental Health Flag for the crowd to see.	Lt. Gov. John Carney admires the flag as Kristy explains the symbolism
Mary Worthen and Lt. Gov. John Carney	Lt. Gov. John Carney speaks about mental health issues
Wilmington, Delaware's Mayor James M. Baker	Wilmington, Delaware's Mayor James M. Baker presents Kristy Worthen with a braclet with the Seal of the City of Wilmington for her artistic ability and advocacy work
Mary Worthen speaks on mental health issues	Kristy Worthen gives an arousing speech for the crowd attending the reception

From The Baxter Bulletin Online Local News - Thursday, September 25, 2003

Worthen exhibit now open at ASUMH

An exhibit featuring the artwork of Kristy Worthen opened Monday at Arkansas State University Mountain Home. The exhibit remains open through Friday in the Gaston Lobby located on the second floor of Roller Hall.

Worthen, 25, has been winning awards for her artwork since preschool. In 2002, a piece of Worthen's artwork titled "Puzzle Pieces Of Life" was exhibited at the United Nations Building in New York. The piece was part of an exhibit that traveled throughout the world.

Also in 2002, the Survivors Art Foundation asked Worthen to collaborate with other artists on making a flag flown Sept. 11, 2002, to commemorate the nation's tragedy and honor the families and victims of 9-11.

Currently, Worthen is on a tour of all 50 state capitals and all American territories displaying a Mental Health Flag, which she designed and hand-painted, to bring awareness to mental health issues. The flag tour is spearheaded by the National Lieutenant Governors Association to focus attention on mental health and erase the stigmas associated with mental illness. Worthen was chosen for this project because of her artistic ability and her struggle with bipolar disorder.

A multitalented artist, Worthen works in acrylic, watercolor, pointillism, charcoal and scratchboard, a press release said. She also is carving a totem pole that will depict the history of her American Indian heritage, which will be displayed at the UN in May 2004.

The exhibit is on display until Friday and is open to the public.

Getting Ready for the Show!

Click here to see CLOSE-UPS of ARTWORK