This spring and summer, the exhibit Nourishing the Spirit is at the gallery at HAI. This collection of paintings and drawings reflects the personal beliefs of the artists, all who live with a major mental illness and related conditions. The exhibitors live with a daily struggle to heal and sustain a balance in their lives and use creative expression as an essential life force. Art helps make the day-to-day struggle bearable and future prospects positive. The viewer is invited into the artists' inner world through their unique, artistic statements that do not conform to society's expectations.

All the exhibiting artists have participated in programs run by HAI for adults living with mental illness throughout New York City. The current exhibit represents the best of the work created over the past twenty years.

Artists in Nourishing the Spirit include: Oscar Brown, Ray Hamilton, Mercedes Jamison, Kenny McKay, Gaetana (Thomas) Menna, "Lady Shalimar" Montague, Adeyinka Perry, Irene Phillips and Laura Anne Walker.

HAI’s gallery is at 548 Broadway, 3rd Floor between Prince and Spring Streets. The exhibit is open to the public Tuesday - Saturday, 1 pm - 6 pm. Selected images from the exhibit can also be seen at HAI’s website.

Lois Romero (above) uses alternative materials in combination with traditional media to develop iconography that expresses her point of view about the intangible. God Working with Mother Nature, 19 ¼“ x 21 ¼”, mixed media, exemplifies her perspective.

In Beliefs (Ink, acrylic and watercolor. 11” x 14 1/2”), Eric Moses (above) depicts many diverse manifestations of the impact of religion. Depictions include the Crusades, Salem witch trials, Pilgrims, John Brown, Jim Jones and Auschwitz.

Melvin "Milky" Way expresses his view of the world through tiny ink drawings of complex quasi-scientific formulae incorporating symbolic phrases and iconic shapes. He keeps his drawigs in his pockets while he reworks them over many months. Way says that the formulae in his drawings are extremely powerful chemical recipes that should be handled with care and not mixed. Way's drawings have been exhibited in commercial galleries and are in major private collections. Way has been the subject of a feature article in Raw Vision. Shown: detail from Hybrid Vigor. Ink. 2 1/8” x 5”

Rodney Thornblad created The Last Supper, a drawing on paper 40” x 121”, in colored pencil and black ink. Beyond the depiction of the event commonly known as The Last Supper, this tableau style work incorporates many events in the life of Christ. Scenes include teaching disciples under a tree, praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, Stations of the Cross, Mary at the tomb. This is the fourth of Thornblad's large tableau-style drawings. Two medieval battle scenes and another Last Supper are in public and private collections. These drawings represent Thornblad's deep religious beliefs and personal daily struggles. The Last Supper is featured in the current issue of Raw Vision, the premiere international journal of Outsider Art. Shown: detail from The Last Supper.