Art Exhibit Highlights Recovery from Addiction

ALBANY, NY (09/18/2009)(readMedia)-- State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) Commissioner Karen M. Carpenter-Palumbo today announced the winners of the Sixth Annual New York State Recovery Fine Arts Festival, now on display at the Empire State Plaza in Albany.

The festival showcases the artistic achievement by persons in recovery from addiction and celebrates the benefits of recovery for individuals, families and communities. The Recovery Fine Arts Festival is sponsored by OASAS each year during September, which was proclaimed Recovery Month in New York by Governor David A. Paterson in conjunction with National Recovery Month. "Pathways to Recovery" is the 2009 theme for Recovery Month activities in New York.

"The arts festival provides an opportunity for individuals who have begun a life of recovery to impart their journey through artistic expression," said Commissioner Carpenter-Palumbo. "Each year I am overwhelmed by the talent, creativity, and emotion that is present in all of the art submissions. Collectively, this exhibit has a profound affect on all those who visit the display."

Together, a panel of judges who are professionals in the arts selected the best in show from nine categories. Additionally, two submissions were chosen by Commissioner Carpenter-Palumbo to receive the Commissioner's Choice award.

The 2009 New York State Recovery Fine Arts Festival awardees are:

• "Friends" by Miquel Figueroa of New York, N.Y., for acrylic.

• "Gemini" by Joshua Oscasio of New York, N.Y., for pen and ink.

• "Before and After" by Theresa Seeley of Schenectady, N.Y., for photography.

• "Twelve Step Nursery Rhymes" by Vincent Gerardi of Ticonderoga, N.Y., for watercolor.

• "Searching for Recovery" by Mark Goldstein of Garrison, N.Y., for oil/pastel.

• "My Journey" by Thomas Williams of Kerhonkson, N.Y. for pencil.

• "This Pathway" by Melissa Judd of Batavia, N.Y., for traditional poetry.

• "Siren's Song" by Kerby Henderson of New York, N.Y., for performance (hip-hop) poetry.

• "Stairway to Recovery" by Dong Kyun Kim of Long Island City, N.Y., for multi-media.

• "Pathways to Recovery" by Beth Urshel of Depew, N.Y., for Commissioner's Choice Poetry.

• "The Golden Road" by Raymond Rogers of Ballston Lake, N.Y., for Commissioner's Choice Visual Art.

The art is on exhibit at the Empire State Plaza Concourse in Albany through September 23. The Recovery Fine Arts Festival is one of many events that OASAS sponsors to help raise awareness and reduce the stigma of addiction. In addition to the arts festival, the Your Story Matters campaign at www.iamrecovery.com, now in its second year, encourages New Yorkers to share their stories of recovery in an effort to break the cycle of addiction, eliminate stigma and promote lives of sobriety and wellness.

Each year, thousands of recovery month events take place during September across the nation, as well as New York state, to help raise awareness of the power and possibility of recovery. A list of events is located on the OASAS Website.

OASAS oversees one of the nation's largest addiction services systems dedicated to Prevention, Treatment and Recovery, with more than 1,550 programs serving over 110,000 New Yorkers on any given day.

Addiction is a chronic disease and New Yorkers need to know that help and hope is available. Individuals can find help by calling the toll-free, 24-hour, 7-day a week HOPEline at 1-877-8-HOPENY. For more information, please visit www.oasas.state.ny.us.

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