An upcoming exhibit at Tallahassee’s LeMoyne Art Gallery will be a chance for the community to say things that might otherwise go unsaid. The exhibit is an exploration of grief, and healing.
Paula Gasparini-Santos is a mental health counselor, holds a degree in art therapy and combines all these elements in her own artistic creations. The Brazilian native now lives in North Florida and says she’s always been fascinated with psychology—and lately, how people express and explore grief.
“it started with a desire to use art as a means of connection within myself. And then I discovered it was a modality of healing and then pursued that professionally.”
Gasparini-Santos will be bringing the artistic expressions of her inner self—by way of two-dimensional imagery like paintings and pastiche-- to the LeMoyne Gallery May 23rd through June 29th.
“The title of the show is ‘From Grief to Grace’ and especially with grief, we often don’t have many places to go with our grief. And I’m not speaking about grief in only losing someone we love, but grief of all the changes we endure when there is change and it’s out of our control.”
The reason Gasparini-Santos is giving so much advance notice, is that she wants the exhibit to include notes and letters from the community. They’ll be incorporated into the exhibit itself.
“These letters will go up in the gallery amongst all the other peoples’ ‘words left unsaid.’ And then during the actual exhibition people can contribute more letters to it as well. So it’s an ongoing, growing piece of all the things we hold within ourselves.”
Things she says that, once given expression, might lead to resolution and healing.
Send letters to:
LeMoyne Arts
125 N. Gadsden St.
Tallahassee, FL 32312
