Mural Project Has Recovering Addicts Helping Modesto VFW Hall Gain Exposure
MODESTO (CBS13) — A Modesto organization hopes to paint the city beautiful and change the stigma of addiction.
Ten murals throughout the city are designed to be an all-inclusive community art project that can help end the stigma for those in recovery or with mental illness. The latest mural aims to achieve a whole lot more.
Modesto's Veterans of Foreign Wars Hall on Hatch Road says it has a lot of programs and activities to offer, but members suspect not many people know where it is.
The VFW reached out to the nonprofit Peer Recovery Art Project.
The group has paid for 10 murals all over the city to revitalize downtown and while connecting artists and organizations. Some of its members are recovering addicts who want to do a community service through art.
"A lot of people in recovery want to be treated as any other artist," said Chris Murphy." I think art brings awareness to the groups in town and it brings awareness to who our community is."
Mural artists Miguel Herrera-Dominguez has painted for peer recovery before. He sometimes paints with artists in addiction recovery.
"You don't really talk about yourself, your past or anything. I don't really think that matters," he said.
The mural will have a military service theme and painters expect to finish it in two weeks.
"This is a dream come true because we could never afford to do this," said VFW member Ken Headrick.
The artists say this is exactly the mission using art to stay connected in Modesto
"It's a nice facility and we would love for people to come out and see it. If nothing else, people can drive by just to see the memorial," he said.
