LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Hundreds of members of our community have had their lives touched by the fires that have ravaged our county in the last few years.

We all know someone who has experienced the fear and the sudden trauma of fire. But unfortunately, the resources available to our family and friends have been limited; especially resources that address the emotional distress that can remain after the fires go out.

Sunrise Special Services in partnership with the Lake County Arts Council has moved to fill that gap with their project, “‘Restorative Arts for Fire Victims,” made possible with a mini grant from Lake County Behavioral Health.

The project assisted those traumatized by the fires to express the emotions which cannot always be conveyed in words but may be reached through community art practices and therapeutic counseling.

Janet Taylor, a certified peer, and Federal Emergency Management Agency disaster counselor coordinated with other professional counselors to facilitate art workshops that helped relieve anxiety and stress for fire victims and their families.

Artist Linda Kelly, with the Lake County Arts Council, contacted galleries to provide artists who were qualified to facilitate the classes.

The success of the project is due to the collaboration and partnerships of all the following who provided the artists: Richard Seisser, gallery coordinator with the Main Street Gallery; Lisa Kaplan, executive director of the Middletown Art Center; and Stephanie Figeroa, owner of The Art House Gallery in Clearlake.

The Main Street Gallery in Lakeport, the Middletown Senior Center, the Clearlake Senior Center and Cobb Mountain Elementary School provided locations around the county.

Counselors Barbara Nuckols, Chloe Karl, Anne Newport and Melissa Morin coordinated the first and final in the series of 20 classes to introduce the participants to the concept of art to express their emotions.

Art instructors Lisa Kaplan, Sandy Stillwell, Linda Fielding, Glenneth Lambert, Richard Seisser, Linda Kelly and Janet Taylor taught a variety of art programs which included drawing, painting, clay, collage and creative writing.

The interaction through the art experience as well as the opportunity to discuss their feelings with others who had similar experiences gave participants a sense of community support and new tools to continue the healing process.

Sunrise Special Services is a nonprofit health and social services agency. For more information 707-274-9121.

The Lake County Arts Council is a nonprofit organization providing a professional venue for the creative arts in the community. For more information contact Linda Kelly at 707-263-6658.