An ongoing exhibition in downtown Plattsburgh, titled “Holding Space: A Community Exhibition on Art and Mental Health,” is on display at the Strand Center for the Arts through May 30 for Mental Health Awareness Month. The show, a collaboration between the Strand and Behavioral Health Services North (BHSN), features artwork from individuals in BHSN’s recovery programs, including pieces by Barb Guay, who runs a recovery program and creative expression therapy group at BHSN. Guay’s watercolor self-care plan, with panels like “Pink Power Suit Barbara” and “Fruit Bat Barbara,” explores her own recovery from opioid and cocaine use since 2015, as well as her chronic illness and artistic identity.
This exhibition matters because it highlights the therapeutic role of visual art in mental health recovery, offering a platform for community members to share personal stories of healing and resilience. By partnering a local arts center with a mental health nonprofit, the show underscores how creative expression can support sobriety, self-care, and emotional well-being, while also reducing stigma around addiction and mental illness. It serves as a model for how art institutions can engage with health services to foster inclusive, supportive community programming.