Success Story — Heidi McLean

- by Kate Mock

Heidi McLean had been in the correctional system for about six months. She remembers the time as, “miserable. You didn't have anybody that showed any support. It was just really lonely.”

So when she saw a sign-up sheet for an art program, McLean did not hesitate to register. She recalls, “I had always been interested in art. When I was younger I used to do things for school and stuff...but when I got older I drifted away from it.” Participating in ArtSafe's Arts Resiliency program allowed her to rediscover and renew that which she had forgotten.

In addition to exploring artistic creativity, ArtSafe affected McLean in other ways. She says, “I learned about positive emotional expression...when I got mad I no longer wanted to fight, but to be creative.” It was an opportunity to work with others in cooperation for a common goal. Receiving guidance and attention from instructor Suanne Goings and program director Stephen Canneto was especially empowering. “It meant a lot to me to have someone look over my shoulder...and genuinely care about me,” she says.

McLean is now attending college, pursuing a degree in Art. She will be graduating in about a year and hopes to be able to pass on the positive lessons she learned through ArtSafe. As she said in the closing of her speech given at November's Power of Art celebration, “I want to show...that there are alternate paths, it's never too late, and that there are people that truly care.”

Read More Stories

Director's Corner |Success Story: Heidi McLean
Artist Profile: Suanne Goings | Project Profile : Landscapes from the Mind's Eye
New Facilitators' Guide | Thank You to All ArtSafe Funders | ArtSafe Home