ROCKLAND — “One hundred Maine survivors of domestic abuse will have more peace and beauty in their lives due to a community partnership with The Farnsworth Art Museum and Finding Our Voices,” said Finding Our Voices, in a news release.
 
The Rockland-based museum gave 100 journals to the grassroots, survivor-powered nonprofit to distribute to the women Finding Our Voices assists in escaping and healing from domestic abuse. The journal is part of the Share the Wonder program based on Every Leaf and Twig exhibition. Each journal comes with the same kind of pencil and eraser favored by Andrew Wyeth and an image of Crow Tree Study, 2007 by Andrew Wyeth. This is all tied together with a yellow ribbon in homage to the Finding Our Voices signature color.
 
Patrisha McLean, founder and CEO of Finding Our Voices said: “A personal journal is at the top of the list of what helps domestic abuse survivors to heal. It is a safe place to help process the trauma we have gone through. Nature and art are also right up there as far as bringing peace, hope, and beauty back into our lives. So how perfect for Finding Our Voices to now be able to provide journals that encourage communing with nature and expressing oneself through art to women survivors of domestic abuse.”
 
She added: “Pretty much every day we send out gift packets to Maine women fleeing domestic abuse or trying to get back on their feet, that include gas and/or food cards and books we found helpful in our own journeys of re-discovering who we are and rebuilding our lives. How amazing to be able to add this beautiful and meaningful journal to 100 of these packets as an extra gift to that many women.”
 
The Farnsworth Art Museum has previously partnered with Finding Our Voices to provide more than 100 art kits for child and women survivors, and also by twice providing six of its Main Street windows to the group’s Love/not Love art and poetry exhibits, most recently for K-12 students. The Farnsworth Art Museum also has two photographs by Patrisha McLean in its collection.

 
Finding Our Voices is Maine survivors of domestic abuse mitigating the isolation, financial abuse, and stigma that are the key factors in getting and keeping women trapped with angry and controlling intimate partners. In addition to its groundbreaking domestic abuse public-awareness campaigns that include posters featuring the photo portraits of 45 Maine survivors and a “Let’s Talk About It” tour, the statewide nonprofit provides financial assistance, the Finding Our Smiles program of dignified pro-bono dental care, healing retreats, and online support groups. For more information visit https://findingourvoices.net