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A skull in flowers, historic portraits, a butterfly and the Texas state capital: the winning submission in the Art of Recovery showcase, titled “Piece by Piece,” uses a variety of scenes atop a puzzle-piece backdrop to show the unique components that make up a person.
“I just wanted it to look like the pieces were all falling in together to signify that, you know, you’re not complete without your pieces,” said Carlos Jimenez, the work’s creator.
Jimenez is a participant in the Achieve, Inspire, Motivate felony diversion program in Dallas County. AIM is for people between the ages of 17-24 with a nonviolent felony charge and no prior felony history. It includes educational opportunities, vocational training, mentorship, substance abuse counseling and a dismissal of charges upon completion of the program.
This is the second year for the Art of Recovery showcase in Dallas County. It occurs during National Treatment Court Month in May, when treatment courts across the country celebrate the success of their participants.
All Rise (formerly the National Association of Drug Court Professionals) hosted a national Art of Recovery contest last year that AIM participated in and decided to continue after the national organization didn’t bring the contest back.
George Johnson, the AIM program coordinator, said he noticed a positive effect on program participants last year and wanted them to experience empowerment, to experience enhanced methods of coping and to showcase their talent.
Participants submitted art in nearly any format — poems, paintings, raps, photography — as long as it tied to the theme of this year’s contest: self-perception and inspiration in recovery. Johnson spoke of these themes more broadly when describing the program, saying they specialize in the intersection of justice and treatment.
“I believe success is a choice, and with the right attitude and mindset anything can be accomplished,” he said. “The transformation is real.”
