Healing Ink

On May 27, 2023, The Art Center Highland Park will present two correlated events: 

• ‘Healing Ink’ Tattooing Session

10am-4pm, by appointment only

FREE with application here 

• Exchange with Craig Dershowitz and Rick Matros of Healing Ink 7:30-9:30pm

FREE with registration here 

The Art Center Highland Park has a uniquely holistic approach that sets it apart from any other organization of its kind. TAC not only offers a wide selection of art classes, museum-quality exhibitions, and community-centered events, but also offers resources to the community for healing, inclusion, diversity, and social dialogue. In 2022 Yoga in the Gallery was launched with the purpose of allowing members to find inner peace surrounded by inspiring art; Exchange events with a wide range of artists and advocates on topics from art to social justice have become monthly subscription-based happenings. Additionally, since the Highland Park shooting, The Art Center has been offering a monthly art healing program in partnership with the non-profit organization ‘The Art Impact Project’ to help adolescents and adults in the community process the trauma under the guidance of specialized counselors.  

The new program that The Art Center is launching on May 27, 10am-4pm, is founded on the belief that tattoos have healing powers, and is focused on “helping the survivors and families of victims continue to heal physically and emotionally while celebrating the heroism of (…) first responders”, as the organization Healing Ink states in its website at https://www.healingink.org. The organization will partner with The Art Center by bringing over several tattoo artists who will donate their time and artistic skills to cover the scars, either physical or emotional, of those affected by the shooting.  

Why tattoos? Craig Dershowitz, founder and CEO of Healing Ink, states that “There are many forms of healing, each one working for different communities and people. We have found that for many, tattooing is an untapped and powerful resource. Manifesting emotional trauma in physical pain, commemorating the day, creating an opportunity for peers to ask questions, beauty or wanting to cover a scar and erase a memory, all provide a sense of agency and independence. We cannot control what happened on that day. We can control how we respond.” 

For survivors, families of victims, and first responders of the Highland Park shooting, who are interested in participating in the program, applying is easy and starts with filling out a simple online form here.  The applicants will then be contacted for a virtual interview where they can add more information to their responses. Once they are accepted, they are put in touch with their assigned tattoo artist to discuss and plan the tattoo design ahead of the event day. 

On the same day, after the tattooing event, at 7:30 pm the community is invited to an Exchange with Craig Dershowitz and Rick Matros of Healing Ink for a discussion about how art can help heal after tragedy, and the history of the organization. The event is FREE but reservations are required and can be made here. 

For information about the events: info@theartcenterhp.org, or 847-432-1888 

The Art Center Highland Park is a not-for-profit organization and North Shore’s home for artistic discovery and creative exploration. Through innovative programs, exhibitions, and classes designed for all levels and ages, The Art Center provides a welcoming space for our diverse communities to experience and participate in the arts. For more information about classes, events, and exhibits visit theartcenterhp.org.