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Art display raises awareness

NILES — Wanting to share a message against drug and alcohol abuse, a high school senior set up a themed art exhibit for the month at the Art Outreach Gallery in the Eastwood Mall.

Trinity Hobbs of McDonald, a senior at the Trumbull Career and Technical Center, is the curator of the “Anti Drug and Alcohol Art Show,” which runs through Jan. 26.

Hobbs, an interactive multimedia student at the career center and a board member at the gallery, said, “I would like to bring more awareness to topics that aren’t talked about as much as they should be.”

The artwork with various media — including photography, painting, ceramic, pencil and ink — focused on anti-drug and alcohol messages.

“We have different people here sharing their own personal testimonies of being in recovery and what they experienced,” Hobbs said.

Kevin Smith of Niles, who shared his own personal story of recovery at the event, said, “Words are powerful and stronger than many people think.”

Smith shared several poems he has written.

“It is the young people who are the future and can share their messages … There needs to be more events like this so everyone can share their story and help people,” Smith said.

Blake Stout of Warren, a student at TCTC, said his pieces at the show depict the different stages of addiction.

McDonald resident Robert Hobbs said people can learn about their own addictions. His book “Heroin: Living and Dying with an Addict You Love” was published in 2017. Trinity Hobbs, his niece, created the cover art. The book’s artwork is displayed.

Trinity Hobbs said she decided to do the show to bring awareness to the drug epidemic and to honor a family member who had a drug overdose.

“This is a way of raising awareness of a serious problem through the arts,” she said, noting she wants those who are dealing with an addiction to know they are not alone.

Hobbs said she is planning to study art in college and get involved in helping others.

The show features two age groups for entries: one is seventh to 12th grades, and two is adult artists.

The gallery is located next to GNC, along the J.C. Penney concourse. Hours of operation are 5 to 9 p.m. Friday, 1 to 9 p.m. Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday.

bcoupland@tribtoday.com

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