In the Fall of 2007, Vickie and Tim Florschuetz brainstormed a plan on how to use art as a way of helping others. As a college professor, Tim had came across students in his classes who suffered from domestic abuse. Being a person who cares about others, he was deeply disturbed by the problem. It caused such distress and disrupted education. With the idea of creating portraits of domestic abuse survivors and allowing them to participate in the creation process, the grassroots effort of Bravery ProjectSM began.
Our program has two main parts: Survivors and Organizations
Survivors volunteer to share their story through visual art. They participate in the creative process of developing their own portrait. Each participant helps to break through stereotypes that a survivor can be an elderly person in a nursing home, a woman living in a million dollar house with a V.P. job, a man with an abusive girlfriend, or even a pet used as a pawn for power and control. Audiences who view the art learn about the issues from first hand experience in a beautiful and positive way. They learn that domestic abuse is emotional as well physical. They learn that it is all too common and still kept as society's dark secret. Additionally, the portraits testify that something can be done; there is a way out of the darkness.
Many organizations are working hard to provide services and education. Bravery Project is an alternative way to help. The artwork is meant to be shared. There are many ways we can help an organization from hosting mini artshows to full blown partnership fundraiser events. No matter how Bravery Project is used, there is always a need for understanding about how large of a problem domestic abuse remains.
Domestic abuse isn't just someone else's problem. It masquerades under many names: child abuse, assault and battery, spousal rape, power and control, homicide, animal cruelty, etc. It is a human and animal rights issue that affects all of us, whether it touches us personally or covertly through the economic and social burdens it places on communities.