Iowa Juvenile Home

Student work from the Iowa Juvenile Home
Sept. 1 - Oct. 19, 2007
Preus Library

Installation View

Trauma Reflected through Art is a traveling show created by students at the Iowa Juvenile Home (IJH) in Toledo, Iowa. The IJH is the state training school for delinquent girls and also serves some boys and girls who are victims of abuse and/or neglect. The children, ages 12 – 17, come from all over the state of Iowa. All are wards of the state. Most qualify for special education, with the most common disability being behavior disorder. The institution offers a year-round school program at the Herbert Hoover School on campus. School and residential programming follow a model called Circle of Courage, a program of positive behavioral support which stresses mastery, belonging, generosity and independence at skills which must be learned in order to become a successful adult. As part of this program, students participate in an art therapy program and often produce work with genuine artistic merit. The IJH Foundation, with a grant from Alliant Energy, is sponsoring the art show which travels to several cities in Iowa each year. Names or photographs of participants in the show have not been made public without their prior permission and that of their parents or guardians.

The show contains about 30 works of art produced in the therapeutic art program. Each work is accompanied by labels that offer insight into art therapy practices. Some labels also include quotes from the student-artists. Most students at IJH have had trouble finding acceptable ways to express themselves in their communities, often lashing out with anger, violence and other criminal behavior. Their repression of negative emotions and efforts to evade aroused anxieties have led to one or more subconscious, destructive urges, including rage and aggression, suicidal ideation, sexual promiscuity, drug and alcohol abuse, learned helplessness, and self mutilation. The art program offers the students a way to express deep feelings without getting into trouble. The show is intended to showcase the students’ artistic talents, demonstrate the effectiveness of art therapy as a rehabilitative intervention, and educate the public about the Iowa Juvenile Home.

Anonymous
Quiet Girl
(acrylic on wood)

In this painting the artist is identifying an inner rage that has resulted from documented, early childhood abuse. When this rage surfaces, this student appears to be a completely different person than how she is customarily seen. Although this self portrait would give the viewer the impression that its creator was calm or passive, inwardly the temper of this individual can become “cat-like” as often seen in the quick way that she can react and aggress.

“More often, a child represents himself and his problems in more or less disguised ways, which offer symbolic protection for the expression and communication of unacceptable thoughts.”

Judith A. Rubin
Child Art Therapy

Anonymous
Flaw
(ink)

The depiction of good over evil has been a theme that artists have attempted to capture throughout the recorded history of art. In the drawing “Flaw”, good in the form of an angel is being tempted by what is being perceived as a horned antagonist. Meanwhile, an attentive but ominous blackbird attempts to persuade this angel to take some of the silverware offerings for reasons that are not made clear to the viewer. This institutionalized student has purposefully left us groping for more information. The artist has also not indicated whether good will finally triumph in the end.

It is fairly certain that this student’s out-of-the-home placement is causing him privately to take stock in both the good and the negative experiences of which he has been a participant. Like the angel, he is trying to do only good, even though temptation is ever present. And like the blackbird in this illustration, there is always negative peer pressure to contend with.

“He can learn to choose, to make, to act, to revise decisions, to appraise and to evaluate, and to learn from past experiences. In art he can manipulate media which do not talk back, enabling him to experience a kind of power and master at no risk.”

Judith Rubin
Child Art Therapy

Anonymous
Mad Dog
(acrylic)

When a student was asked to paint himself as an animal, he responded by making the illustration of a “MadDog”. This image retains the same haunted look of hopelessness and defeat as can be observed in the youth who made the painting. It should be noted that the early childhood history of this youth is filled with atrocious accounts of physical and emotional abuse. History documents that this youth was kenneled in a crate for extended periods of time.

This painting gives the viewer a direct and accurate view of the emotional state of the artist. It also helps to visualize the overwhelming need for immediate stabilization, trust formation, and strong nurturing support.

“With the very disturbed child, understanding is essential, since we all know sadly that love is not enough.”

B. Bettelheim
Love Is Not Enough

Installation View

Updated 09/11/06


Luther College > Art Galleries > Archives > Iowa Juvenile Home



"Trauma Reflected in Art " Student work from the Iowa Juvenile Home Sept. 1 - Oct. 19, 2007 Preus Library Installation View Trauma Reflected through Art is a traveling show created by students at the Iowa Juvenile Home (IJH) in Toledo, Iowa. The IJH is the state training school for delinquent girls and also serves some boys and girls who are victims of abuse and/or neglect. The children, ages 12 – 17, come from all over the state of Iowa. All are wards of the state. Most qualify for special education, with the most common disability being behavior disorder. The institution offers a year-round school program at the Herbert Hoover School on campus. School and residential programming follow a model called Circle of Courage, a program of positive behavioral support which stresses mastery, belonging, generosity and independence at skills which must be learned in order to become a successful adult. As part of this program, students participate in an art therapy program and often produce work with genuine artistic merit. The IJH Foundation, with a grant from Alliant Energy, is sponsoring the art show which travels to several cities in Iowa each year. Names or photographs of participants in the show have not been made public without their prior permission and that of their parents or guardians. The show contains about 30 works of art produced in the therapeutic art program. Each work is accompanied by labels that offer insight into art therapy practices. Some labels also include quotes from the student-artists. Most students at IJH have had trouble finding acceptable ways to express themselves in their communities, often lashing out with anger, violence and other criminal behavior. Their repression of negative emotions and efforts to evade aroused anxieties have led to one or more subconscious, destructive urges, including rage and aggression, suicidal ideation, sexual promiscuity, drug and alcohol abuse, learned helplessness, and self mutilation. The art program offers the students a way to express deep feelings without getting into trouble. The show is intended to showcase the students’ artistic talents, demonstrate the effectiveness of art therapy as a rehabilitative intervention, and educate the public about the Iowa Juvenile Home. Anonymous Quiet Girl (acrylic on wood) In this painting the artist is identifying an inner rage that has resulted from documented, early childhood abuse. When this rage surfaces, this student appears to be a completely different person than how she is customarily seen. Although this self portrait would give the viewer the impression that its creator was calm or passive, inwardly the temper of this individual can become “cat-like” as often seen in the quick way that she can react and aggress. “More often, a child represents himself and his problems in more or less disguised ways, which offer symbolic protection for the expression and communication of unacceptable thoughts.” Judith A. Rubin Child Art Therapy Anonymous Flaw (ink) The depiction of good over evil has been a theme that artists have attempted to capture throughout the recorded history of art. In the drawing “Flaw”, good in the form of an angel is being tempted by what is being perceived as a horned antagonist. Meanwhile, an attentive but ominous blackbird attempts to persuade this angel to take some of the silverware offerings for reasons that are not made clear to the viewer. This institutionalized student has purposefully left us groping for more information. The artist has also not indicated whether good will finally triumph in the end. It is fairly certain that this student’s out-of-the-home placement is causing him privately to take stock in both the good and the negative experiences of which he has been a participant. Like the angel, he is trying to do only good, even though temptation is ever present. And like the blackbird in this illustration, there is always negative peer pressure to contend with. “He can learn to choose, to make, to act, to revise decisions, to appraise and to evaluate, and to learn from past experiences. In art he can manipulate media which do not talk back, enabling him to experience a kind of power and master at no risk.” Judith Rubin Child Art Therapy Anonymous Mad Dog (acrylic) When a student was asked to paint himself as an animal, he responded by making the illustration of a “MadDog”. This image retains the same haunted look of hopelessness and defeat as can be observed in the youth who made the painting. It should be noted that the early childhood history of this youth is filled with atrocious accounts of physical and emotional abuse. History documents that this youth was kenneled in a crate for extended periods of time. This painting gives the viewer a direct and accurate view of the emotional state of the artist. It also helps to visualize the overwhelming need for immediate stabilization, trust formation, and strong nurturing support. “With the very disturbed child, understanding is essential, since we all know sadly that love is not enough.” B. Bettelheim Love Is Not Enough Installation View Installation View Installation View Installation View Updated 09/11/06
Home \| Happenings \| Learning \| Living \| Giving \| Admissions \| Contact About This Site \| Site Map

"Trauma Reflected in Art "