Arts For EveryBody: Vein of the Clay

Welcome to Arts For EveryBody: Reflection of the Green Leaf! Join us at the Jewel J Newman Community Center for a day filled with creativity and inspiration. This in person event celebrates art in all its forms, showcasing the beauty and diversity of artistic expression. From paintings to sculptures, music to dance, there's something for everyone to enjoy. Come be a part of this vibrant community and immerse yourself in the world of art. Let's create and appreciate together!

Vein of the Clay is unique in that it targets incarcerated adult females, in
the EBR Pr*son, with a diagnosis of mental illness and/or a dual diagnosis.
The project will educate these women and assist them with the
development of creative trades for entrepreneurship for life post-release.
Vein of the Clay will serve as an alternative outlet for these women by
utilizing a therapeutic approach in treating their diagnoses.
Key Individuals Involved:
Vein of the Clay sessions will be led by Okoye Couture. Okoye is an artist,
teacher, and entrepreneur with a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse
Practitioner - Board Certified with an extensive history in forensic
psychiatric nursing, and a certification in Mindfulness - Body Scans. She
will educate participants on the foundation of polymer clay and textures
providing tactile therapy, creation as participants share their stories, and
development methods of managing their mental health. The participants will
also receive one-on-one mindfulness sessions, and Medic*tion education
to assist with the treatment of their mental health. Sensi Alford, art curator
of ellemnop.art will be our community-based art curator and logistics
manager. In collaboration with the 19th Judicial District Court, the Art
Council of Greater Baton Rouge, The Walls Project, YWCA Greater Baton
Rouge, EBR Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (CJCC), and Releaf
Behavioral Health and Wellness Clinic and Transportation, communitybased art therapy and mental health treatment will continue for the
individual once released.
Our Goals:
1. To develop resources and enrichment opportunities for 184 who are
mentally ill
2. To assist 184 women who suffer from mental illness with managing their
mental health through Art, and last but not least;
3. To erase that vein that carries the stigma of the phrase... “Mentally ill”
As a result (outcomes), participants will walk away with ways to manage
their mental health through learning tactile modalities to create and redirect
their thoughts to positivity. Participants will learn how to create with
polymer clay, creating tangible items through expression, touch, and
thought. Also, they will have developed a trade for life after incarceration
decreasing recidivism rates.

Host or Publisher The Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge