Jacksonville nonprofits, artists bring awareness to mental health through murals

Mural on Jacksonville's Westside brings awareness to mental healthPhoto byHeartspace Art

In front of an old church building on Timuquana and Blanding Roads on the Westside in Jacksonville, you will find a new, brightly colored mural that is hoping to raise awareness about mental health in the community.

The building is home to Inspire to Rise, Inc., a non-profit organization that helps people who struggle with substance misuse and/or mental health and assists individuals in their personal growth and overall wellness.

The mural is a collaboration between Inspire to Rise, and the nonprofit organization Hearts 4 Minds, whose mission is to create awareness and remove the stigma of mental illness and help prevent suicide.

The mural was created by Heartspace Art. The husband-and-wife team specialize in murals, public art, and events that inspire human connection, and a connection to nature. Most of their art features environmental scenes. The mural on Timuquana includes a lotus flower on a lily pad, rays of sunshine, and dragonflies, with a large mandala in the background.

“The architecture of this building is really cool, so the art is really creating an entire immersive experience that anyone who’s going by here is seeing, and then being engaged with the mission of Inspire To Rise and Hearts 4 Minds,” said Ian Cleary, co-founder of Heartspace Art, “I really feel like it’s all about the connection and not just about the connection to us, but to the relationship to each other, to the earth, to our community, and we want to mirror a positive relationship, be positive role models, and represent that in our company and our art.”

Hearts 4 Minds have funded several mural projects throughout Jacksonville. All of the murals feature dragonflies, the symbol of strength, courage and change,” said Sheryl Johnson, co-founder of Hearts 4 Minds.

“Art can be used for storytelling, changing stereotypes and giving a voice to those who suffer from the stigma of mental illness, “said Johnson, “Installing murals in critical areas of our community allows us to reach vulnerable populations and connect our residents to critical information about the signs and symptoms of mental illness and where to get help, regardless of the ability to pay.”

The mission of Hearts 4 Minds is personal for Johnson and her husband, who lost their son Alex in 2017 at the age of 22. Johnson says she and her husband didn’t have the information that could have helped them identify Alex's health issues early on, and that navigating the mental healthcare ecosystem was complicated.

“Hearts 4 Minds is committed to 4 pillars in the community – de-stigmatization, education, early identification and connection to resources,“ said Johnson, “Solving barriers along this continuum will help reduce the growing number of people losing lives to mental illness. Distributing as many dragonfly pins as possible to mobilize masses to change and create authentic opportunities to shape our world for the better is key.”

Inside the building on Timuquana, is the Inspire to Rise Community Center. The center is focused on holistically helping make the community a little better, happier, and healthier place, according to Aida Seeraj, founder of Inspire to Rise. The center offers psychiatric and family therapy, parenting education, and cooking and yoga classes.

“Specifically, we hope that the community not only sees the beautiful murals, but the message of Inspiring Hope, Healing, and Change. “said Seeraj, “We want to be a community center that not only serves as a resource center but a place that individuals regain their hope and desire to heal and transform into their best self.”

The mural is located at the Inspire to Rise main campus at 5927 Old Timuquana Road in Jacksonville. For more information on Inspire to Rise, go to www.weinspiretorise.org. To learn more about Hearts 4 Minds, go to www.hearts4minds.org. If you would like to reach Heartspace Art, visit their website at www.heartspaceart.com.