BLACKFOOT — The Bingham Crisis Center has been building more rooms for women and children who are victims of domestic and sexual violence, and the Bingham Arts Council has had several artists donate artwork for these spaces.
Scott Smith, the center’s executive director, recently welcomed the artists donating to the facility and explained the mission and the need to brighten the lives of those who use the center.
“These are family members brought out of a difficult and dangerous situation into a situation where they are safe, protected, they can kind of relax and take that deep breath and try to collect and figure out what that next step is,” Smith said. “We don’t have a lot on the walls and that’s where you guys are really going to fill that need for us and we are super excited to be able to bring that to those that are in crisis.”
Smith said there are many things people in better situations take for granted, such as art.
“There are simple comforts we get to enjoy, even if it’s a small place, something we get to call our own,” he said. “Most of these individuals don’t get to call it as such. To be able to take some of your talents and be able to bless them in this space will undoubtedly be one aspect to their healing and their road to getting out and on their own feet.”
Six originals and prints were donated to the center by the arts council, and members said the gesture fits the group’s mission.
“Our mission is to bring art into the community, connect the community with the arts,” Natalie Bigler said. “We thought this was a perfect place to be able to put those two together and bring hominess and comfort to the center. We want to work together to build more of that community.”
“I’ve got friends who’ve been in homeless shelters before, especially a crisis center like this. I’m grateful for that,” Wayne Goodworth said. “I was talking to a friend about this and when she was going through a situation with her husband, she got in her car and drove it until it ran out of gas right here in Blackfoot. The Crisis Center took her in and helped her get situated to where she’s back on her feet partially. I’m grateful for what the center does. To me that’s what it’s all about, helping those that need it. If we can do something so that when they walk in they feel like it’s a place that people care about them and feel like it’s a beautiful, comfortable, nice place, that’s what we wanted to do.”
Smith appreciated the credit given to the center, but he gave credit to the community for helping the facility to stay alive and growing.
“As much as I’d like to take all the credit, even as an organization we can’t and it’s because of community members such as yourselves, such as those that really go out of their way to help us with whatever random idea they may have, that’s what drives us, to benefit and help those that are coming through town or whether they live here, whatever the case may be,” Smith said. “We are able to do what we’re doing because of our community. Our community is incredible at giving and making sure we’re taken care of and I want that to be the emphasis. Without our community we would cease to exist and we would not be able to provide those services.
“These art pieces are obviously not going to be in a big town hall where it’s meant to be really seen, but they’re going to impact those that are in here, I guarantee you that.”