MCC-Longview Cultural Arts Center Exhibit: The Artist in Art Therapy Tuesday-Saturday 12:00-4:00 Artist’s Statement Rachel C. Nelson began her journey when major life transitions triggered her passion for art. When she began repetitively drawing flowers to relieve the pain and anxiety caused by ulcerative colitis, the artist emerged. After completing the AA at MCC-Longview and earning a degree in Psychology at MU, she made a synchronistic discovery—Avila University offered a master’s program in Art Therapy and Counseling. To qualify for the program, she returned to MCC-Longview to complete twelve credit hours of studio art. Rachel’s art reflects her quest for healing. Through the act of repetition and use of media such as encaustic, acrylic, and mixed media Rachel achieves a sense of calmness, stability, and balance. Rachel becomes consumed with an idea, or by a medium, until she feels it has been fully expressed through her work. An early example is her “Owl Series” which was symbolic of her emergence as an artist who only worked by night for fear of being seen, hence she became a literal “night owl.” One owl in this series, Grandpa Owl, hung in the home and hospital room of her grandfather during his final weeks and days of life. Rachel used art as self-therapy while completing an internship using art therapy with children and youth at Marillac. Her master’s project the “Encaustic Series” has come to symbolize her disease as she treads the path of healing, which unexpectedly took her to another place—that of acceptance. Rachel has exhibited her work at the Rime Center’s First Friday in Kansas City as well as the Ozark Technical College Gillioz Theatre Art Gallery in Springfield, Missouri. She graduated from Avila University with a Master’s Degree in Counseling and Art Therapy on May 14, 2011. As a graduation celebration, an exhibit of her artwork entitled The Artist in Art Therapy is being held at MCC-Longview’s Cultural Arts Center Gallery.

"Originating from H-Town's Southside, this gifted performer has established himself as one of the Top Spoken Word Artist in Houston. Se7en, Houston's Poetic Diamond in the rough is a graduate of Prairie View A&M University with Undergraduate duel degrees in Psychology and Social Work and a Master's in Counseling. Se7en is an exceptional poet and has taken the art of spoken word poetry by storm, "I didn't choose Poetry, Poetry Chose me" he explains. Se7en's debut Spoken Word CD entitled "Make Me Laugh Make Me Cry" is a must have for the Grown and Sexy. The CD is for and about Love, and it touches all aspects of life ranging from love at first sight to "Fifty-year anniversary love like Papa love Grandmamma". His lyrics are majestic; he speaks to your heart, mind, body and soul. However, he is not one to be under-estimated. There is a raw and uncut side to Se7en. Yet, his versatility allows him to deliver both sides equally. Se7en's presence on the stage is fierce. His peers refer to him as the "Fire Poet" because once he steps on the stage his presence captivates, his expressions illuminate, and the mic ignites into a blaze!"