Empowering Voices Through Art: Sharing Experience & Strength featuring Michael Kalmbach

On this episode of the Bold Creatives Collective Podcast, we revisit a conversation that I had with Michael Kalmbach a couple years ago. During the conversation we uncover the profound healing power of art and its ability to create a social atmosphere that promotes recovery among peers.Through the stories that Michael shared in this conversation, we gain a deeper understanding of the transformative impact of art and how it can shape a community free of stigma. In our conversation with Michael, we delve into the transformative power of art and its ability to unleash the creative potential within individuals. Join us as we explore the inspiring journey of fostering integration and recovery at the intersection of art and behavioral health.Michael has made it his mission to create a safe and nurturing environment for individuals on the behavioral health spectrum. Through the immersive studio art environment provided by the Creative Vision Factory, these individuals find a space where their creative vision is valued and celebrated.Throughout this episode, we also shine a light on the importance of embracing outsider perspectives. Creative solutions often emerge from these unique viewpoints, and the Creative Vision Factory recognizes the immense value they bring. We hear inspiring stories of resilience, hope, and innovation that arise when diverse perspectives converge.Michael Kalmbach (he/him) received his MFA at the University of Delaware in 2008. Shortly after graduation he accepted a position at the Delaware College of Art & Design, and founded the New Wilmington Art Association, an artist collective that was active from August 2008 to April 2013. This work led to Michael’s involvement with the Chris White Community Development Corporation, which developed the 23-unit artist live/work space, Shipley Lofts. Kalmbach served the CWCDC as Board Chairman from 2013-2016. In June 2011, he accepted a contract with the State’s Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health to develop and direct a peer-run art space. The Creative Vision Factory has been open since December of 2011, and fosters the creative potential of individuals on the behavioral health spectrum in a studio art environment that cultivates integration with the community through a program of exhibitions, workshops, and communal workspace. Appointed by Governor Jack Markell, Kalmbach began serving a three-year term on the Delaware State Arts Council in 2016. He is the recipient of several awards, including the 2010 Governor’s Awards for the Arts’ Peggy Amsterdam Award for Outstanding Achievement, the 2012 League of Women Voters of New Castle County’s Carrie Chapman Catt Award, and a 2017 University of Delaware College of Arts & Sciences Alumni Achievement Award. Michael maintains his painting practice and has exhibited his work in venues throughout the Mid-Atlantic, including the Delaware Art Museum, the Delaware Contemporary, the Biggs Museum of American Art, and UnSmoke Systems in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.Michael's IGCreative Vision Factory's IGTJ's CoachingIGTJ's Art IGhttps://www.tjwalshcoaching.com/Host & Producer: TJ WalshEngineer: Daisy James