Bihl Haus Arts presents “The Art of Allowing,” an exhibition by Jill Ewing and military veterans, who are students of the Forward Arts! program, that opens with a reception.

Nature is the central theme in “The Art of Allowing,” and reflects the artist’s love of the outdoors and all that Mother Nature has to offer. “It’s been proven that nature heals,” said Ewing, a master naturalist. “You can spend as little as two hours each week outside and it helps heal the mind, body and soul.”

The exhibition’s theme is illustrated in the drawings and paintings of birds of all kinds that Ewing and the 18 veterans she teaches in the Forward Arts! program will have on display. Forward Arts! is offered free to veterans to support their mental wellness.

“Birds tie in with nature, and so many people have a connection with them,” Ewing explained. “For instance, some people believe the appearance of a hummingbird or cardinal is a deceased loved one letting a person know they are near and still with them.”

Birds also symbolize freedom, as they spread their feathery wings and take to the skies. It’s this sense of freedom that is also highlighted in the exhibition title, “The Art of Allowing,” and the veterans’ choice to pursue without constraints the direction of their artistic creations.

“It goes with the philosophy that we set our intentions but are allowed to take a detour if another opportunity comes up,” Ewing said. “That’s why we encourage Forward Arts! members not to give up on a piece or throw it away if they’re not happy with it at first. We suggest that they just allow their creativity to flow freely and see where it takes them. Oftentimes, the work that they might be inclined to discard ends up being the piece that they like best.”

“The Art of Allowing” closes with a reception from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Friday, October 14 with a presentation by guest Speaker Dr. Marsha Nelson, Co-Founder of Creative Journal Expressive Arts Program. It will be followed by a crystal bowl sound bath meditation. Bihl Haus’s Forward Arts! Program partners with VET TRIIP, The Pink Berets, and Endeavors to provide art and Creative Journal Expressive Arts classes to veterans.

Bihl Haus Arts is a recent recipient of a $50,000 inaugural Creative Forces Community Engagement grant by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) to expand its Forward, Arts! program.