I’ve had a long-time association with non-profits and have had the good fortune of establishing and directing a number of them over the past forty-some years. That experience, along with my attraction to the arts, has melded beautifully in forming The INTO LIGHT Project. I am not a professional artist. I had never done a portrait before attempting the first one of Devin. But something deep inside of me exploded. I can’t stop drawing faces!
The tragic loss of my son, Devin, in Feb 2018 has presented me with a wonderful gift… The INTO LIGHT Project. Through this project, I am able to look into the eyes of so many wonderful people, many of them at the prime of their lives, and see the intensity of their compassion, kindness, spirit, zest, humor, their troubles, their pain, and so much more. I get to sit and visit with them quietly. I treasure this time and I hope that through the portraits that are produced, others can see that we are all more alike than different. Thank you. Devin, for leaving this gift for me to find. Peace, my son.
After meeting Theresa, and hearing her heartfelt and emotional story about the loss of her son Devin, from an accidental drug overdose, and her desire to set up a non-profit organization, Barbara felt inspired to offer her help. One of Theresa’s needs was for someone to gather information from loved ones and write narratives to tell their stories. Barbara’s experience in writing coupled with her background as a psychologist was a perfect fit for this role.
Barbara is committed to the vision of The INTO LIGHT Project; to change the conversation about drug addiction and to erase the stigma and shame around the disease. Writing the narratives of the loved ones in this project provides Barbara with an opportunity to help change the hearts and minds of those who have bought into the limiting and negative stereotypes of people with substance use disorder. She feels honored to write their stories. Additionally, Barbara serves as the Assistant Director of the INTO LIGHT Project.
Jeremy Hebbel is a Wilmington, Delaware-based artist and entrepreneur. Before founding his own fine art business, Hebbel Portraits, in 2020, Jeremy was co-founder of Gable Music Ventures, an events and music booking company. Gable developed and created several signature events, most notably The Ladybug Festival, which has been held for 11 years in downtown Wilmington and Milford, Delaware.
In his role at Gable, Jeremy managed the social media for over ten clients and was essential in the building and content creation of at least five social media accounts for Gable.
Becky Nickol’s consulting and coaching expertise has benefited numerous organizations for over thirty-five years.
Becky began her career as a Certified Financial Planning Professional the corporate giants Merrill Lynch and Smith Barney where she gained the breadth of experience and credibility it takes to develop success strategies that focus on the company’s bottom line.
In her role as a consultant, Becky helped organizations develop healthy, high-trust, high-performing cultures in order to attract and retain top talent and become leaders in their industries.
As a licensed mental health counselor, Becky effectively acted as a confidential sounding board and coach for executives dealing with critical issues, as well as individuals seeking counseling.
Becky’s only son, Alex, died of fentanyl poisoning January 2017. Becky and her husband then moved to Waynesville, NC where she learned of Theresa and Barbara and the wonderful work they were doing with INTO LIGHT PROJECT. Alex’s portrait was in the North Carolina exhibit and Becky was moved to join the INTO LIGHT team. She considers it a great honor to do INTO LIGHT’s work of reducing stigma and changing the conversation about Substance Abuse Disorder.
Joanne is a NH native who relocated to Delaware in 2017 after retirement. Her only child, Eric, served in the US Army during the Iraq War. While attending college in Boston after his discharge, Eric was diagnosed with PTSD, medication-resistant depression, anxiety, and numerous physical problems. He was prescribed opioid pain medicine by his doctors and became addicted. After struggling with his mental health and Substance Use Issues for several years, he lost his life to fentanyl poisoning in March of 2022. Through a local Delaware grief support group, Joanne learned about The INTO LIGHT Project and submitted her son for the Delaware exhibit. She was moved by the dignity and respect shown to all the exhibit participants and their families. Acutely aware of the role stigma had played in her son’s situation and ultimately her life as his mom, she felt moved to become more involved with the project. Joanne volunteers as an Ambassador for her home state of NH and also has taken on coordination work with the Continuing the Conversation stage of The INTO LIGHT Project, which is a powerful force for each state to use in a second year of educational programming and helping to reduce stigma. Like many of The INTO LIGHT Project’s volunteers, everything she does is done to honor the memory of her beloved son. He was her sun, her moon and her stars (TS Eliot).
Terri cultivated a love of art from a young age through visiting art museums in several countries and enjoying art classes, craft projects, and creative fashion. Terri wears many hats in the art industry as a fine art appraiser, seller of fine art, and a professional picture framer. She provides a variety of support services to artists, including gallery sales, online marketing, and administrative support. From 2012-2022, Terri managed the Asheville, North Carolina framing shop, The Frugal Framer, framing works of art for museums, art collectors and local artists. Terri has a Bachelor degree from UNC Charlotte in Art History and advanced certificate studies through the American Society of Appraisers.
Terri became acquainted with the INTO LIGHT Project from framing their portraits at The Frugal Framer. Having lost several friends, including her husband’s best childhood friend, to opioid overdose, she immediately felt a unique connection to the mission of the organization. She is grateful to be part of helping to change the conversation about drug addiction.
Terri lives with her husband, Justin, and young son, Bray, in beautiful Black Mountain, North Carolina.
Angela learned about The INTO LIGHT Project from a friend and immediately agreed to help commemorate these stories. While it is challenging to distill a person’s entire life into one cohesive narrative, she believes there is power in how we remember people. The INTO LIGHT Project’s mission to destigmatize addiction is crucial in shaping how we as a society will seek solutions for this epidemic. It is a mission she supports wholeheartedly.
As a writer, she is committed not only to her craft but also to honoring the person within the story. By capturing all the little ways that made them human, she hopes these narratives will positively influence how we speak of addiction. Each life is precious; each story is unique and deserving of respect. She is honored to be trusted with the stories of your loved ones.
Biographical literature has always been one of Victoria’s favorite things to read. Reading the unabridged truths of others’ lives is incredibly empowering and reminds her that all people have unique stories and struggles. Having lived with depression most of her life, Victoria took great comfort in reading and writing, because it allowed her to tell her own story and to understand the stories of others. She decided early on that one of her goals was to write an autobiography. When she heard about a memoir writing class she eagerly signed up.
That is where Victoria met Barbara, who later told her about a project she was working on called The INTO LIGHT Project. Victoria, who lost friends to addiction and had a mother who struggled with addiction during Victoria’s childhood felt immediately compelled to join the project as a narrative writer so she could help tell the stories of others. She feels that destigmatizing addiction is imperative to the collective healing of a society that has attempted to erase the overarching impacts of addiction throughout history. She is grateful to be a part of such an impactful project.
Lynn feels privileged and humbled to be one of the writers for the INTO LIGHT Project narratives.. The rollercoaster of emotions that individuals and families who struggle with addiction feel is often hidden away from others due to shame, stigma, embarrassment, pain, isolation, and lack of understanding, education, and awareness. This project helps to break those barriers and brings people together in ways that make lasting impressions and draw the wholeness of the individual lives into light.
She has been personally and professionally involved with people affected by addictions for over forty years. Beginning as an art therapist for children of addicted family members, she learned early on how important all art forms are in helping to cut through the silence and connecting to the heart.
She is grateful for this opportunity to continue to follow her passion for educating communities about the disease of addiction and help shine light on the multi-dimensionality of every individual affected by it.
Lynn feels privileged and humbled to be a writer for the INTO LIGHT Project narratives. The rollercoaster of emotions that individuals and families who struggle with addiction feel is often hidden away, due to shame, stigma, embarrassment, pain, isolation, and lack of understanding, education, and awareness. This project helps break down barriers, and brings people together in ways that make lasting impressions and draw the wholeness of each individual life into light.
She has been personally and professionally involved with people affected by addictions for over forty years. Beginning as an art therapist for children of addicted family members, she learned early on how important all art forms to cut through the silence and connect to the heart.
She is grateful for this opportunity to continue to follow her passion for educating communities about the disease of addiction and help shine light on the multi-dimensionality of every individual affected by it.
Since an early age, Roxanne has been intrigued with writing and how words convey a specific message and capture the reader’s attention. Her interest has been centered on historical and biographical stories. Reading the works of others has offered her a glimpse into humanity, understanding that we are all unique individuals yet share many similarities. We all desire to achieve greatness and overcome any obstacles that may stand in our way.
Throughout her life, her strong communication abilities have enabled her to lean into others, lend a listening ear, and show compassion for people, both in her personal and professional life.
Roxanne has suffered a great deal in her life, but nothing could prepare her for her son, Nicholas’ addiction, and his ultimate passing. Nicholas and Roxanne were extremely close. Her life as she knew it ended the day he left for heaven.
Roxanne’s hope is to help others remember their loved ones who have been lost to this horrible disease. Lost loved ones should never be defined by their addiction. They were just like anyone else. She wants them to be remembered and honored as a blessing.
Scott has been fascinated with storytelling as an art form and as a means of communication since he was a child. Everything is stories – the songs parents sang to us, the lessons taught by teachers, advertisements for breakfast cereals, and the media that that is consumed daily. It is easy to forget that our own lives and the lives of those who surround us are also rich with unique and beautiful stories. It has become Scott’s passion to hear these stories and to appreciate their value.
When his older brother Devin died from an accidental fentanyl overdose at the age of 32, Scott’s life came to a sudden halt. He found it hard to believe that anyone could understand the deep and earth-shattering sadness that consumed him. Devin was Scott’s brother, but he was also his best friend and confidante. Over time though, Scott realized that he was not alone, and a lesson began to unfold. It became somewhat of a mantra in his head, we are all similar in the sorrows we face. He started to look at people differently, with more empathy. He saw that they might be hurting and that he might be able to help them. With his participation in the INTO LIGHT Project, he hopes to continue helping others and show the world that we all have stories worth sharing.
Jerald Pope has closely followed the crisis of death by drug overdose and poisoning for decades. Over and over, he has seen the adverse effect of blaming the victim for what is medically recognized as a disease. He is happy to be part of an organization which is working to change that attitude.
He has a Bachelor’s degree in Art and a Master’s in Humanities. Jerald started two theater companies that are still active. He wrote and directed plays throughout the South and taught theater and humanities at various colleges. He has published poems, done theater reviews and newspaper columns, fronted a rock band, and published fourteen books. He has won various art awards, most recently for “Best Children’s Book,” for his wordless novel.
He is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, and the Colored Pencil Society of America, currently living in the mountains near Asheville, NC, with his wife and dog. He is a third generation Oklahoman.
“Elizabeth is an artist and food systems activist with over a decade of experience in both areas. In 2018, they graduated from the University of California, Santa Cruz with a Bachelor’s Degree in Art. While in school they worked with a variety of farms and gardens as well as Food Systems Working Group, an organization dedicated to increasing the community’s access to quality nutritious food. In 2022, Elizabeth joined the INTO LIGHT Project creating forty portraits for the California Exhibition displayed at Cal State San Bernardino’s Anthropology Museum.
Through participation in The INTO LIGHT Project, Elizabeth has gained a lot of trust in their ability to deepen their recovery while doing work that benefits others. They believe that as we humanize people who have died as a result of a drug overdose, we can extend that compassion toward other people who are especially vulnerable, like those struggling with mental illness, those living on the streets, and those most directly impacted by the carceral system. The causes and effects of addiction and overdose intersect with so many aspects of our lives that everyone is impacted by these issues. Elizabeth’s hope is that this project will move others toward coming out of isolation and reaching toward their loved ones in support.”
Shawn Faust is not only an artist, but a custodian of nature’s beauty. With an unyielding respect and deep reverence for the natural world, he channels his lifelong fascination with perception into remarkable works of art. Drawing from his classical training in oils, Faust embraces the rich traditions of portraiture as a symbolic homage to his subjects. Through his art, he seeks to elevate the status and awareness of the beauty of our planet.
“Sketching is an active form of dialog I have with my subjects. It’s a way to learn and understand more about them. Working with The INTO LIGHT Project has given me the privilege of learning more and celebrating the lives of loved ones that were lost to substance disorder. In my 30 years of being a visual artist, I consider working with The INTO LIGHT Project the most rewarding use of purpose and meaning that transcends mere artistic expression. I have become a messenger of hope and a guardian of cherished memories, ensuring that the beauty of these souls will forever shine brightly in our hearts.”
Jason Rafferty is an artist and educator based in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He is an Applied Assistant Professor of Art at the University of Tulsa, where he teaches painting, drawing, design foundations, and 2D visual art. He previously lived and taught art classes in Asheville, NC, where he met Theresa Clower, who studied portrait drawing with him for a few years at the inception of the INTO LIGHT Project.
Jason is happy to be involved as an Artistic Advisor to The INTO LIGHT Project. He empathizes with families’ and friends’ sense of loss, having lost a close friend, a gifted musician, when they were both 23. He is grateful to assist with this project that humanizes and dignifies those who have passed from addiction — they are much more than just their illness.
Tony Corbitt is a self-taught artist originally from Central Florida and currently living and working under the sunny skies of Sarasota.
His life as an artist started and continues to be grounded with solid draftsmanship. He has been an avid “sketch journalist” for decades, documenting day-to-day life in a series of sketchbooks. His painting style is inspired by the French Masters of the late 19th Century, utilizing bravura brushwork, and emphasizing tonal relationships with broad sweeps of a loaded brush.
“In an artist’s work, painting and drawing from direct observation naturally creates a certain intimacy between the artist and the subject. Portrait work often presents a different challenge where that same intimacy must be relayed through stories and photographs, which in many cases can offer an even deeper sense of inspiration. Portraits are created to capture fleeting moments or memories that slip from tangible existence. With each portrait created through INTO LIGHT Project comes the opportunity not only to memorialize those that were lost too soon but to educate a new audience about the intolerance and bias associated with drug addiction. I am humbled and honored to participate in such a meaningful project.”
Jason is an artist and a musician from a very rural part of Alabama. He was born in the Mississippi delta and moved to the rural part of Alabama as a teen. Living in these sparsely populated areas of the south, addiction, and mental illness are not often talked about or addressed. He loves the fact that INTO LIGHT is literally shedding a light in the darkness.
Jason has a degree in Fine Art, but for the past 30 years he has been working mostly as a graphic designer and commercial artist. It wasn’t until his own addictions and self- destructive behavior led to his divorce that he began looking for ways to be useful with his talents, rather than using. The process of making art and music has been an important part of his personal recovery process. He feels very fortunate to be alive and healthy and is committed to being useful rather than successful in all his endeavors from this moment on.
Jason is honored to be a part of the INTO LIGHT project where he feels his talents are being used in such an honorable way. Portrait art is the highest form of fine art. There is something spiritual about creating and capturing another human being’s essence.
Cecil Norris is a teacher, artist, and farmer who resides in Shelby, North Carolina. In 2017, he graduated from UNC at Charlotte with a Bachelor of Arts in architecture. Norris’s work engages texts, but most importantly the critical text, “Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community?” by Martin Luther King Jr. whereby King warned the masses that the “evils” of racism, materialism, poverty, and militarism endangered the progression of society. His practice is centered on the “voices” at the bottom- the vulnerable, the disenfranchised, and the poor or working class- which typically are not seen in current art or heard in today’s society.
Norris is glad for the opportunity to work with The INTO LIGHT project because he comes from a community of people who have cared, loved, and taught me the importance of the concept of “we” over “I”. He was taught at a young age the importance of caring for the “least of these”, the disenfranchised, the vulnerable, and the poor. That idea can be seen in his artwork and community practices. Community is built through the process of caring for all people and bringing to the forefront the humanity of all people. He hopes that this project will showcase the humanity of the people who are typically marginalized and not seen.
