Reception tomorrow

Saint Philip’s will host the art show “Straight from the Heart” for the month of September. This exhibit will showcase artwork in different mediums created by women who were or are incarcerated at Perryville Women’s Prison in Goodyear, Arizona.

All are invited to the opening reception at 2:00pm tomorrow, Saturday, September 2.

Perryville Women’s Prison is where over 3,000 women from every walk of life reside—some for the remainder of their lives. Besides viewing the exquisite paintings, each piece includes a soul-rendering explanation of the artist’s emotional journey in coping with the isolation and fear experienced during incarceration. The women are not only creative, they are determined, too. Many had only limited tools to express themselves.

Visitors to the show are invited to use not only their eyes when viewing the art but also their hearts. The women’s art testifies that hope, faith, and growth can emerge from an environment of confinement, brutality, and isolation.

The show will be curated by the Episcopal Diocese of Arizona’s Prison Ministry. Items will be available for purchase; donations will benefit the artists (where possible) and the prison ministry program. Cash and checks only.

The Rev’d Kim Crecca is an ordained deacon in the Episcopal church and currently serves at the Episcopal Church of St. Matthews in Tucson. Dcn Kim’s ministry is to serve those affected by incarceration and to raise awareness about the adverse effects of mass incarceration.

From 2012-2018, Dcn Kim was part of a team that continues to lead Episcopal worship services at the Perryville Women’s Prison in Goodyear. Since 2014, she has been the Convener of the Episcopal Diocese of Arizona’s Prison Ministry Program. Its purpose is to help Episcopal and other churches in the state of Arizona embrace and assist those affected by incarceration through a variety of outreach opportunities.

Dcn Kim also directs Camp Genesis at Chapel Rock—the diocese’s camp in Prescott, Arizona. The goal of Camp Genesis is to provide a place for children with an immediate family member who is or was incarcerated to come together in a safe environment to share, support, and heal while having fun and experiencing community.

“Straight from the Heart” is a prison art show held four times a year. Dcn Kim is committed to sharing information about the human costs and collateral consequences of incarceration, and how the church can better serve those that Jesus called “the least of these.” She is always ready to share the joy she has received from this ministry with others.