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Friday 8 december 2017

Arte Sano Foundation:
Creative Expression for A Change of Life

By LINDA REIJNDERS
Arte Sano Foundation believes in social transformation,
creating beauty and changing lives. Founder Claudia
Nooren Ruiz-Vasquez works with students from the local
correction institute K.I.A. and students with drug and/or
alcohol addictions on a vocational training base. “We
strive to bring back dignity by creating art.” This Saturday
you can admire the opening exposition of the wonderful
work of this group of students. The exposition will continue
until the 17th of December.

Arte Sano Foundation is a non-profit organization estab-
lished in 2012. The name, freely translated, means ‘art is
healthy’ and that is the main focus: the powerful heal-
ing potential of useful work and creative self-expression
of the arts. The empowerment of vulnerable people in
Aruba’s community. Homeless, addicts, youth in prison,
youth drop outs and guardianship are the target groups.
The products vary and include paintings, lithography’s,
recycled wood items, recycled material, textile bags,
driftwood, jewelry and t-shirts, all items that are a good
memory to Aruba and with the awareness that they are
created by vulnerable locals. The goal is to promote eco-
nomic development through job creation and vocation-
al training.

Claudia: “Many people have someone they know or love
that struggles in life with addiction challenges or wrong
choices. We aim to break stigmas and give second
changes. Everybody deserves that. Aruba has a colorful
mix of people that are extremely creative.”
The foundation’s studio/workshop place is inspired on
the Bauhaus movement in Europe and the Arts & Crafts
Movement in the US. “Our curriculum is based on the nat-
ural and cultural heritage of Aruba. The students create
unique souvenirs, each with a detailed explanation of
their story behind it.”

The opening exposition will be tomorrow between 7 and
9 pm at Cas di Cultura in Oranjestad. Sunday you can
enjoy the art between 3 and 7 pm and Mondays to Fri-
days between 9 am and 5 pm. The exposition will close at
December 17.

For more information please visit Facebook Arte Sano
Foundation.q