The ArtThread Foundation
In the winter of 1973, 19 year-old Jay Allen Klein had just been called up in the draft and was preparing to be on his way to Vietnam. To his surprise, instead of being sent to the front line of the war, he received news out of his routine physical that would thrust him into a completely different battle.
Jay was diagnosed with testicular cancer, at a time when both the prognosis and treatment options, were not good.
He is very open with sharing his story - of the struggles and the successes, the pain and the power of this now more than thirty year journey.
Jay is now cancer-free and is passionately committed to easing the physical and psychological distress for cancer patients and anyone impacted by illness, physical limitations, or social consequence.
ArtThread began with the fusion of Klein’s survivorship, his experience as a musician, and his scientific training and background. He started a federally funded research program at the University of Florida involving the role of creative expression and online technology for pediatric cancer patients. The technology, research and relationships built during that time, led to the creation of the ArtThread Foundation.
The centerpiece of the Foundation’s work is the ArtThread Interactive Online Gallery. The Gallery is an innovative, inspirational, and interactive place where people can do something highly unusual with their art: they can start or join an “art thread” — an interactive art-to-art conversation with family, friends, or anyone in the world. The ArtThread Gallery makes creative expression and art available everywhere: home, work, in-patient and clinical settings, schools, and throughout community organizations
“Making art is great, but making it and sharing it is even better,” says Klein. “Think of ArtThread as the fusion of a gallery and an infinite online graffiti wall. Its social networking with paint brushes!”
Those “paintbrushes” come in a very unique form on the ArtThread website. ArtThread’s proprietary online art making tool “Splash!” makes it possible for everyone to make beautiful art anywhere. “Splash” encourages fun and experimentation and often unpredictable results. Yet it also has great depth, and is a great expressive tool for even the most skilled artist. “Splash!” was originally created in a partnership with the Entertainment Technology Center at Carnegie Mellon University, co-founded by “Last Lecture” professor and visionary Randy Pausch.
ArtThread also fulfills its mission by creating partnerships with other organizations such as VSA arts of Florida, Shriners Hospitals, and The Creative Center in New York.
“We are thrilled to be working with ArtThread,” says Robin Glazer, Director of The Creative Center, a NYC community organization that brings the world of art to more than 15,000 participants each year. “Our artists in residence are using the easy-to- use art sharing tools with in-patients, and we as an organization are using ArtThread’s online auction module as a fundraising tool.”
“Our work with these various organizations clearly demonstrates the power the ArtThread Gallery to enhance the mission, and add value to the services of a wide array of initiatives, say Klein. “Art becomes an advocate, a messenger, a facilitator and a fundraising tool. It’s just one product of our mission to bring creativity, connection, and community to anyone in need.”
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ArtThread and start your own Online Gallery!