NO MORE EMPTY SHOES

James F. Montpelier Art Gallery
Ogdensburg Free Academy

March 28 - April 8, 2008

About the Exhibit

No More Empty Shoes was created to illustrate the true cost of daily tobacco use: human life. Each day in the United States 1,200 people lose their lives as a result of tobacco related illnesses; in St. Lawrence County alone two people die each day. Countless others die of second hand smoke and diseases that are tied to tobacco use. Each pair of shoes represents one life lost to tobacco. Most of us have been affected by tobacco in one way or another. This exhibit was designed to raise awareness about the deadly effects of tobacco use and also to create hope. Hope that those who view the exhibit will make the decision to quit using tobacco products or make the decision never to start. By helping people to stay tobacco free or quit using we will be putting a stop to empty shoes one pair at a time.

Early this fall S.P.O.R.T teamed up with the Art Department at Ogdensburg Free Academy and proposed the idea of displaying 1,200 pairs of shoes to demonstrate the harmful effects of tobacco use. The Art Department took the idea and ran with it. It has become a district wide project including art work from students in grades K-12 and afterschool art clubs.

The design concept behind the No More Empty Shoes Exhibit is the smokers journey along the path of addiction. The exhibit begins with a display of children's shoes. Each day 4,000 children try their first cigarette, 2,000 of them will become addicted. Addictions that begin in the teen years are especially devastating as many of them feel they are invincible. What they fail to realize is the toll they are taking on their developing mind and body.

The exhibit continues to the black room. This room is very dismal and depicts the ultimate consequences of tobacco use. The inspiration for this room came from the work of Eric Avery, and the German Expressionists' relief prints and films of the early 20th century. Eric Avery, M.D., is a printmaker and physician who creates art about humanitarian and health related issues. He uses hand made paper and black light to accentuate the strong contrasts and themes found in relief prints. Art in this room features the technique of printing self-portrait linocuts on handmade paper. In this room is a large, 3-dimensional lung, also made using handmade paper. The student portraits in the lung represent how everyone's health can be affected by tobacco—directly or indirectly. The 1919 German film, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, about a silent killer is a classic German Expressionist thriller. It features sharp angles and distortions. The ink paintings flanking the lung are scenes from the film, reinforcing the idea of tobacco, and Big Tobacco Companies, as silent, evil killers. The black light completes the effect of the reality of tobacco use.

One step at a time the exhibit transitions out of addiction toward hope. Panels of bright colors are the background to the tree of life and silhouettes of healthy activities. The colorful birds represent freedom from addiction and new tobacco-free life taking flight. On the floor shoes and instructional footsteps lay out different dances. These dances and activities are made much easier without the presence of tobacco. This section of the exhibit was designed to empower viewers and create hope. Without a doubt, never starting a journey on the path of tobacco addiction is the healthiest choice, but the choice to leave that life behind and begin a new, tobacco-free life is truly courageous. The journey doesn't have to end in death; choose life, choose to quit.

Memorials

Members of the community were invited to honor the memory of a loved one who lost his or her battle with a tobacco related illness or who is currently fighting a tobacco related illness. We were overwhelmed with the response, this truly demonstrates the effects of tobacco use, not only to those who use, but also to those loved ones who are left behind after a long battle. For the small contribution of $5.00 one pair of shoes was memorialized in loving memory. All proceeds will help the S.P.O.R.T Program to continue providing valuable services to the youth of St. Lawrence County. Memorials are still available for purchase outside of the exhibit. Below is a list of names who have been memorialized in the exhibit.

 

Aunt Helen

James Martin

Agnes Downey

Harry Huston

John Peacock

Althea Peacock

Albert Earl Storey

Barbara Rockhill

Anda Cooper Jr.

Irene McCaffrey

Martha Jane Legault

Leonard P. Legault Sr.

  

Ray Collette

Lewis Lottie

Professor Huitt

Orman Thompson

Richard Greene

Theron Brundage

Randy Brundage

Chester Brundage

Carolyn Bregg

Wallace Narrow

Sherman Ramsay

Jo Narrow

Sponsors

 

S.P.O.R.T. would like to thank our wonderful funders, without whom this exhibit and our program would not be possible. We would like to thank; The E.I. Moses Walk/Run for Life, United Way of Northern New York, North Country Prenatal/Perinatal Council Linkages for Youth Program, and the New York State Department of Health, Charles D. Cook Office of Rural Health. Without their dedication to health and wellness we would not be able to serve our youth.

We would like to thank The County Pennysaver, Q 102.9, YES FM, 99 Hits, North Country Public Radio, News 10 Now and the Ogdensburg Journal for their generosity in media coverage and advertising.

We thank the Family of James F. Montpelier for their generous contribution to the exhibit. We would also like to thank the many private donations from local businesses and community members, large or small; they make a difference to our youth and the services we are able to provide.

We would especially like to thank Heath Photography for the stunning photos which became the basis of our posters and the pictures on this website!

This exhibit would not have been possible without the dedication of the OFA Art Department, Students and Administration. We would like to specifically thank Pam Winchester, Dianne Drayse-Alonso, Jacqueline Foster, and Timmielynn Scaggs for their creativity and vision with this project.

Most of all, we would like to thank the community as a whole. We have collected shoes from all over St. Lawrence County and as far away as Iowa. Without the generous donations of shoes we truly could not have had this exhibit. We thank you for your support with this exhibit and supporting our program throughout its existence. The support of our community makes our services possible and worthwhile.

 

Support S.P.O.R.T. and our efforts to reduce tobacco use among our county's adolescents and Honor a Loved One at the same time!

For a small contribution of $5.00 you can dedicate an empty pair of shoes "In Memory Of Your Loved One" while also supporting the ONLY program in St. Lawrence County that helps our young people to stop using tobacco...a deadly, addictive drug.

Click the button below to safely process your donation online. After completing the payment process, click on the "Return to the St. Lawrence County Health Initiative" button and you will be taken directly to the Memorial Submission Form.

If you prefer to send a check or money order with your memorial, please click on the button below for a Memorial Form you can print and mail.

Thank You!!!

Please contact:

Debbie Miller at millerdl@potsdam.edu or by calling our toll-free number at

1-866-802-TEEN (8336)

Kellie Hitchman at hitchmkj@potsdam.edu or by calling 315-267-2527