What are the opening hours?

Friday 9am - 5pm Saturday 11am - 3pm

Brush With the Law - Community Service Arts

Our purpose is to inspire meaningful changes and lasting improvements in the critical social issues affecting the incarcerated and those living with co-occurring disorders and mental health diagnoses by working together on city beautification projects using the visual arts. Out on the streets is where participants need the most appreciation, and the most cheer-leading for their efforts in trying t

06/20/2024

I’m curious about what your life would have been like had you not discovered art and creativity?
And if there’s a specific moment in your life you can pinpoint where art really has mattered to you and made a difference for you…

Bill Murray: “Well, I think it would be back when I started acting in Chicago. I wasn’t very good. And, I remember my first experience on the stage; I was so bad, I just walked out on the street and started walking. And I walked for a couple of hours, and I realized I’d walked the wrong direction. Not just the wrong direction in terms of where I live, but the wrong direction in terms of a desire to stay alive. And so I, this may be a little bit not completely true, but it’s pretty true - that I walked, I then thought well if I’m going to die where I am, I may as well just go over towards the lake and maybe I’ll float for a while after I’m dead. So, I walked over towards the lake and as I got there I realized I’d hit Michigan Avenue. And I thought, well, Michigan Avenue that runs north too. And so I started walking north and I ended up in front of The Art Institutte of Chicago and I just walked inside and I didn’t feel like I had any place being there. And they used to ask you for a donation. You know when you walk into a museum and I just walked right through because I was ready to die and, I felt pretty much dead. And I walked in and there’s a painting there and I don’t even know who painted it. I think it’s called ‘The Song of the Lark’, and it’s a woman working in a field, and there’s a sunrise behind her, and I’ve always loved this painting. And I saw it that day and I just thought well, look, there’s a girl that doesn’t have a whole lot of prospects, but the sun’s coming up anyway, and she’s got another chance at it. So I think that gave me some sort of feeling that I too am a person and get another chance everyday the sun comes up.

The painting titled “Song of the Lark” is an oil on canvas from 1884 by Jules Breton

Claim ownership or report listing

Want your organization to be the top-listed Government Service in Montgomeryville?
Click here to claim your Sponsored Listing.

Our Story

Brush with the Law is a (501 (c)(3) organization that helps socially marginalized (those struggling with drug addiction, behavioral/mental health issues, those on probation/parole, and at-risk youth) individuals reconnect with the community through collaborative creative art projects in a community setting. We bring together people assigned community service hours as well as local college students interested in community art and sociology, radical arts, criminal justice, social change, etc. and find meaningful projects to work on together that help other socially marginalized populations. Such as, creating murals inside homeless shelters, mental health facilities, addiction rehabilitation and many other places. Or, create art exhibits that help bring about awareness to such issues as the he**in epidemic (see 4642), addiction and incarceration, mental health, and so many other things. We utilize community service hours that have been assigned as retribution and make it a meaningful learning experience that is fun for everyone.