LoVEartbySoLET

Artist Bio: John “Coach” Solet is a resident of Pensacola, Florida, and most recently discovered the world of “arts in medicine” from the University of Florida. After dabbling with art for 20+ years, and not realizing the connection that art had to mental health, John attended a summer intensive at the University of Florida in 2019. Since then, he has completed a Graduate Certificate in arts in medicine and is now in graduate school at UF. Since January 2020, John has completed over 100 volunteer hours at Ronald McDonald House of Northwest Florida (Pensacola). By using art to promote health and well-being, John used the arts to bring over 100 families together, focusing on bridging the communication gap and decreasing social isolation for families dealing with traumatic events. Artist Statement: Growing up in South Louisiana as a Native American, my exposure to the arts was limited because of my skin color. Suppressing my creative needs for nearly 30 years, I discovered how art can heal, transcend barriers, and unite people. I started teaching jewelry classes at my studio home for coworkers who dealt with traumatic events daily, which led me to add more tools to my toolbelt. I’ve taken art classes in China, Florida, Texas, Louisiana, and North Carolina. This has led me to diversify my offerings and has helped me create meaningful experiences for all involved. After spending a year in China, where I started a co-op with over 70 local Chinese artists, and starting graduate school at the ripe old age of 50, I’ve finally discovered where my life journey was leading me. My purpose is to create experiences for individuals to create art and learn the benefits of the creation process. ALL proceeds from my shop will go toward creating more free community-based programs and my grad school education. If you have questions or requests, contact me, and Let’s art about it with Coach John! Thanks for your support & Please help spread the word about my shop :-)