KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — A Knoxville nonprofit is using paintbrushes and conversation to help people in recovery find new ways to heal.

The Metro Drug Coalition offers an art therapy class aimed at helping people in active addiction or recovery develop healthier coping skills. The class connects mental health with creative expression, using art as a tool for healing.

Each week, participants gather to paint, reflect and talk.

“Life is not a fixed mindset. It’s a growth mindset,” Kristen Robinson a counselor and painter who helps others understand the body-mind connection, said. “We can turn pain into purpose. We can turn our mess into a message.”

The group meets every Wednesday. For some, the blank canvas is a reminder that each day offers a chance to start again.

“If you mess up, you just f

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