About Summer of the Arts

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Karen Free, a longtime resident of Pathway Homes, passed away in 2011. Fondly remembered by many Pathway Homes residents and staff, Karen enjoyed art, travel, and many of the beautiful and finer things in life. Her love of animals and the African safari are evident in the subject matters she chose for her works. As an accomplished artist, Karen brought beauty to many people through her paintings.

 

Upon Karen’s passing, her mother, Audrey Free, established the Karen Free Art and Recreation Recovery Fund to give adults like Karen the opportunity to discover their talent and explore the use of art in mental health recovery. Sadly, while Audrey Free passed away in 2012, her support and respect for Pathway Homes was unwavering and created a lasting legacy.

 

Pathway Homes’ Chief Operating Officer, Eleanore Vincent, says, “Audrey’s dearest wish was to the see the fund grow so that countless others could experience the joy and healing that her daughter found in the arts.”

 

The establishment of this fund has made the annual Pathway Homes' Summer of the Arts resident art exhibit possible. Sponsorships and contributions help to sustain the fund so that Pathway Homes can continue to offer our residents enriching creative, social, and cultural opportunities, which residents embrace wholeheartedly. 

 

Karen and Audrey Free were not only remarkable women but also cherished members of the Pathway Homes family. The Karen Free fund to encourage artistic exploration for the purpose of mental health recovery is a fitting and lasting tribute to both of their memories