SOLE STRENGTH TRANSFORMS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SURVIVOR STORIES INTO ART
Art auction opens September 15 for advance viewing and bidding
EASTON, MD — September 10, 2026 — The Mid-Shore Council on Family Violence (MSCFV) will present SOLE Strength, a first-of-its-kind public art exhibition created for Domestic Violence Awareness Month. More than 20 artists have transformed anonymous survivor stories and pairs of shoes connected to pivotal moments in their journeys into original works of art.
The exhibition offers the public an opportunity to see, hear and reflect on the realities of domestic violence through the eyes of artists responding to survivors' experiences.
“For every story that becomes public, there are countless others that never will. Their stories are rarely in
the newspaper, but these quiet stories matter just as much as the ones that make headlines. That is why
we created SOLE Strength.”
— Jeanne Yeager, Executive Director, Mid-Shore Council on Family Violence
SOLE STRENGTH AT A GLANCE
• ONLINE AUCTION LINK: https://events.readysetauction.com/midshorecouncilonfamilyviolence/solestrength
• AUCTION OPENS/CLOSES: September 15 at 9 am/closes October 31 at 9 pm
• RECEPTION: Wednesday, October 21
• RECEPTION TIMES: 5 p.m. or 7 p.m.
• LOCATION: Market at Dover Station, 500 Dover Road, Easton 21601
• RECEPTION TICKETS: $75
• PUBLIC GALLERY: October 22–31 (free admission)
• BIDDING: Online only
EXPERIENCE THE EXHIBITION
The October 21 reception will offer guests an intimate opportunity to experience the artwork, listen to
survivor stories and engage in meaningful conversations. Two reception times are being offered to allow
guests to experience the exhibition thoughtfully rather than move through a crowded event.
During the free public gallery, visitors can view the artwork in person and scan QR codes to access the
online auction and place bids.
Another distinctive element of SOLE Strength is that artists have interpreted survivor stories through
different creative perspectives and mediums, demonstrating how the same experience can inspire very
different artistic responses.
EASTERN SHORE ARTIST JAN KIRSH JOINS EXHIBITION OF ARTISTS
Renowned Eastern Shore sculptor Jan Kirsh is among the participating artists. Her work for SOLE
Strength was inspired by a survivor's story of being physically cornered by her abuser in her own home.
"The concept of the Sole Strength art exhibit and silent auction was so compelling that I immediately
agreed to participate. The survivors must have our support. My assemblage was inspired by the
emotionally moving story recounted by the survivor, whose abuser physically maneuvered her into a
corner in her own home. The phrase 'If it could happen to me, it could happen to anyone' inspired the use
of mirrors that force the viewer to feel the horror".
— Jan Kirsh, SOLE Strength artist
FULL LIST OF SOLE STRENGTH ARTISTS: Diane DuBois Mullaly, Deena Kilmon, Jan Kirsh, Charlie Barton, Lillian Pennypacker, Nancy Tankersley, Amber Era, Garnette Hines, Kris Kelley, Kathy Kopec, Cara Lee Wade, Patricia Logan, Nancy Lorentz, Maire McArdle & Stephen Walker, Esteban Del Valle, Patty Joiner, Mary Ellen Mabe, the late Margaret Merida, Taylor Russell, Jenn Schmidt, Kelly Sulc-Walsh, Naomi Clark-Turner, Marianne Eby, Michael Rosato, Lynn Cegelski, Sara Linda Polly, Miriam Moran
ABOUT MSCFV
For more than 40 years, the Mid-Shore Council on Family Violence has served adult victims of
domestic violence across five counties on Maryland's Eastern Shore. MSCFV provides crisis intervention, advocacy and resources to help survivors move from crisis to self-sufficiency
