Greg Konkol

Greg Konkol was born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It was here he discovered his creative side and a passion for community service. He was very active in various clubs and organizations throughout high school. It was here by chance that he was encouraged to take an introductory art class. After this first year, he won an award to display his artwork in a gallery for a month with select other classmates. Through the process of creation, a passion for creativity grew. In his senior year, his art portfolio of various self-portraits had won a silver scholastic art award and moved on to compete for a gold award in New York City.

In pursuit of his creative passion, he chose to enroll at Columbus College of Art and Design in Columbus, Ohio. He moved to Ohio and began an intense study of art and design foundation courses his freshman year, incorporating all fields of art. It was his sophomore year; he chose to pursue a fine arts background. Through out his creative endeavors, he was always inspired by nature. He began to paint, draw and print make with themes of nature. Printmaking became the main medium for communicating and expressing nature. The process and steps involved to create a print created a love/hate relationship to the creation process which only excelled the creative passion. In March of 2007, he created and installed his senior exhibition. Prints of various techniques, size and shape were displayed. Nature in abstract form with emphasis to texture were key points to his artwork and exhibition.

It was during his time at Columbus College of Art and Design, where he continued his community service. He had become a leader in the peer group advisors, promoting educational decision making on topics such as sex, alcohol and drugs. The group promoted safe alternative events to participate in as well as provided individual peer counseling from topics dealing with school to depression. The desire to help others with his passion for art, lead Greg to pursue a career in Art Therapy.

He got accepted to Springfield College and moved to Springfield, Massachusetts in 2007 to start graduate school. During graduate school, he was able to extend his community service through being an AmeriCorps member. He did one year of service working as an intern with Health Care for the Homeless. Through this internship, he got a chance to experience the need of the homeless and was able to create art therapy groups in various shelters throughout Western Massachusetts. The second year of AmeriCorps service, he was placed as an art therapist and case manager at Brightside for Families and Children. It was here he was able to assist children with various mental/behavior issues and see the power of art therapy working with children from less then better backgrounds. His art therapy research showed his passion for the community when he and another art therapist did research on the use of art therapy in substance abuse treatment with the homeless population. Much experience and much passion came from the research process.

Through out the time in Springfield, Greg has made a commitment to give back and participate in the community. After the experience working with the homeless, his passion increased. He continues to help the homeless by being an active participant in Project Homeless Connect, a organizer for The Stories We Carry and still runs a bi-monthly art therapy group at a substance abuse house for previous homeless individuals. Since moving to Springfield, he has started to pursue another passionate area: Relay for Life and the American Cancer Society. He is a three year active participant and a two year committee member for Relay for Life of Greater Springfield. Starting this year, 2010/2011, he is the online coordinator for a new event: Bark for Life. Bark for Life will be held on April 16th, 2011 and will recognize the care giving value of dogs to those with cancer and cancer survivors.

Through the giving back and participating in community, Greg also made a decision to pursue his creative goals and redefine his creativity. Since moving to Springfield, his art had taken a step back and almost any excuse was a good excuse not to create. He wanted to change this and pursued the interest of other artists to encourage all creative endeavors. Through posts online, he was able to establish a group of other artists to explore, discuss, overcome, weep and triumph artistic possibility with.

Though he is not certain in what the future may bring, Greg will continue to pursue his creative passions and his ability to give back to the community.